We didn't exactly believe your story.' Then --?' 'We believed your two hundred dollars.' 'You mean --' She seemed not to know what he meant. 'I mean that you paid us more than if you'd been telling the truth,' he explained blandly, 'and enough more to make it all right.

It's awfully easy to be in love in jail

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

I couldn't be fonder of you if you were my own son. But, well, if you lose a son, its possible to get another. There's only one Maltese Falcon.

Nora: "How do you feel?" Nick: "Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober.

You don't pay a prostitute for sex, you pay her to leave afterwards.

I've been as bad an influence on American literature as anyone I can think of.