MovieChat Forums > Act of Violence (1948) Discussion > Favorite line

Favorite line

posted 17 years ago by Sean1956
2 replies | jump to latest

At one point, Mrs. Enley (Leigh) is on the phone with Parkson (excellently played by Ryan), while Mr. Enley (Heflin) listens. Her plan is to offer money to Parker so he'll leave them alone. After she makes the offer, her face shows shock. When her husband asks why, she says "He's laughing!"

Of course he was laughing. Because the Enley's clearly had no clue that for some people, it isn't compensation, or even justice that matters. What matters to people in Parkson's place is VENGEANCE. To him, the inability to understand this basic bit of human nature inspires only contempt. As a way to conclusively show that, the producers picked a method that just couldn't be beat.

Sean

[–] lord-quas 15 years ago

That was a good moment, but the woman on the phone was Pat, played by Mary Astor - in a role smaller and quite a bit different than we know of her.

The laughing was a surprise to Pat but not to the audience.

[–] SStevo165 15 years ago

However- the best line was the exchange between the two drunks coming out of the bar where Frank meets Pat: "How could you have heard what he said? You wasn't there!" "Sure, I was there!" "No you wasn't! You was drunk!" "I was drunk- but I was there!" "Where?"