24 Unforgettable Quotes in Movie History
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy the pleasure of a good movie, getting away from their own lives for a little while and becoming involved in the story of others. Today we’re going to talk about some of the most famous quotes in movie history.
“We’ll always have Paris”
…and the park bench, and the ice cream shop on the corner, and the streetlight that cuts the darkness of the night between one street and another. We associate places with memories that we don’t want to forget and that join us in an invisible way to who we are.
Part of the beauty of the memory of Paris is that we can always return to relive it within our minds.
“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”
There are ideals that have cost lives, heartbeats that have made it possible for us to have a better world today. Some of these stories are famous and we know them well, but others are anonymous and have been the grains of sand that form the beaches of things that are quite marvelous, like freedom.
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
The words “my dear” appear in this phrase, but that could just as easily have been replaced with another name. There are times when the things people say to us really don’t matter, especially when it’s just idle talk or gossip about someone else.
The phrase belongs to the movie Gone With the Wind, and it was said by the actor Clark Gable. They were his final words to Scarlett O’Hara (Vivian Leigh) near the end of the movie, when Scarlett asks Rhett: “Where will I go? What will I do?” when he abandons her. He responds with the famous phrase before he shuts the door.
“My mama always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”
This phrase by the mother of the great Forrest Gump is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and clearly expressed definitions of all time. In it we recognize a greatly ignored reality, that many of the decisions we make are made blindly. On the other hand, it speaks of life as a box of chocolates, a sweet gift!
“Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have fucked with? That’s me.”
In “Gran Torino,” Walt Kowalski speaks this phrase as he confronts three young men who customarily engage in intimidation. With this phrase he not only gets their attention, but he also lets them know that he won’t be intimidated, and that he’s on to their game.
“Sometimes, I see dead people.”
It’s not very common to see dead people, but it is more common to see things that don’t exist. Our senses are far from infallible and not only do they omit sensations, but on some occasions, they will invent them!
The sixth sense has been popularized as that sense that collects unknown information in an unknown manner, and that sense influences the decisions we make. We call it intuition.
“ET, phone, home.”
For many, it’s a science fiction story; for others, it’s the best story of friendship that’s ever been told on the big screen.
“May the Force be with you.”
Always, may the force be with our dear readers, because the Force will be what helps us to stay on our feet every day of or lives.
We’ve selected only a few movie lines for commentary, but we’re leaving you with the 16 phrases of great films recommended by the American Film Institute (AFI):
- “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” The Godfather
- “You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.” On the Waterfront
- “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.” Gone With the Wind
- “My precious . . . “ Lord of the Rings
- “Oh Captain, my Captain . . .” Dead Poets Society
- “Wax on, wax off.” Karate Kid
- “Houston, we have a problem.” Apollo 13
- “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” All About Eve
- “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” The Godfather
- “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Cool Hand Luke
- “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.” Lord of the Rings
- “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Love Story
- “The stuff that dreams are made of.” The Maltese Falcon
- “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” White Heat
- “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Network
- “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Casablanca
Now we’d like to hear from you: our dear readers. What are your favorite phrases from the movies?