--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: JEAN I need him like the axe needs the…" description: "\"“JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON Don't be vulgar, Jean. Let us be crooked, but never common.”\" — Preston Sturges" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg" --- # JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON… ![“JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON Don't be vulgar, Jean. Let us be crooked, but never common.” quote by Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg) > ““JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON Don't be vulgar, Jean. Let us be crooked, but never common.”” [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous warning that even in a crooked world, one should avoid becoming ordinary or vulgar. **In simple terms:** Stay unique and dignified despite flaws. Key Takeaway Maintain integrity while being imperfect. Themes humor ethics individuality Mood witty critical reflective Type satire dialogue advice When to use this quote - political satire - personal relationships - career ambition - social climbing Key Concepts moral choice social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance moral compromise with personal authenticity? - When is it acceptable to be 'crooked' for a greater good? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize cynicism, overlooking the value of genuine honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crooked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crooked/) [Jean Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jean-need-4380413/) [Let Crooked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-crooked-4380415/) [Like Axe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-axe-3879236/) [Turkey Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkey-harrington-4380414/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“JEAN Boy, would I like to see you give some old harpie the three in one! COLONEL Don't be vulgar, Jane. Let us be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-boy-would-i-like-to-see-you-give-some-old-harpie-the-three-in/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [All our lauded technological progress -- our very civilization - is like the axe in the hand of the pathological criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/all-our-lauded-technological-progress-our-very-civilization-is-like/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/technological-progress-is-like-an-axe-in-the-hands-of-a-pathological/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“My words are like axe don't dare to interferes with your finger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kartik-mehta/my-words-are-like-axe-don-t-dare-to-interferes-with-your-finger/) [Kartik Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kartik-mehta/) > [ “CLOV \[sadly\] No one that ever lived ever thought so crooked as we.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/clov-sadly-no-one-that-ever-lived-ever-thought-so-crooked-as-we/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [The desires of the heart...are as crooked as a corkscrew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/the-desires-of-the-heart-are-as-crooked-as-a-corkscrew/) [Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/) > [I don't like to look at myself in the mirror, which is why my eye makeup is always crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-guinness/i-don-t-like-to-look-at-myself-in-the-mirror-which-is-why-my-eye/) [Daphne Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-guinness/) > [I'm talkin' about a good girl gone bad crooked world, wrong path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-talkin-about-a-good-girl-gone-bad-crooked-world-wrong-path/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He is crooked enough to hide behind a spiral staircase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/he-is-crooked-enough-to-hide-behind-a-spiral-staircase/) [Anne McCaffrey & Margaret Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/) > [I support all people on earth who have bodies like and unlike my body, skins and moles and old scars, secret and public hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-support-all-people-on-earth-who-have-bodies-like-and-unlike-my-body/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [When I meet a new person, something has to be a little off for me to consider them beautiful. It could be crooked teeth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/when-i-meet-a-new-person-something-has-to-be-a-little-off-for-me-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) ## More by Preston Sturges > [After I saw a couple of pictures put out by my fellow comedy-directors, which seemed to have abandoned the fun in favor of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/after-i-saw-a-couple-of-pictures-put-out-by-my-fellow-comedy/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [When the last dime is gone, I'll sit on the curb outside with a pencil and a ten cent notebook and start the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/when-the-last-dime-is-gone-i-ll-sit-on-the-curb-outside-with-a-pencil/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [I suppose they're like the I.R.S. You move once and they never send you your refund check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/i-suppose-they-re-like-the-i-r-s-you-move-once-and-they-never-send/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [Now I've laid me down to die I pray my neighbors not to pry Too deeply into sins that I Not only cannot here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/now-i-ve-laid-me-down-to-die-i-pray-my-neighbors-not-to-pry-too/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [Film is the greatest educational medium the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/film-is-the-greatest-educational-medium-the-world-has-ever-known/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [“You know, Maude . . . somebody meeting you for the first time -- not knowing you were cracked -- might get the wrong impression of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/you-know-maude-somebody-meeting-you-for-the-first-time-not-knowing/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [The most incredible thing about my career is that I had one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/the-most-incredible-thing-about-my-career-is-that-i-had-one/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [“GERRY I would step on your face! HACKENSACKER That's quite all right, I rather enjoyed it. GERRY Twice! HACKENSACKER You made quite an impression. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/gerry-i-would-step-on-your-face-hackensacker-that-s-quite-all-right-i/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [“THE POLITICIAN If it wasn't for graft, you'd get a very low type of people in politics. Men without ambition. Jellyfish! CATHERINE Especially since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/the-politician-if-it-wasn-t-for-graft-you-d-get-a-very-low-type-of/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [A pretty girl is better than a plain one. A leg is better than an arm. A bedroom is better than a living room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/a-pretty-girl-is-better-than-a-plain-one-a-leg-is-better-than-an-arm/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [I did all my directing when I wrote the screenplay. It was probably harder for a regular director. He probably had to read the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/i-did-all-my-directing-when-i-wrote-the-screenplay-it-was-probably/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [You can't go around the theatres handing out cards saying, 'It isn't my fault'. You go onto the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/you-can-t-go-around-the-theatres-handing-out-cards-saying-it-isn-t-my/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [I should have had the pickle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/i-should-have-had-the-pickle/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [“JEAN Boy, would I like to see you give some old harpie the three in one! COLONEL Don't be vulgar, Jane. Let us be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-boy-would-i-like-to-see-you-give-some-old-harpie-the-three-in/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) > [“This is the story of two men who met in a banana republic. One of them never did anything dishonest in his life except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/this-is-the-story-of-two-men-who-met-in-a-banana-republic-one-of-them/) [Preston Sturges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) [Explore all 16 Preston Sturges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/) ## More Crooked quotes > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [When I meet a new person, something has to be a little off for me to consider them beautiful. It could be crooked teeth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/when-i-meet-a-new-person-something-has-to-be-a-little-off-for-me-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I support all people on earth who have bodies like and unlike my body, skins and moles and old scars, secret and public hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-support-all-people-on-earth-who-have-bodies-like-and-unlike-my-body/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“He is crooked enough to hide behind a spiral staircase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/he-is-crooked-enough-to-hide-behind-a-spiral-staircase/) [Anne McCaffrey & Margaret Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/) > [I'm talkin' about a good girl gone bad crooked world, wrong path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-talkin-about-a-good-girl-gone-bad-crooked-world-wrong-path/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like to look at myself in the mirror, which is why my eye makeup is always crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-guinness/i-don-t-like-to-look-at-myself-in-the-mirror-which-is-why-my-eye/) [Daphne Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-guinness/) > [The desires of the heart...are as crooked as a corkscrew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/the-desires-of-the-heart-are-as-crooked-as-a-corkscrew/) [Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/) > [ “CLOV \[sadly\] No one that ever lived ever thought so crooked as we.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/clov-sadly-no-one-that-ever-lived-ever-thought-so-crooked-as-we/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/washington-has-a-mysterious-power-to-turn-perfectly-reasonable/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [John Kerry described his Republican critics as 'the most crooked, lying group I've ever seen.' Now, that's saying something, because Kerry's both a lawyer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/john-kerry-described-his-republican-critics-as-the-most-crooked-lying/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The privilege of ruling would be in the hands of the skilled and the learned, with a wide scope left for profitable crooked deals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/the-privilege-of-ruling-would-be-in-the-hands-of-the-skilled-and-the/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“Between the whiskers scraggling down his neck and the now-crooked glasses, he could have been the Black Allen Ginsberg.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/between-the-whiskers-scraggling-down-his-neck-and-the-now-crooked/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) [Browse all 376 Crooked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crooked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON Don't be vulgar, Jean. Let us be crooked, but never common.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Preston Sturges" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-turkey-harrington-don-t-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crooked" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-turkey-harrington-don-t-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/645/preston-sturges-31720_crooked_jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-t_518665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“JEAN I need him like the axe needs the turkey. HARRINGTON Don't be vulgar, Jean. Let us be crooked, but…” — Preston Sturges", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Preston Sturges", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sturges/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“JEAN I need him like the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-turkey-harrington-don-t-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sturges/jean-i-need-him-like-the-axe-needs-the-turkey-harrington-don-t-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```