Frances "Baby" Houseman quotes from Dirty Dancing (1987)

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I told I was telling the truth, daddy. I'm sorry I lied to you, but you lied too. You told me everyone was alike and deserved a fair break. But you meant everyone who was like you. You told you wanted to change the world, to make it better. But you meant by becoming a lawyer or an economist and marrying someone from Harvard. I'm not proud of myself, but I'm in this family too. You can't keep giving me the silent treatment. There are a lot of things about me that aren't what you thought. But if you love me, you have to love all the things about me, and I love you. I'm sorry I let you down, I'm so sorry, daddy. But you let me down too.

Lisa Houseman

Oh, my God. Look at that! Ma, I should have brought my coral shoes. You said I was taking to much!

Marjorie Houseman

Well, sweetheart, you brought ten pairs.

Lisa Houseman

But the coral shoes match that dress!

Jake Houseman

This is not a tragedy. A tragedy is three men trapped in a mine or police dogs used in Birmingham.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Monks burning themselves in protest.

Lisa Houseman

Butt out, Baby.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Who are they?

Neil Kellerman

Oh, them. They're the dance people. They're here to keep the guests happy. They shouldn't show off with each other. That's not gonna sell lessons.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

They look great together.

Billy Kostecki

Yeah. You'd think they were a couple, wouldn't you?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Well, aren't they?

Billy Kostecki

Nah, not since we were kids.

Johnny Castle

Yo, cousin, what's she doing here?

Billy Kostecki

She came with me. She's with me.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I carried a watermelon. [to herself] I carried a watermelon.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

So you're really a Rockette? I think you're a wonderful dancer.

Penny Johnson

Yeah, well, my mother kicked me out when I was 16. I've been dancing ever since. It's the only thing I ever wanted to do anyway.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I envy you.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Here's the money.

Penny Johnson

You mean, Robbie?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

No, you we're right about him.

Penny Johnson

Then where'd you get it?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

You said you needed it.

Penny Johnson

Is this kid for real?

Johnny Castle

Yeah, it takes a real saint to ask Daddy.

Penny Johnson

Thanks, Baby, but I can't use it. [resumes dancing with Johnny]

Johnny Castle

What? What's the matter with you? You should take the money.

Johnny Castle

You trying to kill me? You gotta concentrate! Is that your idea of fun?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Oh, yes, as a matter of fact it is. We're supposed to do the show in two days, you won't show me the lifts, I'm not sure of the turns. I'm doing all this to save your ass, what I really want to do is drop you on it.

Johnny Castle

Well, let's get outta here.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Have you had many women?

Johnny Castle

What? [laughs]

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Have you had many women?

Johnny Castle

Come on, Baby.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Come on. I want to know.

Johnny Castle

No, no. [jumps out of bed and Baby smiles at him] Look, you've gotta understand what it's like baby, you come from the streets and suddenly you're up here, and these women are throwing themselves at ya, and they smell so good, and they really take care of themselves, [getting dressed] I mean I never knew women could be like that, you know? And they're so rich, they're so goddamn rich, you think they must know about everything. And they're slipping their room keys in my hands, two and three times day, different women. So here I think I'm scoring big and for a while you think, hey, they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't care about me, right?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

That's alright, I understand. You were just using them, that's all. [looks depressed]

Johnny Castle

No, no, that's not it. That's the thing, see, Baby, it wasn't like that, they were using me.

Johnny Castle

What's your real name, Baby?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Frances. For the first woman in the cabinet. [laughs]

Johnny Castle

Frances. That's a real grown up name.

Robbie Gould

Just where do you get off telling me what's right?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

You can't just leave her, I mean.

Robbie Gould

I didn't spend all summer long toasting bagels just to bail out some little chick who probably balled every guy in the place.

Robbie Gould

A little precision please, Baby... Some people count and some people don't. [brings out a copy of The Fountainhead from his pocket] Read it. I think it's a book you'll enjoy, but make sure you return it. I have notes in the margin.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

You make me sick. Stay away from me, stay away from sister or I'll have you fired. [pours the jug of water on Robbie's crotch]

Neil Kellerman

I love your watch your hair blowing in the breeze.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Maybe my parents are looking for me.

Neil Kellerman

Baby, don't worry. If they think you're with me, they'll be the happiest parents at Kellerman's. I have to say it. I'm known as the catch of the county.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I'm sure you are.

Neil Kellerman

Only last week, I took a girl away from Jamie, the lifeguard. And he said to her, right in front of me, "What does he have that I don't have?" And she said, "Two hotels."

Jake Houseman

Was that what my money paid for?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I'm sorry. I never meant to lie to you.

Jake Houseman

You're not the person I thought you were. I'm not sure who you're are. But I don't want you to have anything to do with those people again.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

But, daddy, can I just explain?

Jake Houseman

Nothing! You're to have nothing to do with any of them ever again! I won't tell your mother about this, right now I'm going to bed. And take that stuff off your face before your mother sees you!

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Johnny, I came here because my father--

Johnny Castle

No, I mean the way he saved her. I mean, I... I could never do anything like that. That was somethin'. The reason people treat me like I'm nothin' is cause I'm nothin'.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

That's not true! You, you're everything!

Johnny Castle

You don't understand the way it is, I mean for somebody like me. Last month, I'm eating Jujubes to keep alive, and this month, women are stuffing diamonds in my pocket, I'm balacing on shit as quick as that, [clicks his fingers] I could be down there again.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

No, it's not the way it is! It doesn't have to be that way.

Johnny Castle

I've never known anyone like you before. You think you can make the world better. Somebody's lost, you find them. Somebody's bleeding--

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Yeah, I go get my daddy. That was really brave, like you said.

Johnny Castle

That took a lot of guts to go to him! You are not scared of anything.

Me? I'm scared of everything! I'm scared of what I saw. I'm scared of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life... the way I feel when I'm with you!
Note: Ranked #1 in an April 2008 list by the Daily Mail of the "most romantic movie quotes ever". Yaqoob, Tahira. "From Bogart to McGregor: The top ten most romantic movie quotes ever", Daily Mail, 2008-02-01. URL accessed on 2008-05-03.

Marjorie Houseman

Look at all this leftover food. Are there still starving children in Europe?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Try Southeast Asia, Ma.

Marjorie Houseman

Right.

Jake Houseman

Robbie, Baby wants to send her leftover pot roast to Southeast Asia, so anything you don't finish, you wrap up. Max, our Baby's going to change the world.

Max Kellerman

And what are you going to do, missy?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Oh, Lisa's gonna decorate it.

Robbie Gould

I think she already does.

Max Kellerman

Doc, I want you to meet somebody, my grandson, Neil. Goes to the Cornell School of Hotel Management.

Jake Houseman

Baby's starting Mount Holyoke in the fall.

Neil Kellerman

Oh, great.

Lisa Houseman

God, I'm so sick of this rain. Remind me never to take my honeymoon at Niagara Falls.

Marjorie Houseman

So, you go to Acapulco. It'll be fun.

Lisa Houseman

Where is my brige iridescent lipstick? I know I put it in this drawer.

Marjorie Houseman

Baby, where are you going in this weather?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Uh, they're having charades in the west lobby.

Lisa Houseman

Oh, quite the little joiner, aren't we?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

They fired you anyway because of me!

Johnny Castle

And if I leave quietly, I'll get my summer bonus.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

So I did it for nothing. I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway! I did it for nothing!

Johnny Castle

No, not for nothing, Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before!

Frances "Baby" Houseman

You're were right, Johnny, you can't win no matter what you do!

Johnny Castle

You listen to me; I don't want to hear that from you, you can!

Frances "Baby" Houseman

I used to think so.

Lisa Houseman

I decided to go all the way with Robbie.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

No, Lisa, not with someone like him.

Lisa Houseman

Do you think if we came back for a ten-year anniversary, it would be free?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

It's just wrong this way. It should be with someone... someone that you sort of love.

Lisa Houseman

Come on. You don't care about me. You wouldn't care if I humped the entire army... as long as we were on the right side Ho Chi Minh trail. What you care about is that you're not Daddy's girl anymore. He listens when I talk now, and you hate that.

Johnny Castle

That little wimp. He wouldn't know a new idea if it hit him with the pachenga. He wants some new ideas, I could have told him some new ideas.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Well then, why did you let him talk to you that way?

Johnny Castle

What do you mean, fight the boss man?

Frances "Baby" Houseman

You tell him your ideas. He's a person like everyone else.

Johnny Castle

Look, I know these people, Baby. Thye are rich and they're mean. They won't listen to me.

Frances "Baby" Houseman

Why not fight harder? Make them listen.

Johnny Castle

Because I need this goddamned job lined up for next summer. My dad calls me today. "Good news," he says "Uncle Paul can finally get you in the union."

Frances "Baby" Houseman

What union?

Johnny Castle

House Painters and Plasterers Local Number 179 at your service.

Lisa Houseman

I've been thinking a lot about the Domino Effect. Now, if Vietnam falls, does that mean China's next?