Beetlejuice Manipulation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Beetlejuice.

Quote #1

BEETLEJUICE: Well, I better find a job. Let's see. Business section. Ooh-la-la. What do we got here? The Maitlands, huh? Cute couple. Look nice and stupid, too.

Typical scammer—goes after the most vulnerable, naïve types.

Quote #2

BARBARA: What about that guy in the flyer? You know, Beetle—

JUNO: Shh! Don't even say his name. You don't want his help.

ADAM: We might.

JUNO: No, you don't. He does not work well with others.

BARBARA: What do you mean?

JUNO: I didn't want to bring it up. But rather than have you stumble onto it and make another mistake, I'll tell you. He was my assistant. But he was a troublemaker. He went out on his own as a freelance bio-exorcist. Claimed he could get rid of the living. Got into more trouble. In fact, I believe he's been sleazing around your cemetery lately. The only way he can be brought back is by calling his name three times. But I strongly suggest that you remove the Deetzes yourselves.

Juno flat out explains why the Maitlands shouldn't call Betelgeuse and then they go and call him anyway. Maybe Betelgeuse was right—they are kinda stupid. Let's be generous and say "naïve." They're new at this.

Quote #3

CHARLES: Maxie, have I not always made you money? I think that's the only real question here.

MAXIE: Well, Charles, nobody made me money like you. I mean before your nerves went, you were a demon. It's just that Winter River, Connecticut is, if you'll forgive me, nowhere. I mean, why would I wanna invest that kind of money in an old building way the hell up there?

CHARLES: It's not a building. That's the beauty of it. These people don't know the value of their property. I can buy the whole town.

MAXIE: Oh, then we own a whole town in the middle of nowhere.

CHARLES: Max, you've got to come up here and see. And bring Sarah.

MAXIE: Yeah, all right, Charles. It's just that I am kind of busy here.

CHARLES: Uh, just a minute, Max.

MAXIE: Now, listen. Enough of this talk about visiting, okay? I gotta go. You take it easy up there, big fellow. Good-bye.

CHARLES: Max, wait, wait, wait—

MAXIE: Putz.

Charles is a real estate salesman, so he's trying some classic sales maneuvers. Maxie isn't falling for it. After all, he's a pretty accomplished manipulator himself (and a much bigger jerk). The real targets of the scam are the townspeople, who don't know the potential value of their property.