Cornell Woolrich Quotes

She is in full delirium. But delirium is the antithesis of death; it is the body's
struggle to survive. ("Jane Brown's Body") — Cornell Woolrich

There was no time to weigh chances. There was no such thing as chances anyway, in the distorted perspective of the weed fumes. — Cornell Woolrich

The portieres were drawn across the French windows now, veiling the stars outside - that were there nevertheless. ("Speak To Me Of Death") — Cornell Woolrich

Extreme joy and extreme sorrow are indistinguishable beyond a certain point. ("Jane Brown's Body") — Cornell Woolrich

Time is strange. A moment can be as short as a breath, or as long as eternity. — Cornell Woolrich

The story thread suddenly dropped in a hopeless snarl, just as he was about to get it through the needle's eye of the first line. — Cornell Woolrich

She was the kind of shopkeeper who finishes the paragraph she is reading before waiting on the customer. — Cornell Woolrich

Keep her downstairs a minute!' I breathed desperately. I don't know why; you don't want your agonies of soul witnessed by a woman. ("Nightmare") — Cornell Woolrich

The sightseers would have been disappointed, as the real thing always makes a poorer show than the fake. ("I'm Dangerous Tonight") — Cornell Woolrich

And the blood remembers what the heart has never learned. The approach to kill. ("The Moon Of Montezuma") — Cornell Woolrich

You can always tell a car door, no other door sounds quite like it.
("New York Blues") — Cornell Woolrich

There were three of them in the room now, where only two had first come in. Death was in the room with the two of them. — Cornell Woolrich

Like the playwrights of the Absurd, Woolrich recognized that a senseless story best mirrors a senseless existence. — Francis M. Nevins Jr.

How simple death without weapons was. How safe for the killer.
("Mind Over Murder") — Cornell Woolrich

It was male, of course; menace is always male. ("Nightmare") — Cornell Woolrich

Men's loyalty to their women dies hard - and almost always too late. ("I'm Dangerous Tonight") — Cornell Woolrich

Being broke didn't seem so awful as it had yesterday, being broke but being at peace with the world.
("Don't Wait Up For Me Tonight") — Cornell Woolrich

All a guy can do is die once. The big difference is whether he dies clean - or dirty ... ("I'm Dangerous Tonight") — Cornell Woolrich

Business after all is a form of warfare; you bring all your available weapons to bear. If you don't you're a fool. ("Jane Brown's Body") — Cornell Woolrich

It's six o'clock; my drink is at the three-quarter mark - three-quarters down not three-quarters up - and the night begins.
("New York Blues") — Cornell Woolrich

The white moth of hope fluttered before her face. — Cornell Woolrich

Murder is such an elastic term, isn't it?
("Mind Over Murder") — Cornell Woolrich

Babette looked too good for the place tonight, but then goodness is only relative after all ("Steps Going Up" aka "Guillotine" aka "Men Must Die") — Cornell Woolrich

All guys are scared of each other, didn't you know that? I'm not the only one. We're all born afraid.
("New York Blues") — Cornell Woolrich

I hate the world. Everything comes into it so clean and goes out so dirty. (from COVER CHARGE - currently not listed) — Cornell Woolrich

That's a man's vital spot, the helpless thing he loves. ("Jane Brown's Body") — Cornell Woolrich

A slight concussion of the brain simplifies matters so beautifully.
("Three O'Clock") — Cornell Woolrich