The Court Jester (1955)

Mildred Natwick: Griselda

Photos 

Quotes 

• Hawkins : I've got it! I've got it! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?

  Griselda : Right. But there's been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!

  Hawkins : They *broke* the chalice from the palace?

  Griselda : And replaced it with a flagon.

  Hawkins : A flagon...?

  Griselda : With the figure of a dragon.

  Hawkins : Flagon with a dragon.

  Griselda : Right.

  Hawkins : But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?

  Griselda : No! The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!

  Hawkins : The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.

  Griselda : Just remember that.

• Griselda : Listen. I have put a pellet of poison in one of the vessels.

  Hawkins : Which one?

  Griselda : The one with the figure of a pestle.

  Hawkins : The vessel with the pestle?

  Griselda : Yes. But you don't want the vessel with the pestle, you want the chalice from the palace!

  Hawkins : I don't want the vessel with the pestle, I want the chalice from... the what?

  Jean : The chalice from the palace!

  Hawkins : Hmmm?

  Griselda : It's a little crystal chalice with a figure of a palace.

  Hawkins : The chalice from the palace has the pellet with the poison?

  Griselda : No, the pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle.

  Hawkins : Oh, oh, the pestle with the vessel.

  Jean : The vessel with the pestle.

  Hawkins : What about the palace from the chalice?

  Griselda : Not the palace from the chalice! The chalice from the palace!

  Hawkins : Where's the pellet with the poison?

  Griselda : In the vessel with the pestle.

  Griselda : The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true.

  Jean : Don't you see? The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle.

  Griselda : The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!

  Jean : It's so easy, I can say it.

  Hawkins : Well then you fight him!

  Griselda : Listen carefully. The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle, the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true.

  Hawkins : The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle, the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true.

  Jean : Good man!

• Griselda : I bring you a message from the princess.

  Hubert Hawkins : The royal princess?

  Griselda : Yes, she finds you most attractive and would like to meet you.

  Hubert Hawkins : Me?

  Griselda : She finds you passing fair, passing gracefully.

  Hubert Hawkins : Tell her, "Thank you very much, but I'm just passing through."

• Fergus : I'm Fergus, the Ostler.

  Hawkins : Who-whogus the Whatsler?

  Fergus : Fergus, the Ostler. It is I, not Ravenhurst, who is your friend.

  Hawkins : [ushering Fergus back to the window]  Look, my good man, you pick your friends, and I shall pick mine. At the moment, I have a very important mission with the king. After all, I am the incomparable Giacomo, king of jesters and jester of kings.

  [Griselda enters unnoticed] 

  Hawkins : I have entertained in all the courts of Europe and speak a ready wit in their every tongue.

  [turns and runs into Griselda] 

  Hawkins : [without missing a beat]  Now, who are you?

  Griselda : I am Griselda.

  Hawkins : Gri-who-lda?

• Griselda : [Correcting Hawkins' recitation of the directions about the drinks]  No! The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle...

  Jean : ...the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true. Even I can say it!

  Hawkins : Then YOU fight him!

• Griselda : Giacomo, would you look in my eye?

  Hawkins : Eye?

  Griselda : Yes. It's been troubling me, and I thought that the great Giacomo would have a knowledge of science.

  Hawkins : Uh, s-science. Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I have a great deal of scientific knowledge. We have... which eye?

• Griselda : Tails of lizards, ears of swine, chicken gizzards soaked in brine, now thine eyes and mine entwine, thy will is mine, thou art mine! Repeat after me: I am craven, and thou art my master.

  Hawkins : [monotone]  I am craven, and thou art my master.

  Griselda : Stand there, fool.

  Hawkins : Stand there, fool.

  Griselda : Silence!

  Hawkins : Silence!

  Griselda : You are in my power and will obey my every command.

  Hawkins : Every command.

  Griselda : And remember, any time I choose, a mere snap of the fingers can bring you out of the spell like this.

  Hawkins : [snapping her fingers, the spell is broken]  Ooh!

  Griselda : [snapping again]  And back like that. Do you understand, fool?

  Hawkins : Yes, master. You can snap me in and snap me out.