Fascinated by gorgeous Mrs. Bannister, seaman Michael O'Hara joins a bizarre yachting cruise, and ends up mired in a complex murder plot.

Arthur Bannister: Killing you is killing myself. But, you know, I'm pretty tired of both of us.
Michael O'Hara: Maybe I'll live so long that I'll forget her. Maybe I'll die trying.
Michael O'Hara: Once, off the hump of Brazil I saw the ocean so darkened with blood it was black and the sun fainting away over the lip of the sky.We'd put in at Fortaleza, and a few of us had lines out for a bit of idle fishing. It was me had the first strike. A shark it was. Then there was another, and another shark again, 'till all about, the sea was made of sharks and more sharks still, and no water at all. My shark had torn himself from the hook, and the scent, or maybe the stain it was, and him bleeding his life away drove the rest of them mad. Then the beasts to to eating each other.In their frenzy, they ate at themselves.You could feel the lust of murder like a wind stinging your eyes, and you could smell the death, reeking up out of the sea. I never saw anything worse... until this little picnic tonight.And you know, there wasn't one of them sharks in the whole crazy pack that survived.
Michael O'Hara: Personally I don't like a girlfriend to have a husband, if she'll fool a husband she'll fool me.
Michael O'Hara: Everybody is somebody's fool.
George Grisby: You think the world is coming to an end?
Michael O'Hara: There was a start to the world sometime, so I guess it'll come to an end.
Michael O'Hara: That's how I found her and from that moment I did not use my head, except to think about her.
Michael O'Hara: New York is not as big a city as it pretends to be.
Michael O'Hara: When I start out to make a fool of myself there's very little can stop me.
Michael O'Hara: Well, Mr. Bannister's picnic party was most typical of him. A lot of trouble and a great deal of money went into it, but it was no more a picnic than Bannister was a man.
Elsa Bannister: I told you, you know nothing about wickedness.
Michael O'Hara: [First lines] When I start out to make a fool of myself, there's very little can stop me. If I'd known where it would end, I'd never let anything start... if I'd been in my right mind, that is. But once I'd seen her, I was not in my right mind for some time.
'Goldie' Goldfish: [Speaking about Broome] I don't speak their language, see, and they want me to identify this guy. What's the Spanish for drunken bum?
Michael O'Hara: I've always found it very... sanitary to be broke.
Michael O'Hara: The only way to stay out of trouble is to grow old, so I guess I'll concentrate on that.
Mrs. Elsa 'Rosalie' Bannister: I don't know how to shoot.
Michael O'Hara: It's easy. You just pull the trigger.
Michael O'Hara: It's a bright, guilty world.
Michael O'Hara: [to Grisby and the Bannisters] Is this what you folks do for amusement in the evening - sit around toasting marshmallows and call each other names? If you're so anxious for me to join the game, I'll be glad to. I have a few names I'd like to be calling you myself.
Michael O'Hara: One who follows his nature keeps his original nature in the end.
George Grisby: Just tell 'em you're taking a little tarrrr-get practice
Arthur Bannister, Criminal Lawyer: So money doesn't interest you, are you independently wealthy?
Michael O'Hara: I'm independent.
Arthur Bannister, Criminal Lawyer: Of money?
Mrs. Elsa 'Rosalie' Bannister: You need more than luck in Shanghai.
Arthur Bannister, Criminal Lawyer: You've been traveling around the world too much to find out anything about it.
George Grisby: Mr. Bannister tells me you once killed a man. You are Michael, aren't you?
Michael O'Hara: That's right.
George Grisby: I'm very interested in murders. Forgive me if I seem inquisitive, but where'd it happen?
Michael O'Hara: At Murcia.
George Grisby: How'd you do it? No, let me guess... You did it with your hands, didn't you? Does it ever bother you when you think about it? What did he do to you?
Michael O'Hara: Nothing.
George Grisby: You just killed him for the fun of it, eh?
Michael O'Hara: He was a Franco spy. There was a war on at the time.
George Grisby: Then it wasn't murder, I suppose. Tell me, would you do it again? Would you mind killing another man?
Michael O'Hara: I'd kill another Franco spy.
George Grisby: I was on a pro-Franco committee during the Spanish War. Would you kill me if I gave you the chance?... I may give you the chance.
George Grisby: How'd you like 5,000 dollars?
Michael O'Hara: What?
George Grisby: That's what I said. 5,000 dollars, fella.
Michael O'Hara: What do I have to do for it?
George Grisby: I'll fill in the details later. Meanwhile, think it over, Michael. 5,000 dollars. It's yours. All you have to do is kill somebody.
Michael O'Hara: Who, Mr. Grisby? I'm particular who I murder.
George Grisby: Good boy!
Michael O'Hara: You know, I wouldn't like to kill just anybody. Is it someone I know?
George Grisby: Oh, yeah. But you'll never guess.
Michael O'Hara: I give up.
George Grisby: It's me. I'm perfectly sober, Michael. I'm willing to pay 5,000 if the job is well done. This is a straightforward business proposition. I want you to kill me. So long, fella!
Michael O'Hara: Some people can smell danger. Not me.
Arthur Bannister, Criminal Lawyer: [to Elsa] You know, for a smart girl, you make a lot of mistakes. You should have let me live. You're going to need a good lawyer.
Arthur Bannister, Criminal Lawyer: [to Michael] I might as well tell you this is one case I've enjoyed losing.
Arthur Bannister: George, that's the first time anyone ever thought enough of you to call you a shark. If you were a good lawyer, you'd be flattered.
Mrs. Elsa 'Rosalie' Bannister: Tell me, Michael. Is their some reason the police don't like you?
Michael O'Hara: Well, they never put me in jail in America. You know, the nicest jails in the world are in Australia, the worst in Spain.
Mrs. Elsa 'Rosalie' Bannister: What law did you break in Spain?
Michael O'Hara: I killed a man.
Arthur Bannister: You hear that George? You've just been called a shark. If you were a good lawyer you'd take it as a compliment.
'Goldie' Goldfish: Mike's got a lot of blarney but he knows how to hurt a man when he gets mad.
George Grisby: [to Michael] This is going to be murder and it's going to be legal.
Michael O'Hara: You were smart to carry a gun traveling alone in the park, but I knew you had the gun in your bag. Why throw away the bag?
Mrs. Elsa 'Rosalie' Bannister: I meant you to find it. I don't know how to shoot.
Michael O'Hara: It's easy, you just pull the trigger.
Arthur Bannister: Do you drink?
Michael O'Hara: I beg your pardon?
Arthur Bannister: I asked you if you drink.
Michael O'Hara: Whatever's set in front of me. Doesn't have to be wholesome, as long as it's strong.
Bessie, Bannister's Maid/Cook: You heard him, Mr. Poet. I need the money.
Michael O'Hara: I've always found it's sanitary to be broke.
Michael O'Hara: Do all rich women play games like this?