- Sally Ellis: I didn't like Prebble when he was alive. But now that he's been murdered, that always makes a man so romantic.
- Casey Mayo: All right, now tell me just how you murdered Harry Prebble.
- Woman on telephone: You know how I killed him! Do you want to know why? Because I loved him. With a passion that was bigger than both of us!
- Casey Mayo: The size of the passion's important, lady. But tell me first, what size shoe do you wear?
- Woman on telephone: Shoe? 8 1/2 C. I could wear 8, it's just that 8 1/2 is more comfortable.
- Casey Mayo: Sorry, lady. But your feet's too big.
- Harry Prebble: How about you slip into something more comfortable, like a few drinks and some chinese food.
- Crystal Carpenter: [to Norah] Honey, if a girl killed every man who got fresh with her, how much of the male population you think there'd be left?
- Harry Prebble: [speaking about a Polynesian Pearl Diver cocktail] These aren't really drinks. They're trade-winds across cool lagoons. They're the Southern Cross above coral reefs. They're a lovely maiden bathing at the foot of a waterfall.
- Casey Mayo: A Letter to an Unknown Murderess. Dear Blue Gardenia, Any day now, any hour... any minute, the police are going to catch up with you... But, all they want is a quick confession... I want to help you. When I say "I", that means my newspaper and me. To us you're a story... a big story! If we get it first we will go all out for you. You can trust me. And, I promise not to print a line without your permission. By now you must be frightened out of your wits. You don't know which way to turn, there's no place to hide, nowhere to run... except to me. So take my advice, Blue Gardenia. Go to the nearest phone booth and invest a dime on the rest of your life. Dial Madison 60025. And ask for, yours very earnestly, Casey Mayo.
- Casey Mayo: [on the phone] If you want your picture on the paper, you'll have to go out and kill somebody first.
- Casey Mayo: [to an office boy who has just read Mayo's story about the murder] Sudden death sells papers, son.
- Al: Lesson number one in modern journalism.
- Casey Mayo: Lesson number two - add the element of sex.
- [writes down on paper]
- Casey Mayo: "Beautiful blonde defending her virtue..."
- Al: [in a demanding tone] What makes you think she's a blonde?
- Casey Mayo: Chinese boy who showed her to Prebble's table.
- Al: To an Oriental all American women are beautiful blondes.
- Harry Prebble: These aren't really drinks. They're tradewinds across cool lagoons. They're the southern cross above coral reefs. They're a lovely maiden bathing at the foot of a waterfall.
- Sam Haynes: And the coffee cup, you washed that, huh?
- Cleaning Woman: That's what I'm paid for, not finding dead bodies.
- Casey Mayo: [after selecting 'Blue Gardenia' by Nat King Cole on the table top jukebox] Pretty song. Too bad it was the background to murder.
- [first lines]
- Casey Mayo: [friendly waking up Al in the backseat of his car by rustling his hair] Hey, sleepy.
- Casey Mayo: [as Al groggily wakes up] Pick me up here at one o'clock.
- Al: [mimicking what he just heard as Casey walks away] Pick you up here at one o'clock.
- Al: [waking up as he realizes he has no idea where he is] Where?
- [the sign on the building reads: West-Coast Telephone Co]
- Harry Prebble: Do you know what a mermaid's downfall is? To achieve a mermaid's downfall, we begin with a seductive rum that insidiously lulls the...
- Norah Larkin: I'll think I'll stick to pearl divers.
- Norah Larkin: I don't remember much of anything. I know I had a couple drinks.
- Crystal Carpenter: A couple?
- Al: [presenting a cheesecake drawing] If you want to improve your mind...
- Casey Mayo: I'll take mine in the flesh.
- Sam Haynes: That's how Prebble got his.
- Al: I don't dig your code system. What does three exclamation points after a girl's name mean?
- Casey Mayo: Hey! That's private stuff.
- Al: I can dream, can't I?
- Casey Mayo: [on the phone] Sorry to keep you waiting, miss, but if you want your picture in the paper, you'll have to go out and kill somebody first.
- Lt. George Foster: Dear Norah, You've probably learned by now that I'm not so hot as a letter writer. I remember when we were kids in Bakersfield and I worked vacations in San Joaquin Valley. You used to bawl me out for not writing. Well, I guess I've gotten worse. But, that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about you... a lot. And also thinking about someone else, Norah. A nurse I met in Tokyo when I took a load of Commie shrapnel with me. Angela, that's her name, supplied the strength and the courage and everything else to pull me through. I didn't want it to happen but... there's nothing a guy can do about the real McCoy, and that's what this is. We're in love. And when I get out we're going to be married. That's the story, Norah. And, I guess there's nothing else to say except I hope you'll understand. With affection, always... and best wishes for your future. "Best wishes for your future". Yours very sincerely. Yours very... truly.