THE MALTESE FALCON BOOK QUOTES

“I don’t mind a reasonable amount of trouble.” – Sam Spade

“The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.” – Sam Spade

“We didn’t exactly believe your story, Miss O’Shaughnessy. We believed your two hundred dollars.” – Sam Spade

“I distrust a close-mouthed man. He generally picks the wrong time to talk and says the wrong things. Talking’s something you can’t do judiciously unless you keep in practice.” – Sam Spade

“I hope you’re not leading up to anything unpleasant. Doing physical harm to a woman has always given me a great deal of mental distress.” – Sam Spade

“You aren’t exactly the sort of person you pretend to be, are you?” – Sam Spade

“The stuff you’re made of is crooked on both sides, and a heavy movie contract doesn’t give you any personality.” – Sam Spade

“When a man’s partner is killed, he’s supposed to do something about it.” – Sam Spade

“By Gad, sir, you are a character, that you are.” – Joel Cairo

“I think you’ve been sitting in your office too long. Get up and walk around more. It’s not good for the hips.” – Joel Cairo

“What’s the matter? Is it haunted?” – Joel Cairo

“He looks to me like a guy who’d be a little too likely to wake up some morning with a knife sticking in him.” – Joel Cairo

“You’re a hero ain’t you, always have been. Heroes always get by somehow.” – Effie Perine OBLIGATION QUOTES SAYINGS

“I distrust a detective who falls in love with his women clients. It’s professional business with him until they flatter his vanity by falling in love with him. Then It’s personal.” – Effie Perine

“The boy spoke two words, holding on to his terror with a frighteness that intrigued Spade. They were ‘‘Mister’’ and ‘‘Spade.’’” – Sam Spade

“You’re the most adorable, the most infuriating, the most evasive of men.” – Brigid O’Shaughnessy

“You can’t just touch me and get away with it, can you?” – Brigid O’Shaughnessy

“We didn’t exactly believe your story, Miss O’Shaughnessy. We believed your two hundred dollars.” – Sam Spade

“You know, if you don’t take that knife out of your coat in a minute, I’ll forget to act helpless, and I’ll kill you.” – Sam Spade

“You’re good, aren’t you? You’re brave. You deserve a break. You’ll get nothing from me but its knowledge.” – Brigid O’Shaughnessy

“The fault’s mine. I always did think you were a gentleman, and a nice guy to have around. Come in now and then, and I’ll let you do a few chores about the place. You can start with a shave. Have you a razor?” – Iva Archer

“It was not an event that could be allowed to tarnish the image of the Spade & Archer. Not even to still his own curiosity could Spade afford to have anything happen to it that he might be forced to go to the police about.” – Sam Spade

“You don’t even trust the poker faces of the people you sleep with.” – Sam Spade

“It didn’t seem tough to crack it open.” – Sam Spade

“Have you any means of that fatal force which you always profess to be so willing to apply?” – Sam Spade