Star of Midnight (1935)

William Powell: Clay 'Dal' Dalzell

Photos 

Quotes 

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Say, mind you, if I do go on and do this, I'm only doing it because of your mother. She's a nice woman. It must be terrible for a woman to have a daughter like you.

  Donna Mantin : My mother just adores me.

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : It would be more to the point if she spanked you. I don't mind to do it myself.

  Donna Mantin : Well, this'll be new.

  [Turns around, bends over, and puffs on a cigarette] 

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Swayne, bring me six bottles of Scotch, four bottles of Vichy, two glasses, some cracked ice and a lot of aspirin.

  Donna Mantin : What are you going to do?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Get drunk. Watson, you can put away your needle and throw your fingerprint outfit out the window.

  Donna Mantin : What's the matter, Sherlock? Aren't we going to play detective any more?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : No. When I got to pay a reward to a correspondence school detective and find out the most promising suspect in a murder case I'm investigating is myself, I'd better quit.

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Donna, don't you trust me?

  Donna Mantin : Yes. But, I'm probably wrong.

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Which proves that you're not so dumb.

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : All of which makes me a first class murder suspect.

  Donna Mantin : That's terrible. Poor fellow. And my walking in doesn't help you any either, did it!

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : No. However, I'll overlook that if you'll whip me up a little drink.

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : It's funny I get just so far and smack, right into a stone wall. I finally found a bus driver who remembered picking up a girl of her description every morning and taking her to Washington Square. And what happened after she got off the bus?

  Donna Mantin : What do you say we give up this detective business and go in for some plain or fancy matrimony?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : I can't get the thing out of my mind. It's got so many queer angles.

  Donna Mantin : What'll it be? A church wedding or quiet one at home?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : For instance, how did Jerry, eh, well, what's her name, know that I was working for Mary Smith?

  Donna Mantin : Do you talk in your sleep?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : She said it was common gossip. That's ridiculous.

  Donna Mantin : 'Cause if you do, I could wear ear muffs.

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Did you say something?

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : So, you're busy running my life again, heh?

  Donna Mantin : I'm sorry Dal, I forgot to mention it to you; but, I decided Mrs. Classon is nobody for you to play around with.

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Oh, Mantin, you're a swell gal. But, the next time you stick your nose into my business...

  Donna Mantin : Now, don't take that attitude. A girl has to be careful about the reputation of the man she's going to marry. And your's, certainly can't stand being mixed up with that woman! Let me amaze you with a list of the lady's boyfriends since her marriage to Mr. Classon!

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : How did you get this?

  Donna Mantin : For the neat little sum of fourteen dollars and sixty cents for a long distance call to Chicago. On your telephone, by the way.

• Donna Mantin : Well, you're just plain looney. Unless, you're the murderer and I'm the girl.

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Or, vice versa.

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Now, listen Tim, you're free, white and twenty-one. You can do as you choose.

• Donna Mantin : What kept you this time? Did you get mixed up with some other woman?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : [to the bartender]  Martini please. Keep it dry, will you, and thhhree olives.

  [to Donna] 

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Oh, Hello, Mantin.

  Donna Mantin : Am I an orphan?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : [to the bartender]  Two martinis.

  Donna Mantin : [to the bartender]  I'll take the same. Two martinis.

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Well, what do you know about that?

  Donna Mantin : What is it?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : That, my very young friend, is a dictograph!

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Mantin, come on!

  Donna Mantin : Come on, where?

  Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : You and I are going to rent an apartment.

  Donna Mantin : Swell! Now we're really getting somewhere!

• Clay 'Dal' Dalzell : Your hunch about my connection with the Van Dusan divorce case is right.

  Tommy Tennant : You're a white man Dalzell.