MovieChat Forums > Caged (1950) Discussion > What's Your Favorite Line From 'Caged'?

What's Your Favorite Line From 'Caged'?


Gertrude Hoffman, who played Millie, the old lifer, had a lot of good ones in CAGED. When matron, Faye Emerson draws back her hand to slap Millie, she catches the old woman's gaze. Millie stares at her and spits out, "Hit me - and I'll put your LIGHTS out!"

Also, after giving Eleanor Parker some advice about doing time and recognizing the fact that Parker will be getting out, while she, Millie, would be in the pokey for life, Millie sighs and utters, "Ah heck. What I'd do for a sink full of dirty dishes."

Miss Hoffman's biggest fame came when she co-starred in the TV comedy series, "My Little Margie," starring Gale Storm. I bought three box sets of the series and Hoffman is a riot as a hip old lady. She says the most outrageous things.

One more thing, I saw the stage version based on the movie, "Women Behind Bars" with drag queen, Divine as the vile matron. It played for over a year in a theatre located just around the corner from me. That, too, was a riot.

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Betty Garde as Kitty Stark has a lot of great lines. My all-time favorite is when she snarls to Elvira Powell in the yard: "Quit shaking the tamborine." Moreover, Garde was simply terrific as Kitty.

I enjoy keeping busy. Satan finds work for idle hands.

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"Thanks for the haircut." That's also my favorite line.
I also like: "For that 40 dollars Tom & I heisted, I certainly got myself an education.!" Priceless!

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'Line up tramps. It's Christmas.'

I mentioned the line to a friend and he says he's going to use it on his family at Christmas. We'll see. We'll see.

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There was some line (and I paraphrase) by Kitty:

"At least we got honest matrons, you bribe them and they stay bribed."

Hilarious!

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The line about dirty dishes is my favorite in the movie. Makes you think about the things you complain about in your life, and how much worse things could be.

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I'm Kitty Stark and this here's Claire. Stop scrubbin', chew the fat!

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A couple of lines come to mind {all great}. When poor little helpless Marie is sitting in Mrs. Benton's office, & Benton offers her 2 pieces of advice....." Of course I want you to make friends...everyone needs an outlet for affection" :) & then THIS priceless tidbit "It's important to keep busy"....Only Agnes Moorehead could say these lines w/a "straight" face. But my ALL time favorite line is.....Harper "Everytime he kisses me....I keep on leavin' him.....great...just great :)

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"Keep it active, she'll be back"
and: "Get yourself a legit job slingin' hash..."


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Yeah, that line really made me count my blessings--and even the mundane things that we have to do (like dishes) as part of our freedom.

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What should I do with her file?

Keep it active. She'll be back.


I can resist anything but temptation. - Wilde

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The very lasr line from the film: Agnes Moorhead tells Sheila MacRae, "leave the case open, she'll be back"...pretty chilling, and unfortunately so true.

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I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".
Just saw Caged last nigh, after a great many years of almost having forgotten all about it.
My son went DVD shopping the other night and came home with it;I scratched my head and asked you know about this movie.?It was great to share it with someone so much younger and getting a positive reaction; the entire film stays powerful .The performance by the luminous Ms Powell got her an Oscar nomination; oh boy what a year for female actors it was. Davis.. Swanson..Baxter ..Powell. The Oscar went to Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday.

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I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means "no".
Just saw Caged last nigh, after a great many years of almost having forgotten all about it.
My son went DVD shopping the other night and came home with it;I scratched my head and asked you know about this movie.?It was great to share it with someone so much younger and getting a positive reaction; the entire film stays powerful .The performance by the luminous Ms Powell got her an Oscar nomination; oh boy what a year for female actors it was. Davis.. Swanson..Baxter ..Powell. The Oscar went to Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday.

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The scene where Hope Emerson is struts out in her best fur & feathery hat...one of the inmates mutters, "If that's what they're wearing out there, I'm glad I'm in here!"

{*_*}

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Nithing was more natural than the great Lee Patrick (Elvira Powell)gesturing to Eleanor Parker "Howja Hurtja hand?".

The response and I paraphrase: I'm a big girl and this isn't my first year away from home.


So many great lines have aready been mentioned. But how about when Marie is posing for her mug shot...

Marie: Couldn't I have a comb?
A Bedgraggled Matron: What for? There's no men in here!

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Um. That's Elvira to Harper. Kitty's line is 'pipe the new fish'.

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[deleted]

Not my favorite but not yet mentioned: Early in the film a matron suspects Marie is pregnant and asks her "Are you expecting company?

Excuse me for talking while you're interrupting.

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