Monsieur Verdoux Quotes
A suave but cynical man supports his family by marrying and murdering rich women for their money, but the job has some occupational hazards.
The Prosecutor: Never, never in the history of jurisprudence have such terrifying deeds been brought to light. Gentlemen of the jury, you have before you a cruel and cynical monster. Look at him!
[all heads turn to face Verdoux, who turns around himself to look behind]
The Prosecutor: Observe him, gentlemen. This man, who has brains, if he had decent instincts, could have made an honest living. And yet, he preferred to rob and murder unsuspecting women. In fact, he made a business of it. I do not ask for vengeance, but for the protection of society. For this mass killer, I demand the extreme penalty: that he be put to death on the guillotine. The State rests its case.
Judge: Monsieur Verdoux, you have been found guilty. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed upon you?
Henri Verdoux: Oui, monsieur, I have. However remiss the prosecutor has been in complimenting me, he at least admits that I have brains. Thank you, Monsieur, I have. And for thirty-five years I used them honestly. After that, nobody wanted them. So I was forced to go into business for myself. As for being a mass killer, does not the world encourage it? Is it not building weapons of destruction for the sole purpose of mass killing? Has it not blown unsuspecting women and little children to pieces? And done it very scientifically? As a mass killer, I am an amateur by comparison. However, I do not wish to lose my temper, because very shortly, I shall lose my head. Nevertheless, upon leaving this spark of earthly existence, I have this to say: I shall see you all... very soon... very soon.
[all heads turn to face Verdoux, who turns around himself to look behind]
The Prosecutor: Observe him, gentlemen. This man, who has brains, if he had decent instincts, could have made an honest living. And yet, he preferred to rob and murder unsuspecting women. In fact, he made a business of it. I do not ask for vengeance, but for the protection of society. For this mass killer, I demand the extreme penalty: that he be put to death on the guillotine. The State rests its case.
Judge: Monsieur Verdoux, you have been found guilty. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed upon you?
Henri Verdoux: Oui, monsieur, I have. However remiss the prosecutor has been in complimenting me, he at least admits that I have brains. Thank you, Monsieur, I have. And for thirty-five years I used them honestly. After that, nobody wanted them. So I was forced to go into business for myself. As for being a mass killer, does not the world encourage it? Is it not building weapons of destruction for the sole purpose of mass killing? Has it not blown unsuspecting women and little children to pieces? And done it very scientifically? As a mass killer, I am an amateur by comparison. However, I do not wish to lose my temper, because very shortly, I shall lose my head. Nevertheless, upon leaving this spark of earthly existence, I have this to say: I shall see you all... very soon... very soon.
Reporter: You'll have to admit, crime doesn't pay, does it?
Henri Verdoux: No, sir. Not in a small way.
Reporter: What do you mean?
Henri Verdoux: To be successful in anything, one must be well-organized.
Reporter: You're not leaving the world with that cynical remark?
Henri Verdoux: To be idealistic in this moment would be incongruous, don't you think?
Reporter: What's all this talk about good and evil?
Henri Verdoux: Arbitrary forces, my good fellow. Too much of either will destroy us all.
Reporter: We can never have too much good in the world.
Henri Verdoux: Trouble is, we've never had enough. We don't know.
Reporter: Listen, Verdoux, I've been your friend all through the trial. Now, give me a break, a story with a moral to it! You, the tragic example of a life of crime.
Henri Verdoux: I don't see how anyone can be an example in these criminal times.
Henri Verdoux: No, sir. Not in a small way.
Reporter: What do you mean?
Henri Verdoux: To be successful in anything, one must be well-organized.
Reporter: You're not leaving the world with that cynical remark?
Henri Verdoux: To be idealistic in this moment would be incongruous, don't you think?
Reporter: What's all this talk about good and evil?
Henri Verdoux: Arbitrary forces, my good fellow. Too much of either will destroy us all.
Reporter: We can never have too much good in the world.
Henri Verdoux: Trouble is, we've never had enough. We don't know.
Reporter: Listen, Verdoux, I've been your friend all through the trial. Now, give me a break, a story with a moral to it! You, the tragic example of a life of crime.
Henri Verdoux: I don't see how anyone can be an example in these criminal times.
