Coquette (1929)

Johnny Mack Brown: Michael Jeffery

Photos 

Quotes 

• Norma Besant : I'll tell you somethin' I never told any other man, ever! Just the way you are, now, you'll be the best lookin' man there. Now, will you come?

  Michael Jeffery : No.

  Norma Besant : Well, you're the first man I ever told that to the just didn't naturally melt away.

  Michael Jeffery : I reckon I'm different from the other men - you've never told that to.

• Norma Besant : Michael, I heard about your fight at the post office this afternoon. It was about me, wasn't it?

  Michael Jeffery : Why, no, I...

  Norma Besant : Why, yes it was. Mae Grandham called me and told me all about it. Hugh Gaston said I was nothin' but a silly little coquette, didn't he? And you thrashed him for it.

• Norma Besant : We just naturally seem to have a lot to say to one another, don't we? I always did think you were interesting.

  Michael Jeffery : Why, you haven't known me but about two weeks.

• Michael Jeffery : I reckon you must think that was a rotten thing for me to say.

  Norma Besant : What?

  Michael Jeffery : About my going to marry you. I said that because I... I love you.

  [Norma clutches her heart and exhales] 

  Michael Jeffery : Well, you've given your word to your father not to see me again, so I guess I'd better move on.

  Norma Besant : Don't go yet, Michael.

  Michael Jeffery : What's there to keep me here?

  [Norma turns away and drops her head] 

  Michael Jeffery : Do you care at all about me, Norma? Because if I thought you cared for me, I'd settle down, and go to work, and really make something of myself. And I'd show your father that I could qualify as your husband as well as any other man. Only I mean, Norma, really care for me, really love me, not play around with me. That's what I mean. Why don't you say something, Norma? If you don't care for me, just say so, and I'll.. beat it; you won't see me around this town again.

  Norma Besant : Oh, don't do that, Michael... It... it scares me so, Michael.

  Michael Jeffery : What?

  Norma Besant : The way I feel about you. I love you. I love you more than anybody in the world. I love you even more than my Daddy.

  Michael Jeffery : You do love me, Norma?

  Norma Besant : Yes.

  Michael Jeffery : That's all I wanna know. I'll show your father. People think I'm too lazy to work, but it's just... it's just that I can't breathe when I'm shut up.

  Norma Besant : I know.

  Michael Jeffery : But I can stand anything for you, Norma. I can get a job surveyin' up in the hills, and I'm going up there tomorrow. And, Norma, this is what I'll do: I'll stay up there for six months.

  Norma Besant : Oh.

  Michael Jeffery : You tell him that, Norma, and tell him that I'm coming back at the end of the six months to marry you.

  Norma Besant : Six months.

  Michael Jeffery : It'll seem 600 years. Good-bye, Norma.

  Norma Besant : Michael.

  [She reaches for him, they embrace, and it appears they will kiss] 

  Michael Jeffery : But I'm not going to kiss you; I've all the others doing that. I won't kiss you until I come back to marry you, and that'll be worth waiting for.

  [They start to lean in toward each other again] 

  Michael Jeffery : Well, this isn't gettin' us anyplace... . Good night.

  [Michael leaves the room and exits the house] 

  Norma Besant : [Norma watches out the window as Michael leaves the property and speaks to herself]  Good-bye, Michael. I'll be waitin'.