In a Lonely Place (1950)

Humphrey Bogart: Dixon Steele

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Dixon Steele : I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.

• Capt. Lochner : Why didn't you call for a cab? Isn't that what a gentleman usually does under the circumstances?

  Dixon Steele : Oh I didn't say I was a gentleman. I said I was tired.

• Dixon Steele : You know, you're out of your mind - how can anyone like a face like this? Look at it...

  [leans in for a kiss] 

  Laurel Gray : I said I liked it - I didn't say I wanted to kiss it.

• Mildred Atkinson : Before I started to go to work at Paul's, I used to think that actors made up their own lines.

  Dixon Steele : When they get to be big stars, they usually do.

• Dixon Steele : Go ahead and get some sleep and we'll have dinner together tonight.

  Laurel Gray : We'll have dinner tonight. But not together.

• Laurel Gray : [on a scene in Dix's script]  I love the love scene - it's very good.

  Dixon Steele : Well that's because they're not always telling each other how much in love they are. A good love scene should be about something else besides love. For instance, this one. Me fixing grapefruit. You sitting over there, dopey, half-asleep. Anyone looking at us could tell we're in love.

• Capt. Lochner : [Dixon has replied with sarcasm to Lochner's questions]  You're told that the girl you were with last night was found in Benedict Canyon, murdered. Dumped from a moving car. What's your reaction? Shock? Horror? Sympathy? No - just petulance at being questioned. A couple of feeble jokes. You puzzle me, Mr. Steele.

  Dixon Steele : Well, I grant you, the jokes could've been better, but I don't see why the rest should worry you - that is, unless you plan to arrest me on lack of emotion.

• Dixon Steele : There's no sacrifice too great for a chance at immortality.

  Waiter : [rolls his eyes]  Yes sir.

• Frances Randolph : Remember how I used to read to you?

  Dixon Steele : Uh huh. Since then, I've learned to read by myself.

• Dixon Steele : It was his story against mine, but of course, I told my story better.

• Dixon Steele : You know, when you first walked into the police station, I said to myself, "There she is - the one that's different. She's not coy or cute or corny. She's a good guy - I'm glad she's on my side. She speaks her mind and she knows what she wants."

  Laurel Gray : Thank you, sir. But let me add: I also know what I don't want - and I don't want to be rushed.

• Frances Randolph : Do you look down on all women or just the ones you know?

  Dixon Steele : I was pretty nice to you.

  Frances Randolph : No, not to me. But you were pretty nice.

• Mildred Atkinson : [after summarizing a novel she's read]  And, you know, there are lots of little plots and things I didn't even tell you about!

  Dixon Steele : Thank you.

• Dixon Steele : [noting the geography of their apartments]  You know, Ms. Gray, you're one up on me - you can see into my apartment but I can't see into yours.

  Laurel Gray : I promise you, I won't take advantage of it.

  Dixon Steele : [wryly]  I would, if it were the other way around.

• Dixon Steele : [to Laurel]  I've been looking for someone a long time... I didn't know her name or where she lived - I'd never seen her before. A girl was killed, and because of that, I found what I was looking for. Now I know your name, where you live, and how you look.

• Dixon Steele : Anything you want to make you happy?

  Laurel Gray : [whispers into his ear]  I wouldn't want anyone but you.

• Dixon Steele : [verbally recreating a vehicular strangulation]  You get to a lonely place in the road, and you begin to squeeze...

• [referring to the book Dixon is supposed to adapt into a screenplay] 

  Mildred Atkinson : Oh I think it'll make a dreamy picture, Mr. Steele. What I call an epic.

  Dixon Steele : And what do you call an epic?

  Mildred Atkinson : Well, you know - a picture that's REAL long and has lots of things going on.

• Dixon Steele : You annoy me!

  Laurel Gray : If I do, it isn't intentional.

• Dixon Steele : Oh, I love a picnic. Acres and acres of sand and all of it in your food.

  Laurel Gray : Stop griping. Just lie still and inhale.

  Dixon Steele : What, sand?

  Laurel Gray : No, air - and don't let it go to your head.

• Frances Randolph : What's the matter, don't you like to talk anymore?

  Dixon Steele : Not the people who have my number.

• Laurel Gray : [entering kitchen as Dix is sectioning a grapefruit]  What happened to the grapefruit knife?

  Dixon Steele : It was crooked and I straightened it.

  Laurel Gray : Fool, it's supposed to be curved!

  Dixon Steele : What? Wonder what they'll think of next!

• Brub Nicolai : You know, I got married.

  Dixon Steele : Why?

  Brub Nicolai : Oh, I don't know. I guess she had a couple of bucks to spare.

• Dixon Steele : [as Mel enters the house he intoduces him to Laurel]  Oh, come in. Mr. Lippman, my agent.

  [he introduces Laurel to Mel] 

  Dixon Steele : Miss Gray, my alibi.

• Dixon Steele : [to black man hosing down the sidewalk in front of the florist shop]  Say, do me a favor, will you, pal?

  Flower Shop Employee : Yes, sir.

  Dixon Steele : I want to send two dozen white roses to a girl.

  Flower Shop Employee : Yes, sir. Do you want to write a card?

  Dixon Steele : No, there's no card. Her name's Mildred Atkinson.

  Flower Shop Employee : Mildred Atkinson. Yes, sir. What's her address?

  Dixon Steele : I don't know. Look it up in the papers. She was murdered last night.

  Flower Shop Employee : Yes, sir.

• Dixon Steele : There's no sacrifice too great for a chance at immortality.

  [a non-sequitur said to a confused waiter, in the bar scene] 

  Waiter : Yes sir.

  [being polite, then rolling his eyes as he walks away] 

• Dixon Steele : A man wants to apologize to you...

• Dixon Steele : Nobody can call me the things he did.

  Laurel Gray : A blind, knuckle-headed squirrel. That's *real* bad.

• Actress in Convertible : Dix Steele ! How are you? Don't you remember me?

  Dixon Steele : Sorry, can't say that I do.

  Actress in Convertible : You wrote the last picture I did... at Columbia

  Dixon Steele : Oh, I make it a point to never see pictures I write.

• Mildred Atkinson : It must be WONDERFUL to be a writer!

  Dixon Steele : [sarcastically]  Oh, thrilling!

• Dixon Steele : [on hearing a voice at the front door]  My friend Charlie, who speaks but poetry and borrows but money.

• Dixon Steele : Remind me to buy you a new tie.

  [in a sarcastic retort to a comment by his agent Mel, in the bar scene] 

• Dixon Steele : I've had a lot of experience in matters of this kind. I've killed dozens of people... in pictures.

• Dixon Steele : I answer on the third ring when I'm not home.

• Dixon Steele : I assure you I could never throw a lovely body from a moving car. My artistic temperament wouldn't permit it.

• Dixon Steele : It coulda happened to anybody.

  Mel Lippmann : I know, but somehow it always happens to you.