The Bat Whispers (1930)

Grayce Hampton: Miss Cornelia van Gorder

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cornelia van Gorder : Why do you suppose the servants left? I don't think the housemaid ever had a pain in her side, and I don't think the cook ever had a sister. And her sister didn't have twins. They was just scared stiff and they ran away... because, they saw IT.

  Lizzie Allen : You're a fool. Keep quiet.

  Lizzie Allen : I won't keep quiet. I've worked for you for twenty years and I guess I have a right to speak my mind.

  Cornelia van Gorder : You haven't got a mind.

  Lizzie Allen : If I had one, you wouldn't let me use it. I stuck by you when you was a Theosophist and a suffragettist, and I've seen you through socialism, Fletcherism, and rheumatism, but when it comes to spookism, I'm through!

  Cornelia van Gorder : Shut up!

• Cornelia van Gorder : Now what on Earth are you doing?

  Lizzie Allen : I'm setting a bear trap for the Bat, in case he decides to come flying around here.

  [throws a trap on a chain out the window] 

  Lizzie Allen : And I've got the other end fastened to the bed.

• Cornelia van Gorder : Who did that?

  The Caretaker : I don't know... this house gets on my nerves, they won't let me sleep.

  Lizzie Allen : Don't trust him, caretaker means servant... Bat!

  Cornelia van Gorder : Who won't let you sleep?

  The Caretaker : The ghosts... he slams doors, and there's no one there to slam them... he opens windows, and I can't see nothing... he rolls things down the stairs, and there's no one there to make them roll... that ain't all, he whispers to me, from behind the wall.

  [a loud scream is heard] 

  The Caretaker : Listen, he's here again... stay here long enough, you'll see.

  Lizzie Allen : Let's go back to the city.

• Lizzie Allen : That new gardener, I don't like his looks, suppose'n he's the Bat?

  Cornelia van Gorder : I know he's not a gardener, because uticaria is hives, rubeola is measles, and alopecia is baldness.

  Lizzie Allen : And knowing all this, you're going to let him stay here?

  Cornelia van Gorder : I will, until I find out why my niece brought him here.

• Dale Van Gorder : We didn't mean to fool you, auntie.

  Cornelia van Gorder : You didn't... gardeners don't have manicured fingernails.

• Cornelia van Gorder : We'll get to the bottom of this. I've sent for detectives.

  The Caretaker : Detectives won't do no good. The entire police force won't do no good.

  [nervous laugh] 

  The Caretaker : They can't stop ghosts.

• Cornelia van Gorder : [Anderson picks up a gun after Fleming is killed]  Why that's my revolver!

  Detective Anderson : [inspects it]  One shot fired.

  Cornelia van Gorder : I fired that shot myself last night.

  Detective Anderson : Nice try, Miss Van Gorder, but I'm placing your niece under arrest for the murder of Courtleigh Fleming.

  Cornelia van Gorder : You can't arrest her without a coroner's verdict, and you'll have to wait on Dr. Vanrees for that.

  Detective Anderson : Miss Van Gorder, when I find a need to make an arrest, I'll make it! And I won't wait for any coroner's verdict.

• Lizzie Allen : Aren't you going to take me up with you?

  Cornelia van Gorder : You're nothing but trouble on the ground floor, you'll be a nuisance on the roof.

  [goes up the stairs] 

  Cornelia van Gorder : If I yell you come up!

  Detective Jones : Who, me?

  Cornelia van Gorder : Yes you!

• Cornelia van Gorder : Dale, get some whiskey.

  Detective Jones : You mean to tell me you've got booze in the house?

  Cornelia van Gorder : Yes, for emergencies.

  Detective Jones : So that's why everybody's trying to break into this place.

• Cornelia van Gorder : Get the Ouija board.

  Lizzie Allen : It's got the Bible on top of it, keeping it quiet.

• Dale Van Gorder : Sorry, Auntie, the train was late. But nice Mr. Fleming was good enough to give me a ride from the station.

  Cornelia van Gorder : I should think the less you have to do with Richard Fleming, the better.

  Dale Van Gorder : Oh, but why, Auntie?

  Cornelia van Gorder : I don't like him, he leased this house to me.