The Detective (1954)

Joan Greenwood: Lady Warren

Quotes 

• Lady Warren : What progress have you made?

  Father Brown : Looking for a black cat in a coal hole during an eclipse of the sun would be a child's task compared with mine.

  Lady Warren : You put me in mind of the child's poem: "As I was walking up the stair, I met a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today. I wish that he would go away."

  Father Brown : I wish that he would come to stay.

• Texan Millionaire : [the Texan approaches Father Brown and Lady Warren as they attempt to spot Flambeau among the bidders]  Lady Warren? I am Sam Johnson out of San Antonio, Texas. If isn't often we from Texas get a chance to shake a real, live lady by the hand now!

  Lady Warren : It isn't often that we in London have the privilege of of meeting a real, live Texan.

  Texan Millionaire : You sure talk like a lady. You know, I've come five thousand miles to buy this set of yours. It'll go well down on my ranch.

  Lady Warren : Will it really?

  Texan Millionaire : Yeah ma'am. I've got myself a real swell games room. Solid gold poker chips, solid gold checkers, and a solid gold ping pong table.

  Lady Warren : With solid gold ping pong balls?

  Texan Millionaire : No ma'am. They wouldn't bounce. Well, better get set to rope this steer.

  [He goes to his seat] 

  Lady Warren : I feared for a moment he was going to take my hand back to Texas with him, even though it isn't made of gold.

  Father Brown : I doubt if even Flambeau could have invented him.

• Inspector Valentine : [the inspector has just phoned in an all-points bulletin for a stolen milk truck]  Your accomplices haven't got a chance. They'll be intercepted within half an hour.

  Lady Warren : Half an hour? Then you've time for a glass of sherry.

  Inspector Valentine : No thank you.

  Lady Warren : Or perhaps a glass of milk? The milkman seems to have left rather a lot today.

• Lady Warren : [referring to the cross of St. Augustine]  It's very beautiful. Is it valuable?

  Father Brown : No, not valuable. Priceless.

• Parkinson : Pardon, me lady, but the awful people are coming up the drive!

  Lady Warren : What awful people? It is not my "at home" day.

  Father Brown : I think he means the police.