The Bribe (1949)

Ava Gardner: Elizabeth Hintten

Photos 

Quotes 

• Rigby : Look, why don't you stop acting like you're alone in the jungle?

  Elizabeth Hintten : I'm not?

  Rigby : OK, so you are, but you'd be surprised how nice the birds and the beasts can be if you'll only give them a chance.

  Elizabeth Hintten : Tell me, Rigby, do you fly, walk on all fours... or crawl?

• Elizabeth Hintten : Your head!

  Rigby : Yeah, it got caught in a broken promise.

• Elizabeth Hintten : [singing]  Situation wanted, Young and fancy free, Want to meet a someone, I want him just for me, I'm not a saint nor sinner, I walk the middle ground, I'll stay right on the level, Too smart to play around...

• Elizabeth Hintten : [singing]  Getting tired of waiting, Getting kinda blue, Situation wanted, With someone, But who?

• Rigby : Tell me something, which is real? The hot tonsils out there or the string music in here?

  Elizabeth Hintten : Would it do me any good to tell you, people believe - what they want to believe.

• Tug Hintten : Well, don't tell me I've interrupted another tourist making a pass at you, Liz.

  Rigby : I must admit it crossed my mind.

  Tug Hintten : What?

  Elizabeth Hintten : Stop it, Tug!

  Tug Hintten : And why shouldn't he want to make a pass? But, I'll let you in on something. For anybody but me, my wife is pass proof, Mr.?

  Rigby : Rigby's the name. It seems that I'm a little out of line. I didn't know that she was...

  Tug Hintten : Forget it. My name's Hintten. This is Mrs. Hintten. So, how 'bout us all having a drink on that basis.

  Rigby : Suits me fine. Getting a pass knocked down is thirsty work.

• Tug Hintten : Beer for the tourist, Jose. The usual for me and for my wife.

  José : Beer, Rum and Lemon Soda.

  Tug Hintten : That's right.

  José : ¡Sí Señor!

  Tug Hintten : Beer, Rum and Lemon Soda. No two of 'em mix. Do you suppose that means anything?

  Elizabeth Hintten : I don't know. Does anything mean anything?

• Rigby : So, he came home from the wars and you got married. Right?

  Elizabeth Hintten : Didn't everybody.

• Elizabeth Hintten : Why am I telling you all this stuff?

  Rigby : Blame it on the climate.

• Elizabeth Hintten : Listen, I've got a car outside. It's a nice breeze when you're driving. At least, if you're driving 60 miles an hour, you can make your own breeze.

  Elizabeth Hintten : That's much too fast for me.

  Rigby : Now, you don't want to go home to that Turkish bath and wait for Hintten.

• Elizabeth Hintten : You know, there's a lot to be said for simply being comfortable.

  Rigby : Women just like to be waited on. I'll bet Hintten spoils you rotten.

  Elizabeth Hintten : Do you spoil your girl, Rigby?

  Rigby : Girls.

  Elizabeth Hintten : Of course, girls. You'd be awfully careful about getting wound up with - just one.

  Rigby : That's me - careful.

  Elizabeth Hintten : I'm spoiled. You're careful. We sound like a couple of Dick Tracy characters.

  Rigby : You're not spoiled. You're tired and worried and drawn down fine - too fine.

  Elizabeth Hintten : And you're girls? All plump and rosy?

  Rigby : That was just a lot of big talk. Not girls, girl. Cute little kid, too. I was going to marry her after the war. I thought.

  Elizabeth Hintten : And?

  Rigby : She thought differently, apparently.

• Elizabeth Hintten : Rigby, why haven't you tried to kiss me?

  [Rigby kisses her, once, then again] 

  Elizabeth Hintten : No, please. Just once.

  Rigby : Speak for yourself.

  Elizabeth Hintten : Maybe even that was too much.

• Elizabeth Hintten : You've never told me that you care for me, the way I care for you. Not in words.

  Rigby : Do you need the words?

  [kiss] 

• Elizabeth Hintten : Who you are and who I am doesn't make any difference. Not to me. Not in the way I feel about you. I thought it did. For a little while I thought I hated you. I tried to. But, it wasn't any use. When you love someone, I guess it doesn't make any difference, who, what or why. You go right on loving them.

• Elizabeth Hintten : I couldn't let him die. I couldn't! So, I killed everything for us instead.

• Elizabeth Hintten : You can believe what you want to about me, but, trust me this much: you're in danger. If you know what's good for you...

  Rigby : What's good for me? The one thing, by now, what's good for me isn't you.

• Elizabeth Hintten : Listen to me, Bealer. If Rigby's not all right, then *you* won't be all right. I won't care then. I won't care what happens to *anyone.*

• J.J. Bealer : Mrs. Hintten, where do you think you're goin'?

  Elizabeth Hintten : To Rigby.

  J.J. Bealer : That guy's in no condition to comfort you, sister.

  Elizabeth Hintten : I'll get help for him. Tug's dying. He can't hurt Tug now.

  J.J. Bealer : No... but *he* can get hurt. Now listen: you and me made a deal. He's safe as long as you keep it. My connection's got an eye on his door. If Rigby walks out, he walks out into a bullet. Yeah... if you think anything of Rigby, you better leave him be, as is. Now listen, you'll be all right. You'll get the payoff just the same. You came through!

  Elizabeth Hintten : Do you think I'd take any of that money now?

  J.J. Bealer : Why not? You need dough. I heard you talkin' about shippin' your husband back home. That takes money.

  Elizabeth Hintten : Yes, everything takes money - living, dying... but I'll earn the money I need from now on, honestly and decently.

• Rigby : Thanks for the beer.

  Elizabeth Hintten : And the story of my life?

  Rigby : I'd a liked that better if I didn't think you skipped some of it.

  Elizabeth Hintten : For instance?

  Rigby : All of the parts that count.