Stephen Fisher
I have fought for my country, in my heart, in a very difficult way; because, sometimes it is harder to fight dishonourably than nobly in the open.
John Jones
Joel McCrea · 14 quotes
Carol Fisher
Laraine Day · 7 quotes
Most scenes together: John Jones & Carol Fisher (5)
Foreign Correspondent quotes
Page 1 of 2
Van Meer I see now. There's no help. No help for the whole poor suffering world. You cry peace, Fisher. Peace. And there was no peace. Only war and death. You're a liar, Fisher. A cruel, cruel liar. You can do what you want with me. That's not important. But you'll never conquer them, Fisher. Little people everywhere who give crumbs to birds. Lie to them. Drive them, whip them, force them into war. When the beasts like you will devour each other, then the world will belong to the little people.
Captain John Mark
Mr. Haverstock, I want a talk with you.
Yes sir?
Captain John Mark
I just found out you're a newspaperman.
I guess that's right.
Captain John Mark
Oh, it is, eh? Why didn't you tell me that when I questioned you? You lied to me, sir!
My dear captain, when you've been shot down in a British plane by a German destroyer, 300 miles off the coast of England, latitude 45, and have been hanging on to a half-submerged wing for hours, waiting to drown, with half a dozen other stricken human beings, you're liable to forget you're a newspaperman for a moment or two!
This is Scott ffolliott, newspaperman same as you. Foreign correspondent. Mr. Haverstock, Mr. ffolliott.
Scott ffolliott With a double 'F'.
How do you do?
Scott ffolliott How do you do?
I don't get the double 'F'.
Scott ffolliott They're at the beginning. Both small 'F's
They can't be at the beginning.
Scott ffolliott One of my ancestors was beheaded by Henry VIII. His wife dropped the capital letter to commemorate it. There it is.
How do you say it, like a stutter?
Scott ffolliott No, just a straight 'fuh'.
Well, you've made quite a day of it, haven't you?
Now, listen...
Making fools of Scott Ffolliott and me in front of the local police, broken into my bedroom and disgraced me before a very important friend of my father's. What are your plans now, may I ask?
I'll tell you if you wait just a...
You might at least have had your clothes on.
Take it easy. This is serious. I've got to talk to you.
I've seen your serious business. What're you doing here?
I'm escaping.
Escaping from what?
From a couple of fellas in my room about to kill me.
May I ask who?
Two gentlemen disguised as policemen, waiting to take me for a ride.
You're talking through your hat.
But I'm not talking through my hat. I've thrown a monkey wrench into some international dirty business, whatever it is. I know Van Meer's alive. That's the reason they want to kill me.
I can think of others.
Now look, you've got to help me. Not for my sake alone, but this is the biggest story in Europe.
Look! Your childish mind is as out of place in Europe as you are in my bedroom.
Get over there. You see what you're doing?
All this is going straight back to London and will be common gossip by tomorrow. I don't care for myself, but my father's engaged in a great work. He's trying to help avert a war, a dreadful war, and this is just the sort of thing to discredit him. I know you care nothing about our work. All you're interested in is having fun with windmills and hotel bathrooms.
You don't believe I'm in trouble?
You'll be in lot of trouble if you don't get out. Now for the last time, please go.
Okay. But I want you to know exactly what's going to happen when I do go. I'll go back to my room and get dressed. I'll try and shake those two fellows off, but I won't succeed. They'll stick to me like a couple of tattoo marks until they get me. They'll stop at nothing. I seem to know too much. And you're right. I don't know the ins and outs of your crackpot peace movement. And I don't know what's wrong with Europe. But I do know a story when I see one. And I'll keep after it until either I get it or it gets me. Sorry you have those derogatory opinions of me...but I guess that can't be helped. So long. It's been nice knowing you.
Were you really going to tip that man 5?
Of course. I charge all my traveling expenses to the office. Corrupting an official, 5.
You're just a wee bit unscrupulous, aren't you?
Not unscrupulous. Just in love.
It's the same thing, I suppose...I beg your pardon?
I beg yours. You see, I love you, and I want to marry you.
I love you, and I want to marry you.
That cuts our love scene down quite a bit, doesn't it?
Do you mind?
Not at all. It's made a new man of me.
I hope not entirely new. It took me some time to get used to the first man you were.
To be perfectly frank with you, I expected a little more argument. I'm really left with quite a few things I very much wanted to say.
Save them until after we're married. I imagine they'll sound better then.
I've saved things to say then, too.
You were really quite sure of yourself, weren't you?
I didn't think I had a chance. A guy's got a right to dream, hasn't he?
Evidently.
English Announcer
[on the radio]
This is London. We have as a guest tonight one of the soldiers of the press. One of the little army of historians who are writing history from beside the cannons mouth. Foreign correspondent of the New York Globe - Huntley Haverstock.
Hello, America. I've been watching a part of the world being blown to pieces. A part of the world as nice as Vermont, and Ohio, [siren sounds] and Virginia, and California, and Illinois lies ripped up and bleeding like a steer in a slaughterhouse, and I've seen things that make the history of the savages read like Pollyanna legends. I've seen women... [bombs begin exploding]
English Announcer
It's a raid; we shall have to postpone the broadcast.
Oh, postpone, nothing! Let's go on as long as we can.
English Announcer
Madam, we have a shelter downstairs.
How about it, Carol?
They're listening in America, Johnny.
Okay, we'll tell 'em, then. I can't read the rest of the speech I had, because the lights have gone out, so I'll just have to talk off the cuff. All that noise you hear isn't static - it's death, coming to London. Yes, they're coming here now. You can hear the bombs falling on the streets and the homes. Don't tune me out, hang on a while - this is a big story, and you're part of it. It's too late to do anything here now except stand in the dark and let them come... as if the lights were all out everywhere, except in America. Keep those lights burning, cover them with steel, ring them with guns, build a canopy of battleships and bombing planes around them. Hello, America, hang on to your lights: they're the only lights left in the world!
Fake Dutch Detective
We simply want you to come with us if you will and tell your story to our chief of police here.
Well, let me get this straight. Does this chief of police speak English? Because I'm a very busy man.
Fake Dutch Detective
It will take no more than half an hour, Sir. We all speak English.
: All speak English? Well, that's marvelous. That's more than I can say for my country.
Mr. Powers No.
Well how about Hitler? Don't you think it would be a good idea to pump him? He must have something on his mind.
What do we do now, call Scotland Yard?
Stephen Fisher
I thought it best to send Monsieur Krug away.
You let him get away? Listen...
Stephan Fisher
If what you say is true, then it's important not to rouse Krug's suspicions.
Van Meer will be killed. Dead or alive, it's a story.
Johnny, father's right.
Okay. I'll cable them what I've got.
Stephan Jones
I wouldn't, if I were you. Van Meer's life may depend on our keeping this quiet a few hours.
Keep it quiet? A famous diplomat's kidnapped right under my eyes and I muzzle myself? I'm sorry, but this is a story with facts in it. This is the kind of story I'm here to get, the kind America's waiting for.
Stephen Fisher
It'll be a bigger story if you can wait a few hours until we find Van Meer and discover what's behind this curious business.
I know what's behind it.
Stephan Fisher
I don't mean who is behind it. I mean the why of it.
Mr. Powers I don't want any more economists, sages, or oracles bombinating over our cables. I want a reporter! Somebody who doesn't know the difference between an -ism and a kangaroo. A good, honest crime reporter. That's what the Globe needs. That's what Europe needs. There's a crime hatching on that bedeviled continent.
...
Mr. Powers How would you like to cover the biggest story in the world today?
Give me an expense account and I'll cover anything.
Mr. Powers I'll give you an expense account.
Okay, What's the story?
Mr. Powers Europe.
Well, I'm afraid I'm not exactly equipped, sir, but I can do some reading up.
Mr. Powers No no, no reading up. I like you just as you are, Mr. Jones. What Europe needs is a fresh, unused mind.
Foreign correspondent, huh?
Powers No, reporter. I don't want correspondence, I want news.
Scott ffolliott Tell me. Who has he shot?
Van Meer - Assassinated.
Scott ffolliott Dead?
Looked like it.
Scott ffolliott Bad show.
Couldn't be much worse from his point of view.
Stephan Fisher
I don't like you dashing about without some protection.
Forget it.
Stephan Fisher
If you're right, you need protection.
I've covered beer mob killings and race riots without even carrying a rabbit's foot.
Stephan Fisher
These people are criminals more dangerous than your rumrunners and house-breakers. They're fanatics. They combine a mad love of country with an equally mad indifference to life, their own, as well as others'. They're cunning, unscrupulous and inspired. I couldn't face Mr. Powers again if you didn't live long enough to turn in the best story of the year.
I'm gonna be a fine foreign correspondent hiding in an attic.
Stephan Fisher
I'm not suggesting you hide anywhere. Just get somebody to protect you.
A nurse? Johnny Jones goes to Europe and hires a nurse. That's going to look great on the expense account.
Stephan Fisher
I know a very efficient detective agency where we can get just the man.
Okay. Whatever you say.
I think the world has been run long enough by well-meaning professionals. We might give the amateurs a chance now.
I'm in love with a girl, and I'm going to help hang her father.