Anthony Boucher Quotes & Sayings

On Friday evening Martin and Mona went to the United Artists Theatre to see a film already being mentioned for the Academy award. It had three stars, ran a hundred and ten minutes, and bored them both to petrifaction. (In brief, the award was in the bag.)
The Case of the Seven of Calvary — Anthony Boucher

Eliminate the impossible. Then if nothing remains, some part of the 'impossible' was possible. — Anthony Boucher

Critical sobriety is out of the question so long as this master of terror-in-the-commonplace exerts his spell. — Anthony Boucher

It was so completely obvious, and yet what proof was there? It was, Martin thought, like the rabbit which the Hindus see in the moon. It is next to impossible to make people see it; but once they have recognized it, they will never see a face or a man or a woman there again. It is obvious that there is a rabbit in the moon; but obviousness seems too often unsusceptible of proof.
The Case of the Seven of Calvary — Anthony Boucher

In my mind ran the immortal line of James Thurber, that phrase at once so intensely comic and so pregnant with suggestions of unnameable terror: "Now we go up to the garrick and become warbs." We were going up to the garrick all right, and warbs suddenly seemed the least terrifying of the things we might become. — Anthony Boucher

Even Asmodeus, that limping devil who looked through rooftops at men's most secret actions, could not have told which of these thoughts masked an undercurrent of joy -- the joy of the man who know that he has killed wisely and well. — Anthony Boucher

Still, I think Hardy's the most likely person in this theater to be snapped up by the studios."
"But he can't act!" Norman protested.
"Sure he can't act. Neither can Nelson Eddy, and he makes a living."
"But Eddy can sing."
"All right. So Hardy can't sing either. That makes him twice as attractive. — Anthony Boucher

The working press -- a strange expression that; it calls up a picture of a horde of other pressmen lolling about Hollywood on sumptuous divans, smother by bevies of attendant odalisques, and thinking scornfully of their colleagues of the WORKING press -- the working press took kindly to the reception for the Baker Street Irregulars. — Anthony Boucher

Richard Stark writes a harsh and frightening story of criminal warfare and vengeance with economy, understatement and a deadly amoral objectivity-a remarkable addition to the list of the shockers that the French call roman noirs. — Anthony Boucher

Mr. Evans beamed. "Could I get you a drink?" he said. The words were ordinary; the phrase was one that Maureen had heard and often welcomed at endless dozens of parties. But Mr. Evans managed to invest it with such a delightful Edwardian gallantry that you almost thought he had said, "May I bring an ice to you in the conservatory? — Anthony Boucher

Among the extremely diverse books lumped together as 'mysteries,' I shall try to judge each fairly according to the best standards of the type which the author intended to produce. — Anthony Boucher