By Savannah McDade Posted April 20, 2011
The best movie quotes of all time: Some are referenced often, some have been forgotten, some are cheesy, and some may even be considered philosophical. However, they are all epic.
The following list is not a comprehensive one, as there are many great movie lines. Furthermore, as any movie trivia geek (such as myself) would agree, every great action movie has great dialogue. From Sean Connery’s very unforgettable line, “…Bond… James Bond” Dr. No (1962), to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s somewhat cheesy (yet epic) phrase, “Hasta la vista, baby” “Terminator 2 Judgment Day” (1991), action movies always seem to produce the most prominent scripts.
One particular talent is well-known for numerous reasons; he is associated with being a successful movie director, he is known for his ever-popular Spaghetti Westerns, for his good looks, his acting abilities, and above all, his movie dialogue. How many times have you heard the reference, “Go ahead, make my day”? That line was uttered out the lips of none other than Clint Eastwood in the 1983 flick, “Sudden Impact”. Another familiar Eastwood line is attributed to 1971’s “Dirty Harry”, “I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. […] you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”
I do give credit where credit is due, and although Eastwood, without a doubt, plays the cowboy role well, nobody can hold a candle to John Wayne. With lines such as, “Big mouth don’t make a big man.”
“The Cowboys” (1972), and my personal favorite, “I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted. I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” “The Shootist” (1976), how can he not be considered a revolutionary?
Not all famous quotes originate from light-hearted films, Jack Nicholson proves this to be true in the 1980 horror movie “The Shining” when he voices the chilling phrase, “Here’s Johnny!” Of course, Nicholson’s infamous arched brows and toothy grin contribute to the intensity of the memorable line.
Concerning influential works, the movie that paved the way for parody was the 1980 classic, “Airplane”. The entire script is comical; however, the shrewd line that stands out to many is,
“Ted Striker: Surely you can’t be serious.
Rumack: I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley.”
Thank you for reading and “May the Force be with you,”
(Harrison Ford) “Star Wars” (1977).
