Favorite Movie Quotes: I am incessantly quoting a line, or phrase, from a movie as an appropriate response, aside, or just to be funny. That got me to thinking how we’re all different. We see and hear things in movies, but what we remember is all personal, and maybe pithy to just us!
There are many phrases, and lines, from a movie that we remember, but what I recall may not be the one you would.
My movie buff friends and I were recalling lines we thought were great, and the differences in any one movie were astounding. We were specifically recalling Young Frankenstein, a movie that teems with wonderful quotes. Everyone cites, nay yells, “Putting on the Ritz” with a Peter Boyle-ish Frankenstein-like flare (You’re doing it now, aren’t you ?). How about Teri Garr’s “He would have an enormous schwanzstuker”, or Madeline Kahn’s, “seven or eight quick ones and you’re off with the boys to boast and brag”? Each person had a particular line they remembered, many completely different. I guess what I’m trying to say on the subject is what we take away from a movie isn’t necessarily the same as someone else.
For me:
Seven Days in May – when Burt Lancaster asked Kirk Douglas if he knew who Judas was: “He was a man I worked for and admired until he disgraced the four stars on his uniform!”
The Quiet Man – after John Wayne refused Barry Fitzgerald’s offer of staying the night at his digs, Barry said, “Well it’s a nice warm night, I think I’ll meet me friends at the pub and talk a little treason”
Two for the Road – early on in the movie, as an unmarried Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney are climbing the stairs to their room at an inn, they see in the café a middle aged couple sitting at a table, and Audrey asks of Albert ,“What kind of people sit across a table from each and don’t talk?” Albert’s reply: “Married people.”
Steel Magnolias – when Sally Field says at her daughter’s gravesite she’s so mad she just wants to hit something, or someone, so they’ll hurt like she does right now. and the wonderful Olympia Dukakis shoves Shirley MacLaine forward and tells Sally to “haul off and belt her.” Classic, in my mind.
These are a few, and they are as I recall them: Perhaps they are not verbatim, but the gist is there. It’s not a test, it’s just the further attestation of movie enjoyment.
Okay, one more, and remember it’s what we individually take away from a movie. This one more obscure since I can’t recall the name of the movie. Cary Grant in a restaurant with, I think, Katherine Hepburn. She has left in a tiff after dumping his meal on his lap, some else has thrown a drink in his face on their way out, and now the waiter shows up and says to Cary, Will there be anything else?,” at which Cary looks up at him with a serious face, and says “for instance?” ! Now in this case I can’t cite the movie’s name, but still I’m enjoying that scene in my mind, so I’ll now go to IMDB and look up Cary’s filmography, and I will know the name of the movie and his co-star before I go up the pub to talk a little treason with my friends, … oh, wait, that’s a different movie altogether…you know what I mean, you don’t necessarily have to be watching a movie to enjoy it!
Bill Dunphy enjoys photography, cooking, reading, and, of course, movies–of which he has about 350 in his library.
So, you’ve heard Bill’s picks, but what are your favorite movie quotes? Let us know in the comments!