Heaven Can Wait (1943)

Spring Byington: Bertha Van Cleve

Photos 

Quotes 

• Albert Van Cleve : I assume you're referring to my future father-in-law, who happens to be one of the great meat packers of our time.

  Bertha Van Cleve : Yes, Father Cleve, don't you realize that every piece of beef we eat comes from one of Mr. Strable's many, many plants.

  Hugo Van Cleve : Does that include the steak I fought ten rounds with last night?

  Albert Van Cleve : Grandfather, you don't seem to have any idea of the importance of Mr. Strable. He created the most famous character in American advertising - Mable the Cow.

  Randolph Van Cleve : You've seen her, Father, on billboards.

  Bertha Van Cleve : That big happy cow smiling at you over the fence and saying in big letters, um... uh... How does it go, uh...?

  Albert Van Cleve : "To the world my name is Mabel, which you'll find on every label; I am packed by E. F. Strable for the pleasure of your table."

  Hugo Van Cleve : No cow in its right mind could have said anything like that. Sounds more like Mr. Strable.

  Albert Van Cleve : Grandfather, please, I beg of you. The family understands your humor, but it's a typical kind of New York humor.

  Hugo Van Cleve : In other words it's not for yokels, hm?

• Henry Van Cleve : Mother, when one sees a lovely rose...

  Bertha Van Cleve : ...one can be certain she comes from a fine rose bush.

• Bertha Van Cleve : Your heart's always bigger than your father's pocketbook.

• Randolph Van Cleve : [coming out of his son's room]  Well, this time I was firm!

  Bertha Van Cleve : Good, Randolph. What happened?

  Randolph Van Cleve : He asked for a hundred dollars, but I told HIM! I told him I'd let him have only fifty.

  Bertha Van Cleve : Randolph!

  Randolph Van Cleve : And not right away!

  Bertha Van Cleve : For the first time in twenty-seven years of marriage I feel like criticizing you.

• Bertha Van Cleve : And when I find a girl for you, she'll be Miss Right. And you know where we'll find her? In the home of Mr. & Mrs. Right.

• Randolph Van Cleve : Believe me, Bertha, I never knew what a musical comedy girl looked like.

  Bertha Van Cleve : Well, what can he possibly derive from their company?

  Randolph Van Cleve : To me they were creatures from another planet.

  Bertha Van Cleve : Where does he get it from? Nobody in our family was musical.

  Randolph Van Cleve : To this day I wouldn't know how to find the stage entrance to a theatre.

  Hugo Van Cleve : It's always around in the back, up an alleyway. There's a sign over the door: 'Stage Entrance.' You can't miss it.

• Bertha Van Cleve : Oh, Randolph, our boy - delirious in a foreign language!