Read Shepherd Project’s discussion of Rules Don’t Apply, here.
A girl can get in trouble for having a cause of the smarts.
Mr. Mathis: You do know why Baptists think f***ing is wrong, right? It might like to dancing.
Frank: You’re an exception. The rules don’t apply to you.
Marla, about the “rules”: Aren’t you supposed to be have big boobs and be casual about everything? I’m a square. I can’t act. I write songs, but I can’t really sing. In Hollywood, you’re supposed to sing, not write songs. Isn’t that right?
Howard: You’ve never had a drink?
Marla: No.
Howard: You’ve never had a drink in your life?
Marla: No.
Howard: But you do eat, yeah?
Marla: Frank, I just want to let you know that when you told me the rules don’t apply to me, that was really helpful. They don’t apply to you, either.
Howard: All the girls want their own cars, but if they don’t drive, then you can control them.
Marla to Howard: You are not like other people. You are an exception.
Howard: You make an old guy feel courageous!
Frank: There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Howard: You are my CEO. You are not my father.
Frank: Maybe your wealth isn’t always the best thing for your health.
Howard: I could always tell my mother how much I loved her, but I can’t tell my daddy. But I miss my daddy. I wish I could just talk to him.
Howard: You know I never had a kid because I think I thought that would make me feel old.
Howard: Do you still believe in what the church tells you to believe? Like in heaven…?
Frank: I don’t know, Mr. Hughes.
Howard: I don’t know either. I just don’t want to have to do what I need to do to find out.