A character in Night Moves (1975)

Harry Moseby quotes from Night Moves (1975)

Gene Hackman

Most-quoted character in Night Moves (1975): in 15 of its 23 quotes
Most scenes with: Paula (5), Arlene Iverson (3)

A line from Harry Moseby

Listen Delly, I know it doesn't make much sense when you're sixteen. Don't worry. When you get to be forty, it isn't any better.

More lines from Harry Moseby

1 quote
Harry Moseby

You told me fairy tales... About Malone... Billy Danreuther... The President getting shot... Your erect nipples!

Scenes with Harry Moseby

13 scenes
Ellen Moseby
[of a football game]

Who's winning?

Harry Moseby

Nobody. One side is just losing slower than the other.

Oh, that's a beauty.

Harry

Yeah, but he didn't see it. He played something else and he lost. He must have regretted it every day of his life. I know I would have. As a matter of fact I do regret it, and I wasn't even born yet.

That's no excuse.

Harry

What happened to your face?

Quentin

I won second prize in a fight.

Are you the kind of detective who, once you get on a case nothing can get you off it? Bribes, beatings, the allure of a woman...

Harry

That was true in the old days. Before we had a union.

How do you resist Delly?

Harry

Oh, I just think good, clean thoughts, like Thanksgiving, George Washington's teeth.

Where were you when Kennedy got shot?

Harry

Which Kennedy?

Any Kennedy.

Harry

When the president got shot, I was on my way to San Diego. Football game. When Bobby got shot, I was sitting in a car waiting for a guy to come out of a house with his girlfriend. Working on a divorce case. One of those times I wish I was in another business.

Harry Moseby
[speculating that the missing daughter, Delly, may be in Florida with her stepfather]

My guess is that I should go down there.

[melodramatically]

You're gonna' go all the way to Florida on a guess?

Harry Moseby

No. I'm gonna' fly all the way to Florida on your money, Mrs. Iverson. It's up to you.

[indifferently]

Go ahead.

Harry Moseby

I'm looking for Delly Grastner.

Quentin

Delly isn't around here anymore.

Harry Moseby

You got any idea where she could be? Is she visiting friends? Is she meditating? Did she join a commune?

Quentin
[scoffs]

Delly's idea of a "commune" is her and a guy on top of her.

Harry Moseby

You think Delly knew that Marv and her mother were making it?

A blind man on a galloping horse would've known. Arlene ain't Lillian Gish.

Harry Moseby
[observing Paula, who is feeding dolphins in a special pen]

What do you got 'em for?

Well, there's a big demand for dolphins. Lots of people want 'em, you'd be surprised. People buy them for their swimming pools. They think it's chic to have a dolphin for a pet. Like that craze for baby alligators in New York years back. When they got bored with 'em, they flushed them down the john. Now they got a sewage system swarming with blind, albino, shit-eating alligators.

Harry Moseby
[listening with a bemused look on his face]

I'm not too sure I believe that.

You're not one of those "intent on the truth" types, are you?

Harry Moseby

Well, not religious about it, no, but I...

Harry Moseby

What'd you do before this?

[coyly]

This and that... [pauses, gives him a look] I taught school, I... kept house. I waited tables... I did a little stripping, I did a little hooking... and I trod a lot of water.

Harry Moseby

Sounds kind of bleak. Or is it just the way you tell it?

[sharply]

Do you ask these questions because you wanna' know the answer, or is it just something you think a detective should do?

Harry Moseby

I just want you to know I'm here.

Tom Iverson

I want that kid the hell out of here. You see, I... I get pretty foolish with her, and I... Well, you've seen her. God, there ought to be a law!

Harry Moseby

There is.

Caught me in my bath.

Harry Moseby

I'm sorry.

[seductively]

Oh, that's all right. You could've joined me. It's a big bath.

Harry Moseby
[with a wry grin]

Maybe some other time, when I'm feeling really dirty.

Other characters in Night Moves

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