The Princess Comes Across (1936)

Fred MacMurray: Joe King Mantell

Photos 

Quotes 

• King Mantell : Your Highness, there's something wrong with your tub.

  Princess Olga : Vat?

  King Mantell : Yes, you see, the water runs in and it runs out, but the trouble is it runs out faster than it runs in. I discovered it this morning when I was trying to take a bath. It can only draw about that much water

  [his fingers show an inch] 

  King Mantell : and you can't take a bath with that much water

  [shows an inch again] 

  Princess Olga : Vell, if you're a ploomb-er, why don't you fix it?

  King Mantell : Well, I'm not a ploomb-er, uh, I mean, a plumber, but I think I could fix it. Have you got a screwdriver?

  Lady Gertrude Allwyn : A screwdriver? Her Highness is not in the habit of going around with a screwdriver on her person.

  Princess Olga : [to Mantell]  Please go avay.

  King Mantell : Well, I was only trying to help, but may I suggest that when you want to take a bath, you should take a shower.

  [walks away] 

  King Mantell : Of course, there's always the ocean.

  [Exits] 

  Princess Olga : [dropping her phony Swedish accent]  I'd like to smack that guy right in the kisser.

• Princess Olga : Oh, my poof!

  [fishing out her sopping wet powder puff] 

  King Mantell : Your what?

  Princess Olga : My powder poof! It is vet!

  [squeezing it out onto his shoes] 

• Benton : Well boss, do I toss him to the sharks?

  King Mantell : What's the matter? Don't you like sharks?

• Cragg : Where did you spend the evening, Mr. Mantell?

  King Mantell : Right here.

  Lorel : Did you entertain a visitor?

  King Mantell : No, nobody was here.

  Lorel : You were alone?

  King Mantell : Well, practically. I was with Benton.

  Benton : Yeah, we were *both* alone.

• King Mantell : Say, did you see that hair? That wasn't grease. That's what you call a royal blonde!

• King Mantell : You ought to know my technique by now. First, flowers. Second, sweet music. Third, a little wine.

  Benton : Then I have to find out if there's a husband in town.

• King Mantell : Listen, Darcy, anytime you pat a guy on the back, you've got a knife in your hand.

• King Mantell : I'll take care of Darcy.

  Benton : What are you gonna do? Slap the mug on the wrists and ask him for the next dance?

• King Mantell : If you really want to do something for me, fix it so I can get next to the Princess without catching pneumonia.

  Benton : Leave it to me. I can handle those dames.

• Benton : King. I just saw Darcy go into the royal suite.

  King Mantell : Yeah? Are you sure it was Darcy?

  Benton : Sure. Rats like that don't come in pairs.

• King Mantell : If you're ever in any kind of trouble, you can count on me.

  Princess Olga : Oh, why do you think I should be in any trouble?

  King Mantell : Oh, I dunno. This is a strange ship, and there are some very odd people aboard.

  Princess Olga : Ja, and the oddest of them all is you.

• Princess Olga : Well, if you really know who the murderer is, why don't you tell them now?

  King Mantell : I would if I knew. The point is I don't.

  Princess Olga : Then why did you say you did?

  King Mantell : Because to catch a rat you have to have cheese.

  Princess Olga : I don't get it.

  King Mantell : I'm the cheese. When the rat comes to nibble, bang goes the trap.

  Princess Olga : With the cheese in it.

  King Mantell : Not if it's a smart piece of cheese.

• Princess Olga : Scram.

  King Mantell : What did you say?

  Princess Olga : Oh... Scrom. In Sweeden, it means the interview is ended.