Conquest (1937)

Greta Garbo: Countess Marie Walewska

Photos 

Quotes 

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Are you real? Or, born of a snow drift?

  Countess Marie Walewska : Whichever your majesty wishes.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Snow vanishes. I prefer you real. Quite real.

• Count Anastas Walewski : I am 75 years old, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : And Madame is your first wife?

  Count Anastas Walewski : My third, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Let me congratulate you, Chamberlain, on your excellent taste. How old are you, Madame?

  Countess Marie Walewska : If that is a command, sire, it is one that women have a right to disobey.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Very well spoken. I do not forget courage in either man or woman. Is this gentleman your son?

  Count Anastas Walewski : Yes, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : And this?

  Count Anastas Walewski : My grandson.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I congratulate you, Madame. For a grandmother, you are extraordinarily well preserved. I regret, I did not know you when you were young.

• Capt. d'Ornano : Madame will forgive me if I feel suddenly drowsy.

  Countess Marie Walewska : If the Emperor permits, I'll forgive you.

  Capt. d'Ornano : Nothing shall prevent - my dreaming of you.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I shall send it up to you, invite you to my quarters.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I have a husband, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : He's four times your age!

  Countess Marie Walewska : He has his dignity. He has his honored name. He has his pride. And so have I, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Now I understand. So, it is pride you have in common!

  Countess Marie Walewska : That does not become a conqueror, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : When you have conquered, Madame, you may instruct me.

• Count Anastas Walewski : He sets a fast pace, your Emperor Bonaparte.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I suppose when a man plans to conquer so big a world he must hurry.

• Polish Senator : If we refuse him, Poland is lost. And there are rumors that Napolean is negotiating with Russia. If France and Russia were friends, think what would happen to Poland.

  Count Anastas Walewski : And if we comply?

  Polish Senator : We have no assurance, even then.

  Prince Poniatowski : That's why we've come to you.

  Count Anastas Walewski : To me, Prince?

  Polish Senator : Yes, my dear Count, you alone can help us. That is, may I point out to you, my dear Count, that at certain crises in history, the supreme sacrifice has been demanded of a people.

  Count Anastas Walewski : What sacrifice from Poland, can we make with honor, gentlemen, that we've not already made? With our sons and grandsons, have not already made?

  Countess Marie Walewska : Are you suggesting that I can succeed, while the Polish legions have failed? Is that true, gentlemen?

  Polish Senator : Yes. My dear child, I am an old man, I may call you that. Believe me if we could have spared you this, we would have given our lives, as we have given our goods and our pride. We have knelt to this man and he hasn't heard us. Perhaps he will hear you. We came to you because we believe the destiny of all of Poland has been put into your hands. If that is so, you cannot be dishonored. Perhaps you have been made beautiful that Poland might be made free. You are a woman. Napolean is, after all, only a man. And he may be moved, as men often are, to give without asking anything in return.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I understand perfectly. You have chosen to play the coquette with me.

  Countess Marie Walewska : Why, I have no idea of playing the coquette, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : That's so much the better. I prefer coquette only when it is instinctive. But, now you must make amends. You've made me woo you. All week! A week of hours that might have been filled with happiness for us both. You are the only woman, whose favor I have ever begged for.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : You shy, Marie. Well, this is not your first love affair, Marie. Or, is it?

  Countess Marie Walewska : I've had no love affairs, sire.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : None?

  Countess Marie Walewska : I have only one love, sire, my country. Help us, sire! We're in your hands. Don't let a proud people beg in vain for what is rightfully theirs. We're desperate! You're powerful! Help us, sire! Our loved ones fought for you! They were fighting for liberty - as desperately as you did for France. Isn't that a bond, sire, between you and them and freedom? You are the hope of the world, sire! One word from you would set us free! Say it, sire! Say it!

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Lovely. You are lovely, Marie Walewska.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I came to you as a woman, sire. As a woman desperate in the cause of her country. Forgive me, sire. There was no other way. But, I speak to you now, as a messenger of a broken people. Won't you hear me too?

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Lovely.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Who sent you?

  Countess Marie Walewska : You did, sire. You sent for me...

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I who hate women who meddle, lose my head over a woman who comes to a rendezvous, not to please me or even herself! But, to babble, about politics!

• Countess Marie Walewska : Sire, if I can't move you to be just, can't I at least move you to pity?

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Pity is for the contemptible, Marie. You and I do not deal with them.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I am lonely.

  Countess Marie Walewska : Isn't loneliness a small price to pay for power, sire?

• Countess Marie Walewska : You say you're lonely. Where would you receive a friend? In your heart? That's too full of yourself. In your mind? That's too full of the world. And your desires are unworthy of friendship. You will always be lonely, sire.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : You presume to know me very well, don't you?

  Countess Marie Walewska : Sire, you stand in the Sun.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Against my will, I love you.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I believe in you.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Come with me, Marie.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I shall never long for Spring again. In the Spring, you'll have to go forth to war. You'll be in danger, fighting. I shall long always for Winter - when you'll be safe.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I have signed many treaties. But, this is the first time, I am at peace.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : The crown would not be unbecoming of that lovely head.

  Countess Marie Walewska : I want no other crown but your loving me.

• Countess Marie Walewska : You. Your throne is yourself and the love of the French people who gave it to you. Doesn't that make you happy?

• Countess Marie Walewska : You have crossed some frontier of the mind into a region I don't understand.

• Alexandre Walewska : [Last lines]  Where is he going mother?

  Countess Marie Walewska : To that ship.

  Alexandre Walewska : And then where?

  Countess Marie Walewska : Don't talk Alexander, just now. He has a star that he must follow. Let us pray that it will bring him peace.

• Countess Marie Walewska : Are you ever alone?

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : With you, always.

• Paul Lachinski : I've come with great news! The Emperor's in Poland.

  Countess Marie Walewska : Napolean here? Oh, now we're free!

  Count Anastas Walewski : I hope so.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : This is my 40th birthday.

  Countess Marie Walewska : You are immortal.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I am an old man.

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Why do you say nothing?

  Countess Marie Walewska : If you were in my place, what would you say?

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : I'm not a woman! I cannot put words into your mouth.

  Countess Marie Walewska : Then perhaps, don't - there are no words.

• Countess Marie Walewska : If you really loved me, that love would save your love.

  Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte : Politics has no heart. It has only a head.

• Countess Marie Walewska : Power has conquered you.