The Stranger's Return (1933)

Miriam Hopkins: Louise Storr

Photos 

Quotes 

• Louise Storr : You know, I have a feeling you aren't quite as bad as you're painted.

  Grandpa Storr : Who said I was bad?

  Louise Storr : Well, every one who's ever been here.

  Grandpa Storr : Confounded liars, every one of them.

  Louise Storr : Perhaps they were of afraid of you.

  Grandpa Storr : Hmmm.

  Louise Storr : Well, I'm not afraid of you, how do you like that?

  Grandpa Storr : That's kind of pleasant for a change.

  [They laugh] 

• Louise Storr : You waltz very well... or is this a square dance?

  Guy Crane : I use to dance waltzes pretty well at our fraternity blowups, but I guess I'm a clumsy old farmer now.

• Grandpa Storr : You're the fourth generation. You're a farm girl underneath. You'll be surprised how much you'll like the place. Let's see you arm.

  [He feels it] 

  Grandpa Storr : Yeah, pretty good!

  Louise Storr : From lifting highballs.

• Louise Storr : Why does everyone stare at me as if I'm a two-headed calf?

  Guy Crane : Do you really want to know? Because you're - you're from New York. Urbane. You're wise. Lovely.

  Louise Storr : Go on. Tell me more.

• Guy Crane : I've got to stop this foolishness.

  Louise Storr : What foolishness?

  Guy Crane : [He reaches over and kisses her]  I wanted to kiss you. So I kissed you. It's the Storr's influence, I'm afraid. I'm not sorry.

  Louise Storr : Well, I don't know just how I should act. Whether I should be the woman amazed, or the woman afraid, or insulted or compassionate, or just unusually wronged.

  Guy Crane : If I thought twice about it I wouldn't have done it, but you practically told me always to follow my first feelings about thing. I did. Did it work?

  Louise Storr : You're a fool, Guy, if you think I'm going to say anything you can use against me.

  [They laugh] 

• Guy Crane : Whatever happens, I'm not sorry for myself. I knew you for a little while. I kissed you once.

  Louise Storr : That won't be much after I've gone if they spoil your whole life. It was just a kiss.

  Guy Crane : It was more than that. I mean this, Louise. I love you. I can't break Nettie's heart, but I love you.

  [They kiss] 

• Guy Crane : Did you ever see Fritz Lieber's Hamlet?

  Louise Storr : Yes, and I loved Jane Cowl's Juliet. She was charming.

• Beatrice Storr : Louise, I don't want you to think we criticize you the least bit.

  Louise Storr : Oh, no...

  Beatrice Storr : But people talk so in these little towns and you are a stranger here, and, uh, you danced three times with Guy.

  Louise Storr : And I'm separated from my husband.

  Beatrice Storr : Yes.

  Louise Storr : [Uncomfortably]  Ummm. Thanks for the warning.

  [Louise goes off to dance with Guy a fourth time to Beatrice's consternation] 

• Grandpa Storr : A woman's heart don't ache so badly if her hands are busy.

  Louise Storr : I never knew there was anyone in the world quite as grand as you, Grandpa.

• Guy Crane : You don't know how poison little town women can be.

  Louise Storr : I'm beginning to learn.

• Louise Storr : I'm a little bit on my merits over there: the prodigal daughter returning from the great city.

• Louise Storr : Grandpa always says, that it's better to make the usual number of bad decisions than to worry about things and make the same percentage of mistakes anyway.

• Guy Crane : I wanted to kiss you, so, I kissed you. It's the Storr influence. I'm afraid I'm not sorry.

  Louise Storr : Well, I don't know just how I should act. Whether I should be the woman amazed or the woman afraid or insulted or compassionate or just unknowingly wronged.

  Guy Crane : If I thought twice about it, I wouldn't have done it. But, you practically told me always to follow my first feelings about things. I did. Didn't it work?

  Louise Storr : You're a fool Guy if you think I'm going to say anything you can use against me.

• Whitney - Farmhand : Boy, I sure would like to got ahold of another piece of this pie. I sure love blackberry pie.

  Louise Storr : You want some more blackberry pie, do you?

  Whitney - Farmhand : I sure do love it with lots of good, rich cream on it.

  Louise Storr : You sure you want another piece?

  Whitney - Farmhand : Oh, I don't wanna be no trouble. No.

  Louise Storr : Oh, there's plenty more out in the kitchen. But, if I go and get it for you, you have to eat every bite of it, if I have to push it down your throat, honey.

• Grandpa Storr : Have you ever read Gray's "Elegy"?

  Louise Storr : Mmm-hmmm. "Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen."

  Grandpa Storr : That's it. Well, Gray might just as well as made it poison ivy.

• Grandpa Storr : The farm's part of our minds, become part of our bodies, now. You're gonna be here the rest of your life, Louise. You can plan on that. Count on it!

  Louise Storr : Maybe. But, I was born back there.

  Louise Storr : You were born back *here* - a 100 years ago. Them other people weren't. Little town folks: the cat, the pig and the donkey.

  Grandpa Storr : Perhaps you're right. You know, when I came here I thought - well, I felt as if I were returning to where I belong.

• Louise Storr : There's no more hope for us, darling - if there ever were any hope. Only, one hard decision for me.

  Guy Crane : What decision?

  Louise Storr : Whether I shall stay here and keep you always - just beyond my fingertips - or I shall break the trust.

  Guy Crane : What difference can this make? We can still be near each other.

  Louise Storr : Oh, no, darling. That isn't enough.