“Brigid O'Shaughnessy: I haven't lived a good life. I've been bad, worse than you could know. Sam Spade You know, that's good, because if you actually were as innocent as you pretend to be, we'd nev...”

“Joel Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation ready.Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?”

“Yes,' Spade growled. 'And when you're slapped you'll take it and like it.' He released Cairo's wrist and with a thick open hand struck the side of his face three times savagely.”

“He looked rather pleasantly, like a blonde satan.”

“If you have a story that seems worth telling, and you think you can tell it worthily, then the thing for you to do is to tell it, regardless of whether it has to do with sex, sailors or mounted pol...”

“I found I was repeating myself. It is the beginning of the end when you discover you have style.”

“Don't be so damned patronizing. Your performance so far has been a little less than dazzling.""I didn't mean no harm," I said and kissed her. "That a new dress?""Ah! Changing the subject, you coward.”

“Only the winner and coward may survive.”

“Can someone decide to leave everything and move to a dreamland?Was it possible?if yes, how can one do it without being called crazy or a coward?”

“There is but one coward on earth, and that is the coward that dare not know.”

“Failed relationships can be described as so much wasted make-up.”

“Sex without love is a meaningless experience, but as far as meaningless experiences go its pretty damn good.”

“Aside from the obvious, Francesca, what do you want in return for supplying information? Bones asked, getting back to the subject. You to take me, she replied at once. Not gonna happen! I spat, squ...”