A scene from The Philadelphia Story 1940
Dexter

[about marrying George]

How in the world could you even think of it?

Tracy

Because he is everything you're not. He's been poor. He's had to work and he's had to fight for everything. And I love him, as I never even began to love you.

Dexter

Maybe so, but I doubt it. I think he's just a swing from me. But it's too violent a swing. Kittredge is no great tower of strength, you know, Tracy. He's just a tower.

Tracy

You hardly know him.

Dexter

To hardly know him is to know him well. And perhaps it offends my vanity to have anyone who is even remotely my wife re-marry so obviously beneath her.

Tracy

How dare you! Any of you in this day and age use such an idiotic...

Dexter

I'm talking about the difference in mind and spirit...Kittredge is not for you.

Tracy

You bet he's for me. He's a great man and a good man. Already, he's of national importance.

Dexter

You sound like Spy Magazine talking. But whatever he is, toots, you'll have to stick. He'll give you no out as I did.

Tracy

I won't require one.

Dexter

I suppose you'd still be attractive to any man of spirit, though. There's something engaging about it, this goddess business. There's something more challenging to the male than the, uh, more obvious charms.

Tracy

Really?

Dexter

Really. We're very vain, you know - 'This citadel can and shall be taken, and I'm the boy to do it.'

Tracy

You seem quite contemptuous of me all of a sudden.

Dexter

No, Red, not of you, never of you. Red, you could be the finest woman on this earth. I'm contemptuous of something inside of you you either can't help, or make no attempt to; your so-called 'strength' - your prejudice against weakness - your blank intolerance.

Tracy

Is that all?

Dexter

That's the gist of it; because you'll never be a first-class human being or a first-class woman, until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty. It's a pity your own foot can't slip a little sometime - but your sense of inner divinity wouldn't allow that. This goddess must and shall remain intact. There are more of you than people realize - a special class of the American Female. The Married Maidens.

Tracy

So help me, Dexter, if you say another word, I'll...

Dexter

I'm through, Red. For the moment, I've had my say.

In this scene

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