Murder by Death (1976)

Alec Guinness: Bensonmum

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dora Charleston : Thank you. You are?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Bensonmum.

  Dora Charleston : Thank you, Benson.

  Jamesir Bensonmum : No, no, no, no, no... Bensonmum. My name is Bensonmum.

  Dick Charleston : Bensonmum?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Yes, sir. Jamesir Bensonmum.

  Dick Charleston : Jamesir?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Yes, sir.

  Dick Charleston : Jamesir Bensonmum?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Yes, sir.

  Dick Charleston : How odd.

  Jamesir Bensonmum : My father's name, sir.

  Dick Charleston : What was your father's name?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Howard. Howard Bensonmum.

  Dick Charleston : Your father was Howard Bensonmum?

  Dora Charleston : Leave it be, Dickie. I've had enough.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : Tell me, as the only survivor, how did you deduce it was me?

  Sidney Wang : Went back to theory seldom used today: Butler did it.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : Ten people for dinner... and i'm serving them hot nothing. You can't get good help today. You're fired! Do you understand? Fired! I want you out, do you hear? out!... and STAY out!

• Inspector Milo Perrier : Since we cannot call for a doctor, I will need a cold compress for my chaffeur, and a cup of hot chocolate for me, n'est-ce pas?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : I don't think we have any Nespa, sir. Just Hershey's.

• Milo Perrier : [after the lights have gone out in Twain's dining room]  Be quiet everyone! I smell something! It's - Good God! - FRANKS AND BEANS!

  Jamesir Bensonmum : I'm afraid that's all we have, sir.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : May I get your bags, sir?

  Sidney Wang : Oh, no, no. Son will get bags. That is why I adopted him.

• Sidney Wang : What that?

  [points to large cage in wall] 

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Oh, it's nothing, sir. Just the cat.

  [loud barking and growling issues from cage] 

  Sidney Wang : That cat? You feed cat dog food?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : I'm afraid he's a very angry cat, sir. Mr. Twain had him "fixed," and he didn't want to be.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : Oh, Yes. As you can see, I can see.

  Sidney Wang : So I see.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : Good evening. We have been expecting you.

  Sidney Wang : Yes, but in what condition?

• Sidney Wang : Quiet, please. Observe strange sounds.

  [the room is filled with hideous death-groans] 

  Dora Charleston : Good God! The face! It's coming from the face!

  [Sure enough, that agonized moaning issues from the African death-mask on the wall] 

  Dick Charleston : The victim of that tribal ritual, actually going through his final moments of death! What could it mean?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : It means dinner is ready, sir. We have no gong.

• Milo Perrier : One moment, where is the soup?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : In your dish, sir!

  Milo Perrier : There is nothing in my dish but my dish.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : I prefer to be called... Rita!

• Jamesir Bensonmum : Ah, here we are. The late Mrs. Twain's room. She died in here.

  Dora Charleston : Oh, dear.

  Dick Charleston : Died of what?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : She murdered herself in her sleep, sir.

  Dick Charleston : You mean suicide?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Oh, no. It was murder all right. Mrs. Twain hated herself.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : We keep this room locked.

  Dick Charleston : Why is that?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Mr. Twain loved her very much. He's kept her room just as it was the night she choked herself nine years ago.

• Sidney Wang : Strange weather. Storm only outside when inside.

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Oh, that. That's just one of Mr. Twain's little toys. An electronic device. Mr. Twain, as you will soon discover, prefers his atmosphere - murky.

• Dora Charleston : I will not stay in this horribly filthy overnight.

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Flithy? Very well, Madam. I'll attend to it during dinner.

  Dick Charleston : Thank you, Benson, sir.

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Mum!

  Dick Charleston : What?

  Jamesir Bensonmum : Bensonmum. Ma'am.

• Jamesir Bensonmum : You're a clever little laundry man, Mr. Wang.