Mary Maceachran: Mr. Parks.
Robert Parks: Robert.
Mary Maceachran: Robert. When you said you'd surprise me, you didn't mean anything by it, did you?
Robert Parks: Why? Don't you like surprises?
Maid: Do you think he's the murderer?
Robert Parks: It's worse than that - he's an actor.
Lavinia Meredith: It makes you sound desperate.
Anthony Meredith: Well, I AM fucking desperate.
Mary Maceachran: What will Lady Sylvia do now?
Lewis: If I were her, I'd set up in London as a glamorous widow with all the gentlemen chasin' me for my money.
Morris Weissman: How do you manage to put up with these people?
Ivor Novello: Well, you forget, I make my living impersonating them.
Lewis: You should know to pack your woollies when you come to this house.
Constance: Has anyone checked her outfit? She's probably in black velvet with a feather in her hair.
Lavinia Meredith: I don't care what's changed or not changed as long as our sons are spared what you all went through.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Not all. You never fought, did you, William?
Sir William McCordle: I did my bit.
Louisa Stockbridge: Of course you did.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Well, you made a lot of money but it's not quite the same as charging into the cannon's mouth, is it?
Elsie (Head Housemaid): George?
George (First Footman): They're coming in a minute. The dressing bell's just gone.
Elsie (Head Housemaid): I'm going out of my mind up there. I've read all my magazines twice. You couldn't pinch something out of the library for me? I don't care if it's Horse and Hound, as long as I haven't read it.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: What are you wearing?
Isobel McCordle: Don't you like it? You bought it.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Did I? How extraordinary of me.
Henry Denton: Who is it?
Lottie: Oh, I'm ever so sorry, sir.
Henry Denton: Sorry for what?
Lottie: I'm supposed to get the fire lit without waking you.
Henry Denton: Why does everyone treat me as if I were one of these stupid snobs? I spent half the week downstairs with all of you.
Lottie: You can't be on both teams at once, sir.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Please tell me you haven't come with condolences.
Constance, Countess of Trentham: Are any of the others getting up for breakfast? The women, I mean.
Mary Maceachran: I think Lady Lavinia may be.
Constance, Countess of Trentham: That settles it. Come back at half past eight. I'll get dressed. It's the greatest bore, of course, but I don't want to miss anything.
Henry Denton: You Brits really don't have a sense of humor do you?
Elsie (Head Housemaid): We do if something's funny, sir.
Robert Parks: Can't a man hate his own father?
Bertha: I can't stop thinkin' about those girls. The ones that got, you know.
Mrs. Croft: Well, I'm not surprised, the way you carry on. Just see it never happens to you, that's all.
Raymond Stockbridge: Well, I think it's ridiculous. I'm here to shoot.
Louisa Stockbridge: Darling, it's a relief for me to sit next someone who isn't deaf in one ear.
Raymond Stockbridge: I'm sorry?
Mrs. Croft: He's very full of himself, I must say. Doesn't eat meat. He's coming to a shooting party and he doesn't eat meat.
Mrs. Wilson: Now now Mrs Croft. We don't want to be thought unsophisticated do we? Mr Weissman's an American. They do things differently there.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Far be it from me to contradict Louisa.
Probert: I'll murder that dog one day. Look at that. All over his waistcoat.
Answer: Jennings' drinking problem stems from his having been a World War I conscientious objector, for which he was imprisoned. He has kept this secret and is worried the police investigation will uncover his past and jeopardize his job. The maid, Dorothy, is secretly in love with Jennings and wants to protect him.
raywest