Death of a Scoundrel (1956)

George Sanders: Clementi Sabourin

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Clementi Sabourin : I always say, if you're going to steal at all, steal in a way that will be admired.

• Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : It was a lovely dinner.

  Clementi Sabourin : I flew the lobster in from Maine and the onions from Bermuda.

• Clementi Sabourin : You know, a man called Thorstein Veblen once said business is the art of getting something for nothing.

• Clementi Sabourin : You know, a place like this inspires romance, don't you think? How long has it been since you lost your husband?

  Mrs. Ryan : Five years.

  Clementi Sabourin : And you've been without a companion all that time?

  Mrs. Ryan : I'm doing all right.

• Mrs. Ryan : You're a fast worker, aren't you?

  Clementi Sabourin : In my country, I'm considered a slow poke.

• Mrs. Ryan : Don't play with me, Mr. Sabourin. I'm a tigress. I'll bite you!

  Clementi Sabourin : I accept your offer.

• Clementi Sabourin : Our plan is to buy companies that are in financial trouble and then build them up.

• Clementi Sabourin : I was the dreamer. I was the dreamer they took to the Nazi prison. I loved you Zina. That was the dream. And what became of it?

• Clementi Sabourin : The race just isn't even when we're born. Some people have a head start.

  Leonard Wilson : Well, all you've got to do is run a little faster than the next fellow.

  Clementi Sabourin : Yes, with the devil at your side.

• Bridget Kelly : Did you just get off the boat?

  Bridget Kelly : Yes. How did you know?

  Clementi Sabourin : It shows all over.

• Bridget Kelly : Where you from?

  Clementi Sabourin : France.

  Bridget Kelly : Where did you learn to speak English so good?

  Clementi Sabourin : I studied at a place called Oxford.

  Bridget Kelly : Oxford - I ought to go there.

  Clementi Sabourin : They'd be more likely to study you there.

  Bridget Kelly : You being insulting?

  Clementi Sabourin : No. I just meant that you'd make a fascinating course in anatomy.

  Bridget Kelly : Thanks!

• Bridget Kelly : How come you just get off the boat and head straight for a bar?

  Clementi Sabourin : Looking for company.

  Bridget Kelly : What sort of company?

  Clementi Sabourin : Your sort.

  Bridget Kelly : How do you know what my sort is?

  Clementi Sabourin : Well, you're not a school teacher.

  Bridget Kelly : Oh, I don't know. I could teach you your A-B-Cs.

  Clementi Sabourin : In that case, I might be a willing pupil.

• Bridget Kelly : What you gonna do in America?

  Clementi Sabourin : Oh, maybe I'll steal a little. What do you do?

  Bridget Kelly : I float, I drift - I look.

• Clementi Sabourin : Let's get out of here.

  Bridget Kelly : Were will we go?

  Clementi Sabourin : Anywhere.

  Bridget Kelly : I know the perfect place.

• Clementi Sabourin : Hey, what about those A-B-Cs you were telling me about?

  Bridget Kelly : We'll get to that. This is where I live.

• Clementi Sabourin : You know, I think I'm going to like you. You won't tire my mind.

  Bridget Kelly : I might wear it out my way.

• Clementi Sabourin : You know something, take off three inches of paint and you'd be quite attractive.

• Bridget Kelly : How do you like our country?

  Clementi Sabourin : After tonight, I'm going to become a citizen.

  Bridget Kelly : After tonight, you'll be entitled to citizenship.

  [clinks two glasses of bourbon - straight] 

• Clementi Sabourin : Who was that?

  Bridget Kelly : My husband.

  Clementi Sabourin : Your husband?

  Bridget Kelly : Relax! We're not married any more. We're just good friends.

• Clementi Sabourin : Everybody knew Peter Ryan, the financial wizard!

  Mrs. Ryan : We were married in Europe. He brought me to this country. A short while after, he died.

  Clementi Sabourin : Very thoughtful of him.

• Clementi Sabourin : Have you worked for Mrs. Ryan long?

  Stephanie North : A few months. Why?

  Clementi Sabourin : I'm an investigator.

  Stephanie North : For who?

  Clementi Sabourin : For myself. I'm the prying kind.

• Clementi Sabourin : Tell me, my dear, where do you come from?

  Stephanie North : I'm from Texas.

  Clementi Sabourin : Oh, yes, I've heard of it.

• Clementi Sabourin : Well, may I say that, Mrs. Ryan has found herself a most attractive secretary.

  Stephanie North : Thank you, sir.

• Clementi Sabourin : You need me.

  Mrs. Ryan : Maybe, you need me even more.

• Clementi Sabourin : Was that painted before or after he died?

  Mrs. Ryan : Six months - he sat for that.

  Clementi Sabourin : Maybe that's what killed him.

  Mrs. Ryan : [laughs]  You are a wicked man.

• Clementi Sabourin : How would you like to make $12,000 cash immediately?

  Mrs. Ryan : I would love to. What do I have to do for it?

• Clementi Sabourin : Look, I will sell you 4,000 shares of Wentworth Drug at $5 a share. The stock is selling at $8. You make three points. That's roughly $12,000, less commission. It's a gift!

  Mrs. Ryan : Why will you do that?

  Clementi Sabourin : Well, let's say its because you appeal to me.

• Mrs. Ryan : I outsmarted you, Mr. Sabourin.

  Clementi Sabourin : Well, I always admire anyone who can outsmart me.

• Bridget Kelly : My money do all this?

  Clementi Sabourin : Yes. Your money and my brains. Except that it wasn't your money.

  Bridget Kelly : You stole it from me.

  Clementi Sabourin : To steal from a thief is no crime.

• Clementi Sabourin : How would you like a job?

  Bridget Kelly : Doing what?

  Clementi Sabourin : Working for me. I could use a pretty thief in my business.

• Clementi Sabourin : You know, you and I are very much alike.

  Bridget Kelly : We're both crooks. Only there's one difference. I don't wanna be. And you can't help yourself.

  Clementi Sabourin : I like you. I think you're going to work out fine.

• Clementi Sabourin : Miss Kelly and I are leaving for Canada tomorrow.

  Bridget Kelly : Are we?

  Clementi Sabourin : Yes. I'm going to show you how to take Wilson's money without taking his wallet.

• Bridget Kelly : What are you leaving me here for?

  Clementi Sabourin : I have a feeling that our Mr. Wilson has an eye for the ladies. Now, you make him sell. Now, don't come back until he does.

• Clementi Sabourin : I have to rush to the office now.

  Mrs. Ryan : Darling, always running to the office. Money isn't everything.

  Clementi Sabourin : No, but, its the nearest thing to it.

• Clementi Sabourin : Don't moralize with me, you tramp!

  Bridget Kelly : We're both tramps!

• Clementi Sabourin : Is that Mr. and Mrs. Van Renassalear?

  Mrs. Ryan : U-hum. He owns one of the biggest mail order houses in Chicago.

  Clementi Sabourin : I know. Where did he buy her? Through the mails?

• Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : You're very direct, aren't you.

  Clementi Sabourin : And also very much taken by you.

  Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : Well, I'm already taken.

  Clementi Sabourin : I don't want to take. I just want to borrow.

  Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : It's an interesting idea.

• Stephanie North : Someday I'll get a lucky break.

  Clementi Sabourin : Now, let me tell you something. Nobody can afford to wait for a lucky break. A person makes his own destiny.

• Clementi Sabourin : This is for you.

  Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : What's this?

  Clementi Sabourin : A little token of my affection.

  Mrs. Edith Van Renasslear : Hand cuffs? You want me to be chained to you.

  Clementi Sabourin : Isn't that what love is? People chained to one another.

• Clementi Sabourin : Darling, what a nice surprise.

  Mrs. Ryan : I shouldn't have come. You don't deserve it. Especially since you didn't even thank me for the party. But, I was next door with some of my friends and I sought about you. So, I dropped by.

• Max Freundlich : Where did you find her?

  Clementi Sabourin : I found it in Texas, loaded with uranium.

  Max Freundlich : Uranium? Oh, you mean she's an atomic bomb!

• Clementi Sabourin : I intend to explore the territory within four weeks.

  Max Freundlich : Oh, that territory is worth exploring sir!

• Clementi Sabourin : What's going on between you two?

  Mr. O'Hara : I don't like your inference.

  Clementi Sabourin : Whether you like it or not, you seem to be getting very chummy.

  Bridget Kelly : Why are you so interested? You've got four cases going on that I know of. You remind me of a doctor treating all his patients at the same time.

• Stephanie North : I thought you said there was to be a party?

  Clementi Sabourin : This is a party! For you and me. An intimate party.

• Zina Monte : You sold your information. I had to buy mine at the much higher price.

  Clementi Sabourin : What price?

  Zina Monte : I had to become friendly with the Police Inspector to get the story.

  Clementi Sabourin : The Police Inspector for whom you degraded yourself was lying to play on your sufferings.

• Mrs. Sabourin - Clementi's mother : How did you do all of this? You are a rich man!

  Clementi Sabourin : Well, in America everyone is rich.

  Mrs. Sabourin - Clementi's mother : Yes, I heard that! I heard that!

• Clementi Sabourin : [knocking on her door]  Mother, are you asleep?

  Mrs. Sabourin - Clementi's mother : No... Don't come in.

  Clementi Sabourin : I want to tell you something.

  Mrs. Sabourin - Clementi's mother : I don't want to hear it... I'm going home tomorrow.

  Clementi Sabourin : Mother, you've got to forgive me. I caused Gerry's death. I informed on him. Mother... I need your forgiveness!

  Clementi Sabourin : [He is met with complete silence]  Have you nothing to say?

  [still no reply; he slowly walks away] 

• Clementi Sabourin : Here's a check, for $2 million, from Mrs. Ryan.

  Mr. O'Hara : [a bit taken aback, looking at the check]  What for?

  Clementi Sabourin : She just bought 2 million shares of Sabouranium.

  Bridget Kelly : What's Sabouranium?

  Clementi Sabourin : It's a company that we're forming today. We capitalize at $10 million.

  Mr. O'Hara : [skeptical]  Just like that... And where are we digging?

  Herbert Bauman - Clementi's lawyer : Nowhere! We buy some land, show a lot of expenses, and throw the whole company into receivership. It's *very* simple.

  Clementi Sabourin : All right gentlemen, go to work!

• Clementi Sabourin : [as they emerge from a New York City subway stairwell]  First time I've ever been in the subway. Quite a fascinating experience.

  Bridget Kelly : Everybody who comes here wants to ride in the subway. You'll get over it.

• Mrs. Ryan : Isn't this a rather large house for you?

  Clementi Sabourin : Oh, I don't know. In Europe I lived in a palace for some time.

  Mrs. Ryan : So did I. But when the King was unfaithful... I moved.

• Clementi Sabourin : Is that what people do to each other in America? Everybody frisking everybody else?

• Clementi Sabourin : I have a talent - a unique talent. I can make small sums grow into large ones.

• Clementi Sabourin : Nobody hits anybody over the head to buy stock. The public buys what it likes.

• Bridget Kelly : Cheer up, Mr. Sabourin. You've had a five million dollar day.

  Clementi Sabourin : It could've been 15 million.

  Bridget Kelly : You made five million dollars and you're miserable?

  Clementi Sabourin : It could've been 15 million. They beat me!

  Bridget Kelly : Who beat you? I can remember when $500 was big money to you.

  Clementi Sabourin : I can remember the time when you were working the boats like a starving bird waiting for scraps.

  Bridget Kelly : Why don't you stop? I was small-time compared to you.

  Clementi Sabourin : To think that I told a lie and it turned out to be the truth.

  Bridget Kelly : Ha! So that's what's bothering you.

  Clementi Sabourin : Oh, don't moralize with me, you tramp!

  Bridget Kelly : We're both tramps! That's what you said, remember? Only I'm a tramp who's satisfied with less.

• Bridget Kelly : [referring to Stephanie North - Mrs. Ryan's secretary]  You can't mean she's worth $75,000 to you?

  Clementi Sabourin : I don't mind if she costs me a million. See, you don't understand. She's a *nice* girl. Clean and wholesome. I might even marry her.

• Clementi Sabourin : When you're a star you'll have to fight to stay on top. You'll need a sponsor.

  Stephanie North : Well, just what would this sponsorship entail?

  Clementi Sabourin : The return of my affection.

  Clementi Sabourin : [as she looks a bit bemused, starts to laugh at him]  Why are you laughing? You don't understand.

  Stephanie North : I'm afraid I understand only too well, Mr. Sabourin. I really didn't think you were like this. You needn't have gone to all this trouble, however. You could've invited me back stage. We have the same scenery. Good night, Mr. Sabourin.

  [walks out] 

• Bridget Kelly : [in reference to Stephanie North]  Well, you finally met someone you couldn't buy with money.

  Clementi Sabourin : Can you imagine the gall? The unmitigated gall.

• Bridget Kelly : Clementi, didn't you know I loved you? I do. I tried to talk myself out of it by telling myself you're no good, but I love you. I could've made you better. I could've made myself better because I *wanted* to be better for you.

  Clementi Sabourin : Kelly, forget about me. I stopped being a human being the day I left Europe. I resigned from the human race then. It's too late, Kelly. I have to achieve my goal.