Col. Rockoff Quotes in The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)

Col. Rockoff: Lieutenant, I'm here on a very confidential mission. Her highness, the Princess Anna, wanted to talk to you, but before talking to you, naturally she took up the matter with her father, His Majesty, the King. His Majesty, the King, decided that Her Highness, the Princess, should not talk to you first. On the contrary, you should first talk to Her Highness, the Princess. But before talking to the Princess, His Majesty the King wants you to talk to him, so that he can give you permission to talk to the Princess. But then we all got together and had a little talk, and came to the conclusion that, under the royal Flausenthurm etiquette, you, being an ordinary lieutenant, cannot do the talking at all. You understand?

Lieutenant Niki: Perfectly. May I ask what you are talking about?

Col. Rockoff: In one word, Lieutenant: Please don't *you* propose to the Princess.

Lieutenant Niki: But I never intended to! And I never will!

Col. Rockoff: [shakes hands with him] Thank you! Congratulations!