The Roaring Twenties (1939)

James Cagney: Eddie Bartlett

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Eddie Bartlett : I trust my friends.

  [Walks off] 

  George Halley : That guys a sucker. I don't trust any of my friends.

  Panama Smith : The feeling's mutual, George. They don't trust you either.

• Eddie Bartlett : One thing, Lloyd. They tell me your boss is building a case against our old friend, George.

  Lloyd Hart : The case is already built, Eddie.

  Eddie Bartlett : Yeah, well, you remember what he said would happen if you ever told what you knew about him?

  Lloyd Hart : I remember.

  Eddie Bartlett : So does he.

• George Halley : [Referring to The Sergeant, who rides roughshod over the men]  Someday I'm gonna' catch that ape without his stripes on and I'm gonna' kick his teeth out.

  Eddie Bartlett : [Mockingly looking George up and down]  You must be quite a guy back home.

  George Halley : [Shrugs nonchalantly]  I do all right.

• Lloyd Hart : [the men are taking cover in a bombed-out farmhouse, shooting at German soldiers somewhere off-screen]  When is this "armistice" they've been talking about for the past four days?

  Eddie Bartlett : That's just another rumor. This brawl's gonna' go on forever.

  Lloyd Hart : If I ever get back, I'm gonna' have a swell law office in the Woolworth Building. Have it all picked out, on the 28th floor. Can see the whole city: the Bay, Brooklyn...

  Eddie Bartlett : Whaddya' wanna' look at Brooklyn for?

• George Halley : [In the shell hole, battle raging overhead]  What's a matta' kid? Ya' scared?

  Lloyd Hart : Yes I am.

  George Halley : [Chuckles unsympathetically]  No heart, huh?

  Lloyd Hart : I'm beginning to think so. At least I haven't got any heart for this. I thought this business would be over with before I got here.

  George Halley : What, are you a college kid?

  Lloyd Hart : I just finished law school.

  Eddie Bartlett : Oh, a lawyer, huh? Can you think of anything that can get us out of this hole?

  George Halley : Aw, he wouldn't if he could. He's one of them guys that cheer the loudest back home, and then when they get over here and the goin' gets tough they fold up.

  Eddie Bartlett : [Annoyed]  Shut up...

  George Halley : I'm talkin' to him...

  Eddie Bartlett : [Talking to George]  And I'm talkin' to YOU. I don't like heroes or big mouths. We're all scared, and why shouldn't we be? Whaddya' think they're usin' in this war, water pistols?

  Eddie Bartlett : [Talking to Lloyd]  You're all right, kid. I like guys who are honest with themselves. Stay that way.

  Eddie Bartlett : [the shelling around them has died down]  Come on. It looks like it's quieted down.

  [the three men make their way out of the shell hole] 

• Panama Smith : I'm sick of watching you try to put out that torch you carry for her with a lot of cheap hooch. Who does the kid look like?

  Eddie Bartlett : Like her.

  Panama Smith : And they got a nice house.

  Eddie Bartlett : Yeah, it's a nice house if you like that kind of a house, but for me, uh, I'll take a hotel anytime. You know that.

  Panama Smith : Me too. Ain't it funny how our tastes have always run the same? Ever since the first time we met. I can just picture you living in the suburbs, working in a garden, raising flowers and kids. Wouldn't that be a laugh.

  Eddie Bartlett : Yeah, wouldn't I look cute?

• George Halley : [while running across the battlefield ablaze with an artillery barrage in progress, Eddie has just dived into a gaping shell hole for cover. He practically lands on top of another soldier who is already in the crater]  Now, do you always come into a rat hole like that?

  Eddie Bartlett : What do you want me to do, knock?

• George Halley : [In the shell hole: Eddie offers a cigarette to George. He in turn takes it, and then picks out bugs that apparently infest everything]  Ah, look at that. Them cooties are gettin' desperate: they're feedin' off tobacco.

  Eddie Bartlett : How much can a cootie smoke?

• [after a shootout in the club, all the patrons run out in a panic and as the bodies are being carried out] 

  Eddie Bartlett : Where you going

  Panama Smith : I'm looking for some excitement. There's a lull in the action

• Eddie Bartlett : [speaking to Jean Sherman]  You want the Brooklyn Bridge, all you gotta do is ask for it. If I can't buy it, I'll steal it.

• George Halley : You must've been readin' about Napoleon.

  Eddie Bartlett : What's botherin' you?

  George Halley : First, you used to ask me about things, then you began to tell me, now you ignore me. My feelin's is gettin' hurt.

  Eddie Bartlett : Oh, my poor delicate little rose bud. Ain't that a shame. Just as long as your bank roll ain't hurtin', you got nothing to squawk about.

• Lloyd Hart : This is too much for what I did. Buying a couple of taxicabs for you doesn't rate this kind of money..

  Eddie Bartlett : You saved me dough. Take it. That's just the beginning. You hang on to my shirttails and you'll be using that for wallpaper.

  Lloyd Hart : Now, listen, Eddie, you ought to use those cabs as cabs. You're on the wrong track.

  Eddie Bartlett : This dough says I'm not. Look, kid, while the gravy's flowing, I'm gonna be right there with my kisser under the faucet.

  Lloyd Hart : This isn't my kind of law. I started out to be a corporation lawyer.

  Eddie Bartlett : This is a corporation. It's making money.

• Eddie Bartlett : [Eddie, in his Army uniform, returns to his old place of employment - a garage - seeking to get his job back. He speaks to his former boss]  Hello, Mr. Fletcher.

  Mr. Fletcher : [Surprised to see Eddie]  Why, when did you blow in?

  Eddie Bartlett : Just now. Sure good to be back.

  Mr. Fletcher : I'll bet it is. What are you gonna' do?

  Eddie Bartlett : Oh, rest up a couple of days, see a few of the boys, and then I'm ready to go to work.

  Mr. Fletcher : That's fine. Whaddya' gonna' do? Where ya' gonna' work?

  Eddie Bartlett : [Confused]  Whaddya' mean, "Where am I gonna' work"? I was gonna' come back here.

  Mr. Fletcher : Sorry, Eddie, I haven't got anything for you.

  Eddie Bartlett : Now wait a minute. Maybe I'm in the wrong garage. What was that line you handed me about my job always waiting for me when I got back?

  Mr. Fletcher : Times have changed, Eddie. That boy over there's been working almost two years. Whaddya' want me to do, can him just because you came back?

  Eddie Bartlett : No... no, I couldn't ask you to do that, could I? All right... Thanks.

• Eddie Bartlett : You always said you were going to take real good care of me, didn't you George?

  George Halley : Wait a minute Eddie, I can explain!

  Eddie Bartlett : Here's one rap you ain't gonna beat!

  [fires twice] 

• Panama Smith : Things have been pretty tough, haven't they?

  Eddie Bartlett : They could be tougher. A guy in the cell with me was talkin' about bumpin' himself off. Until I get around to that, I'm doin' all right.

• Jean Sherman : [seeing that Eddie is leaving]  You're aren't really leaving, are you?

  Eddie Bartlett : Oh yes, we've gotta get back to town. We've got a very important engagement with the general.

  Jean Sherman : Well, aren't you gonna tell me about the war, and how you suffered?

  Eddie Bartlett : Honey, you'll never know how I suffered.

• Mrs. Gray : It's Eddie Bartlett! You ain't dead?

  Eddie Bartlett : If I am, they forgot to bury me.

• Eddie Bartlett : [opens a letter, looks at the accompanying photograph]  Ah, now look at that. Thousands of dames writin' us thousands of letters that are supposed to pep us up. Get a load of that kisser.

• Danny Green : What is it?

  Eddie Bartlett : A German trench helmet. I hope it fits. I had an awful time finding a Heinie with your head size.

  Danny Green : Oh, say, that's swell. It just doesn't fit. It's too small. I'll send it out to the cleaners and get it stretched. How do I look?

  Eddie Bartlett : You're just the girl to wear it.

• Eddie Bartlett : Don't think everything's all wrong because you're not starving to death, you hear?

• Eddie Bartlett : [observing a chorus girl]  That's a very cute bundle you got on the end of the line there.

  Masters : Maybe I could wrap it up for you.

  Eddie Bartlett : I think I can wrap that up myself.

• Eddie Bartlett : Say, what's your angle, sister? What bank do you want me to stick up? Who do you want killed? And which do you want done first?

  Panama Smith : First, let's have a drink.

• Panama Smith : What's this kid got on you?

  Eddie Bartlett : Oh, I don't know. Whatever it takes to get a guy like me, she's got.

• Jean Sherman : Well, here we are.

  Eddie Bartlett : Yeah, here we are.

• Eddie Bartlett : You certainly have learned all the answers.

  Jean Sherman : Well, you seem to know all the questions.

• Eddie Bartlett : It is getting late. I'll call you.

  Jean Sherman : In another three years?

  Eddie Bartlett : No, no. Most likely in another three hours.

• Jean Sherman : You're kind of old to play with dolls, aren't you?

  Eddie Bartlett : No. No, not too old if they're cute.

• Panama Smith : You might be moving too fast. Sometimes you get over these things and - you're sorry.

  Eddie Bartlett : I don't think I'll ever get over this.

  Panama Smith : You're batting out of your league, buster. You're used to traveling around with - dames like me. You sure got it bad.

• Eddie Bartlett : A dress salesman doesn't have to wear dresses, does he?

• Eddie Bartlett : Someday that heater of yours will blast you right into the hot seat.

  George Halley : Well, if it does, you'll be sitting right in my lap.

• George Halley : What do you say?

  Eddie Bartlett : I don't trust you, George.

  George Halley : You could stand a little watching yourself.

  Eddie Bartlett : That sounds like a pretty good basis for a partnership. You're on, it's a deal.

• Eddie Bartlett : If I want anything done, I do it myself.

• Eddie Bartlett : I trust my friends.

  [exits] 

  George Halley : You know, he's a sucker. I don't trust mine.

  Panama Smith : It's mutual, chump. They don't trust you, either.

• Eddie Bartlett : So you thought I'd yell copper, huh? Well, I never did that in my life and never will.

• Henderson : Eddie, I ain't got room for any more singers.

  Eddie Bartlett : That's where you're wrong. You're gonna make room. When does she start?

  Henderson : Well, I can only per her 35 bucks a week.

  Eddie Bartlett : Wrong again. You're gonna pay her a hundred.

  Henderson : A hundred? Say, I don't pay myself a hundred.

  Eddie Bartlett : You can't sing.

• Eddie Bartlett : If I wanna buy 10,000 cabs, I'll buy 'em. Besides, they're a good front. Maybe something to fall back on in my old age.

  George Halley : In this business, you shouldn't worry about your old age.

• Jean Sherman : You were right about George. This morning, two of his men came...

  Eddie Bartlett : Knock off Lloyd?

  Jean Sherman : No, but they threatened to. Eddie, you've got to help me.

  Eddie Bartlett : Well, what do you want me to do?

  Jean Sherman : Go to George. Talk to him.

  Eddie Bartlett : Why should I?

  Jean Sherman : Lloyd'll be killed.

  Eddie Bartlett : He won't be if he does as he's told.

  Jean Sherman : Oh, but he can't. It's his duty.

  Eddie Bartlett : Yeah, sure it's his duty. It's George's duty to stop him. I'd do the same thing in George's place.

• Mrs. Gray : [enters the room]  Here's a letter for you, Eddie. Forwarded *all* the way from France.

  [pauses] 

  Mrs. Gray : Three cents postage due.

  Eddie Bartlett : Put it on the bill.

  Mrs. Gray : *Don't* think I *won't*!

  Eddie Bartlett : [as Mrs. Gray leaves]  And don't you think I think you won't.

  Danny Green : [as Eddie reads the letter with a smile]  Well, who's that from?

  [Eddie shows him photo of Jean in costume] 

  Danny Green : Ohh, say, she's pretty. One of them French peasants, huh? .

  Eddie Bartlett : No, it's an American gal. Lives in Mineola, Long Island.

  Danny Green : Oh. Well, I won't hold that against her.