The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)

Miriam Hopkins: Princess Anna

Photos 

Quotes 

• Princess Anna : Papa, you may not realize it, but I'm desperate. I'm no longer responsible. I'm capable of anything. If you don't let me have my Lieutenant, do you know what I'm going to do?

  King Adolf XV : What?

  Princess Anna : I'm going to marry an American!

• King Adolf XV : Let me tell you, that schnitzel came from an imported Viennese cow.

  Princess Anna : Imported especially for you.

  Lieutenant Niki : Poor cow. To start life in Vienna and end it in Flausenthurm.

• Princess Anna : I love him so dearly.

  Franzi : I'm just wild about him.

  Princess Anna : I don't blame you. Isn't he good-looking?

  Franzi : Oh, and how!

  Princess Anna : That's it exactly! And how! Did you see him in his new uniform?

  Franzi : At the wedding? Stunning!

  Princess Anna : But to tell you the truth, I like him even better in his dinner-coat.

  Franzi : With the straw hat?

  Princess Anna : Yes, with the straw hat!

  Franzi : Oh, that's nothing. Did you ever see him in... oh, never mind!

• Princess Anna : Married people don't wink?

  Lieutenant Niki : Yes. Yes. They wink, but not at each other!

  Princess Anna : Well, what's the use of getting married?

  Lieutenant Niki : All the philosophers, for 3,000 years, have tried to find that out and they failed. And I don't think we'll solve that problem tonight. Good night.

• King Adolf XV : This is unheard of. Flausenthurm without an "h?" Don't they know, in Vienna, how to spell my country?

  Princess Anna : It's a deliberate insult, Papa. They're trying to make us feel, just because we've a little country, we shouldn't have so many letters.

• Princess Anna : I don't know very much about life. I got all my knowledge out of the Royal Encyclopedia. A special edition arranged for Flausenthurm, with all the interesting things left out.

• King Adolf XV : So that's what she does, eh? Plays the violin?

  Princess Anna : Yes, papa. And in public! Tell me, papa, be frank do all girls like that play the violin?

  King Adolf XV : Not necessarily, but I'll tell you one thing: they play!

  Princess Anna : Well, I can play too!

• Princess Anna : Napoleon was a Lieutenant too! And an Austrian princess married him.

  King Adolf XV : Well, he's no Napoleon.

  Princess Anna : Right! He's ten times better looking.

• Princess Anna : Oh, Papa, have a heart.

  King Adolf XV : No.

  Princess Anna : Say yes.

  King Adolf XV : No!

  Princess Anna : Don't you get tired of saying no all day long?

  King Adolf XV : Yes.

  Princess Anna : Oh, Papa!

• Princess Anna : I don't want to play checkers!

• Princess Anna : [Smiling]  He danced with me!

  King Adolf XV : [Smiling]  And he called me Daddy!

• Princess Anna : Father, what does it mean when a man steps out?

• Franzi : [Pointing to the Princess' dress]  Who bought that for you?

  Princess Anna : Not Niki!

  Franzi : I'm sure he didn't. Niki has taste.

• Franzi : Take good care of our Niki.

  Princess Anna : I will.

  Franzi : Be a good girl.

  Princess Anna : I won't!

  [laughter] 

• Lieutenant Niki : [SInging]  I found, a new, commander to obey. I must report, for duty, right away. She'll never pension me.

  Princess Anna : [Out-of-sight]  Ra-ta, ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta, ta...

  Lieutenant Niki : Toujours, l'amour, in the army...

  [Marches back to the bed chamber]