Leave Her to Heaven (1945) · 27 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Leave Her to Heaven (1945): in 9 of its 27 quotes
Most scenes with: Ellen Berent Harlan (7)
My wife was not murdered. She killed herself...Ellen was capable of anything....Yes, she was that sort of monster. A woman who sought to possess everything she loved - who loved only for what it could bring her. Whose love estranged her own father and mother. Whose love possessed her father until he couldn't call his soul his own. Who, by her own confession to me, killed my brother, killed her own unborn child - and who is now reaching from the grave to destroy her innocent sister. Yes, she was that sort of monster.
Richard Harlan It'll be the truth and nothing but the truth. Any resemblance to flattery will be sheer coincidence...While I was watching you, exotic words drifted across the mirror of my mind as summer clouds drift across the sky...Watching you, I thought of tales in the Arabian Nights of myrrh and frankincense and... patchouli.
You're a bachelor. Thirty years old. You were born and raised in Boston and you went to Harvard, where you edited the Lampoon. When you graduated, you went to Paris and you studied painting for a while. You have a lodge in Maine called 'Back of the Moon'. Before you went in for writing novels, you were a newspaper man. Your favorite sport is fishing, and you speak French and Spanish quite well.
Richard Shades of Sherlock...If you'd lived in Salem a hundred years ago, they'd have burned you.
Why did you come for me tonight?
Richard You knew I was coming up there tonight. You were waiting for me, weren't you?
And you came, didn't you?
Richard Because you knew him.
Darling, will you marry me?
Richard Why, you unpredictable little... [She forcefully kissed and embraced him]
And I'll never let you go. Never, never, never.
Richard What's happened to you? You're deliberately whipping yourself into a fit of hysterics....Ellen, what's got into you?
Oh, darling, forgive me. I'm sorry. I can't help it. It's only because I love you so. I love you so, I can't bear to share you with anybody.
Richard You got rid of everybody else, your mother, Ruth, Thorne. There was only Danny left. What were you thinking of? You never really cared for him. You only pretended to. What happened? Did he refuse to leave?...Was that why you killed him?... You're a perfect swimmer and the boat was so far away, and he was going down for the third time. You killed him. You let Danny drown, didn't you? Didn't you?
Yes, I let him drown, and I'd do it again! I didn't want him around. I didn't want anyone but you.
Richard I knew it. I must have known it all along but I kept pushing it out of my mind. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. How could I? You loved me, you said. Wanted only to make me happy.
Yes, that was all I ever wanted, Richard. Your happiness, only that. I didn't mean to let Danny drown. I didn't plan it, I swear I didn't. But when he went under I thought if he never came up, I'd have you all to myself. I thought if he was gone, you'd have only me. And while I was thinking that, he was gone. I was sorry then, and frightened. I tried to find him, tried honestly, tried hard. But it was too late. Why don't you kill me, Richard? You could so easily, you know.
Richard And the baby. You never wanted it, did you?
No. Don't you see? I didn't want anyone around. Only you. I wanted to be just with you. I couldn't stand having anyone between us. Oh, I love you so, Richard. I love you so.
I'm going to die.
Richard Don't talk like that, Ellen. You're going to be all right.
No. And you mustn't feel sorry for me. I'm not afraid. Only... Only, promise me one thing. I want to be cremated. Like my father. And my ashes scattered in the same place. Remember?
Richard I remember.
Promise?
Richard Of course, I promise. Anything you like, only...
Richard! I'll never let you go, Richard. Never. Never. Never.
