King Kong

Dock night watchman: ...that crazy fella that's a runnin' it....They say he ain't scared of nothing. If he wants a picture of a lion, he just goes up to him and tells him to look pleasant. Jack Driscoll: [to Ann] I think Denham's off his nut taking you ashore today...Denham's such a fool for risks, there's no telling what he might ask you to do for this picture....He's crazy enough to try anything. When I think what might have happened today. If anything had happened to you...I'm scared for you. I'm sort of, well I'm scared of you too. Ann, uh, I, uh, uh, say, I guess I love you...Say, Ann, I don't suppose, uh, I mean, well you don't feel anything like that about me, do you? Charlie: [after finding a native bracelet on the deck of the ship] All hands on deck! Everybody on deck! Everybody on deck! All hands on deck! Everybody on deck! Everybody on deck! Captain Englehorn: Serve out the rifles! Man the boats!

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Weston: I can't send a young pretty girl such as you ask on a job like this without telling her what to expect...To go off on a trip for no one knows how long, to some spot you don't even hint at, the only woman on the ship with the toughest mugs I ever looked at. Denham: Listen, there are dozens of girls in this town tonight that are in more danger than they'll ever see with me. Driscoll: Yeah, but they know that kind of danger. Denham: Holy Mackerel. Do you think I want to haul a woman around?...Because the Public, bless 'em, must have a pretty face to look at...Well, isn't there any romance or adventure in the world without having a flapper in it?...Makes me sore. I go out and sweat blood to make a swell picture and then the critics and the exhibitors all say, 'If this picture had love interest it would gross twice as much'. All right. The Public Wants a Girl, and this time, I'm gonna give 'em what they want. I'm gonna make the greatest picture in the world, something that nobody's

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Denham: Oh, you have gone soft on her, eh? I've got enough troubles without a love affair to complicate things. Better cut it out, Jack. Driscoll: Love affair! You think I'm gonna fall for any dame? Denham: I've never known it to fail: some big, hard-boiled egg gets a look at a pretty face and bang, he cracks up and goes sappy. Driscoll: Now who's goin' sappy? Listen, I haven't run out on ya, have I? Denham: No, you're a pretty tough guy, but if Beauty gets you, ya...Huh, I'm going right into a theme song here. Driscoll: Say, what are you talkin' about? Denham: It's the idea of my picture. The Beast was a tough guy too. He could lick the world. But when he saw Beauty, she got him. He went soft. He forgot his wisdom and the little fellas licked him. Think it over, Jack.

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Denham: A wall...built so long ago that the people who live there have slipped back, forgotten the higher civilization that built it. That wall is as strong today as it was centuries ago. The natives keep that wall in repair. They need it. Driscoll: Why? Denham: There's something on the other side of it, something they fear. Captain: A hostile tribe. Denham: Did you ever hear of...Kong? Captain: Why, yes. Some native superstition isn't it? A god or a spirit or something? Denham: Well anyway, neither Beast nor man. Something monstrous. All powerful. Still living. Still holding that island in a grip of deadly fear. Well, every legend has a basis of truth. I tell you, there's something on that island that no white man has ever seen. Captain: And you expect to photograph it? Denham: If it's there, you bet I'll photograph it. Driscoll: Suppose it doesn't like having its picture taken? Denham: Well, now you know why I brought along those cases of gas bombs.

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Denham: Now Ann, in this one, you're looking down. When I start to crank, you look up slowly. You're quite calm. You don't expect to see a thing. Then you just follow my directions. All right? Camera. [Denham starts cranking.] Look up slowly, Ann. That's it. You don't see anything. Now look higher. Still higher. Now you see it. You're amazed. You can't believe it. Your eyes open wider. It's horrible, Ann, but you can't look away. There's no chance for you, Ann. No escape. You're helpless, Ann, helpless. There's just one chance, if you can scream. But your throat's paralyzed. Try to scream, Ann. Try. Perhaps if you didn't see it, you could scream. Throw your arms across your eyes and scream Ann, scream for your life!!! Driscoll: What's he think she's really gonna see?

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Denham: Wait a minute. What about Kong? Driscoll: Well, what about him? Denham: We came here to get a moving picture, and we've found something worth more than all the movies in the world. Captain: What?! Denham: We've got those gas bombs. If we can capture him alive. Driscoll: Why, you're crazy! Besides that, he's on a cliff where a whole army couldn't get at him. Denham: Yeah, if he stays there. But we've got something he wants [looking at Ann]. Driscoll: Yep, something he won't get again.

King Kong (1933 film), CC BY-SA 4.0