Posted on 06/22/2005 4:59:10 AM PDT by TrebleRebel
Frankly, my dear, even those who have never seen Gone with the Wind can still identify Rhett Butler's final words to Scarlett O'Hara.
The level of instantaneous recognition inspired by Clark Gable's final line to Vivien Leigh--"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn"--led the American Film Institute to deem it number one on its list of the top 100 movie quotes.
The listmakers extraordinaire over at the AFI revealed the latest compilation in their 100 Years series--100 Movie Quotes: America's Greatest Quips, Comebacks and Catchphrases--in a three-hour CBS television special Tuesday hosted by Pierce Brosnan.
The winning lines were selected by 1,500 jurors from a list of 400 nominees. Voting criteria included a nominated quote's cultural impact on the national lexicon and whether it was used to invoke the legacy of the film in which it appeared.
In close contention for the top spot on the list were two of Marlon Brando's most famous lines--"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse," from 1972's The Godfather and "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," from 1954's On the Waterfront--which finished second and third, respectively.
In fourth place was Judy Garland's naive proclamation to her loyal canine in 1939's The Wizard of Oz: "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
Humphrey Bogart's remark to Ingrid Bergman in 1942's Casablanca, "Here's looking at you, kid," was looking at fifth place on the list, but was one of six quotes overall chosen from the film. Others included Bogart's "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" (20th), "We'll always have Paris" (43rd), "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine" (67), and Bergman's "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By' " (28th).
Gone with the Wind also had multiple entries in the top 100. Leigh's "After all, tomorrow is another day" made the list at number 31, and her "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again" was number 59.
The earliest quote was Al Jolson's "Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain't heard nothin' yet," (71st) from 1927's The Jazz Singer. The most recent was Andy Serkis' "My precious," (85th) from 2002's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Numerous sci-fi films inspired list-making quotes, including Harrison Ford's "May the Force be with you" (8th) from 1977's Star Wars, Arnold Schwarzenegger's "I'll be back" (37) from The Terminator and a certain friendly alien's insistence that "E.T. phone home," (15th) from 1982's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
On the lighter side, John Belushi's exclamations of "Toga! Toga!" from 1978's Animal House made the list at number 82, while Cuba Gooding Jr.'s rallying cry of "Show me the money!" from 1996's Jerry Maguire placed 25th on the list.
Then there were the lines that inspired fear in the hearts of all but the most intrepid moviegoers, such as Jack Nicholson's "Here's Johnny!" (68th) from 1980's The Shining, and Haley Joel Osment's "I see dead people," from 1999's The Sixth Sense (44th).
Patrick Swayze's solemn declaration that "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," from 1987's Dirty Dancing squeaked onto the list at number 98 and Margaret Hamilton's witchy vow, "I''ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!" from The Wizard of Oz came in at number 99.
Rounding out the top 100 was Leonardo DiCaprio's passionate shout-out from 1997's Titanic: "I'm king of the world!" (And, please, let that be the last we hear of it.)
The complete list of 100 Movie Quotes: America's Greatest Quips, Comebacks and Catchphrases can be viewed at www.afi.com.
Here's a rundown of the top 25 most memorable movie quotes as determined by the AFI:
1. "Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn." Gone with the Wind, 1939
2. "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." The Godfather, 1972
3. "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, 1954
4. "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." The Wizard of Oz, 1939
5. "Here's looking at you, kid." Casablanca, 1942
6. "Go ahead, make my day." Sudden Impact, 1983
7. "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." Sunset Boulevard., 1950
8. "May the Force be with you." Star Wars, 1977
9. "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." All About Eve, 1950
10. "You talking to me?" Taxi Driver, 1976
11. "What we've got here is failure to communicate." Cool Hand Luke, 1967
12. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." Apocalypse Now, 1979
13. "Love means never having to say you're sorry." Love Story, 1970
14. "The stuff that dreams are made of." The Maltese Falcon, 1941
15. "E.T. phone home." E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, 1982
16. "They call me Mister Tibbs!" In the Heat of the Night, 1967
17. "Rosebud." Citizen Kane, 1941
18. "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" White Heat, 1949
19. "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" Network, 1976
20. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Casablanca, 1942
21. "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." The Silence of the Lambs, 1991
22. "Bond. James Bond." Dr. No, 1962
23. "There's no place like home." The Wizard of Oz, 1939
24. "I am big! It's the pictures that got small." Sunset Boulevard, 1950
25. "Show me the money!" Jerry Maguire, 1996
KITTY: I was reading a book the other day.
CARLOTTA: Reading a book?
KITTY: Yes. It's all about civilization or something, a nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy said that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?
CARLOTTA: Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about.
Rooster: I mean to kill you Ned or see you hanged at Judge Parker's convenience; which will it be?
Ned: Them's bold words for a one eyed fat man!
Rooster: Fill your hands you sons-of-bitches!
I didn't see anything from "The Outlaw Josey Wales," either.
Josey Wales: Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?
Jamie: I wish we had time to bury them fellas.
Josey Wales: To hell with them fellas. Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms.
Senator: Fletcher, there's an old saying: To the victors belong the spoils.
Fletcher: There's another old saying, Senator: Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
Bounty hunter #1: You're wanted, Wales.
Josey Wales: Reckon I'm right popular. You a bounty hunter?
Bounty hunter #1: A man's got to do something for a living these days.
Josey Wales: Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy.
Laura Lee: Kansas was all golden and smelled like sunshine.
Josey Wales: Yeah, well, I always heard there were three kinds of suns in Kansas, sunshine, sunflowers, and sons-of-bitches.
Carpetbagger: Your young friend could use some help.
[holds up a bottle of patent medicine]
Carpetbagger: This is it... one dollar a bottle. It works wonders on wounds.
Josey Wales: Works wonders on just about everything, eh?
Carpetbagger: It can do most anything.
Josey Wales: [spits tobacco juice on the carpetbagger's coat] How is it with stains?
OR from one of my all-time Top-Ten favorite movies, The Quiet Man:
Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: Ah, yes... I knew your people, Sean. Your grandfather; he died in Australia, in a penal colony. And your father, he was a good man too.
Fishwoman with basket at station: Sir!... Sir!... Here's a good stick, to beat the lovely lady.
Michaleen Flynn: [on seeing the broken bed] Impetuous! Homeric!
OR from a classic that ought to be on Spike in regular rotation with the Fletch films, Police Squad, the Naked Gun films, and the Airplane films--Johnny Dangerously:
Roman Moronie:
I would like to direct this to the distinguished members of the panel. You lousy cork-suckers. You have violated my fargin' rights. This suminonbatching country was founded so that the liberties of common patriotic citizens, like me, could not be taken away by a bunch of fargin' ice holes, like yourselves.
OR from Real Genius, which I remember watching for the first time and thinking, "I would give a small fortune to come up with lines like that off the cuff,":
Chris Knight: Have you ever seen a body like this before in your life?
David Decker: She happens to be my daughter.
Chris Knight: Oh. Then I guess you have.
Chris Knight: Do you mind if I name my first child after you? "Dipshit Knight" has a nice ring to it.
Dr. Dodd: Why is that toy on your head?
Chris Knight: Because if I wear it anyplace else, it chafes.
Chris Knight: Kent put his name on his license plate.
Mitch: My mother does that to my underwear.
Chris Knight: Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?
Chris Knight: This? This is ice. This is what happens to water when it gets too cold. This? This is Kent. This is what happens to people when they get too sexually frustrated.
Mitch: The weirdest thing just happened to me.
Chris Knight: Was it a dream where you were where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you?
Mitch: No...
Chris Knight: Why am I the only one who has that dream?
Chris Knight: If you think that by threatening me you can get me to do what you want...well, that's where you're right. But - and I am only saying this because I care - there's a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market that are just as tasty as the real thing.
Hathaway: I'm not kidding, Chris.
Chris Knight: Neither am I, Jerry, neither am I.
Chris Knight: So, if there's anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you, you just let me know.
Susan: Can you hammer a six-inch spike through a board with your penis?
Chris Knight: Not right now.
Susan: A girl's gotta have her standards.
Mitch: Did you know there's a guy living in our closet?
Chris Knight: You've seen him too?
Mitch: Who is he?
Chris Knight: Hollyfeld.
Mitch: Why does he keep going into our closet?
Chris Knight: Why do you keep going into our closet?
Mitch: To get my clothes - but that's not why he goes in there.
Chris Knight: Of course not, he's twice your size - your clothes would never fit him.
Mitch: Uh...
Chris Knight: Think before you ask these questions, Mitch.
Twenty [IQ] points higher than me and he thinks a big guy like that can wear his clothes?
Chris Knight: Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, when he said, "I drank what?"
Chris Knight: [to future employers] I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't want you guys to think I was stuffy. You know, no fun. All brain no penis.
Darlington Recruiter: You're Chris Knight, aren't you?
Chris Knight: I hope so. I'm wearing his underwear.
One of my favorites from the movie Ensign Pulver.....
"Captain, it is I, Ensign Pulver, and I just threw your stinkin' palm tree overboard! Now what's all this crud about no movie tonight?"
"We don't need no stinking badges" was on the list somewhere in the top 50 I believe. From the original Sierre Madre.
Yes - you are right ! It was Olive's father. Thanks!
"I'm not sure. Are we....black?"
"Yeeeessss we are."
"Then we are very confused."
"Leave the gun.....take the cannoli's"....how could they forget that?????
That quote was from Mister Roberts, one of my all time favorite movies.
"Nothing. But stay out of B-24's Pulver my boy."
ANY of these would have been better than "Toga! Toga!"
Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
Christ. Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the f'ing Peace Corps.
Doug Neidermeyer: How does it feel to be an independent, Schoenstein?
Boon: How does it feel to be an a$$hole, Neidermeyer?
They confiscated everything, even the stuff we didn't steal!
Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did. But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!
Katy: Is this really what you're gonna do for the rest of your life?
Boon: What do you mean?
Katy: I mean hanging around with a bunch of animals getting drunk every weekend.
Boon: No! After I graduate, I'm gonna get drunk every night.
Dean Vernon Wormer: Carmine, I don't think it's right that you should extort money from the college.
Mayor Carmine De Pasto: Look, these parades you throw are very expensive. You using my police, my sanitation people, and my Oldsmobiles free of charge. So, if you mention extortion again, I'll have your legs broken.
Marion Wormer: You can take your thumb out of my a$$ any time now, Carmine.
Guitar dork: I gave my love a cherry / That had no stone / I gave my love a chicken / That had no bones / I gave my love a story / That had no end / I gave my...
Bluto: [grabs the guitar and smashes it against the wall] Sorry.
Mind if we dance with your dates?
What do you mean "THEY cut the power"? How could they cut the power, man? They're animals!
We're on an express elevator to hell; going down!
We’re in the pipe, five by five…
I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
That's it man, game over man, game over!
Aliens - 1986
Yes, they also left off some great ones from "Young Frankenstein." Mel Brooks was a genius for inventing memorable one-liners......
"Put...the candle...BACK!"
"Pardon me while I whup this out"
;-)
Don't forget movies like Real Genius: "I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said 'I drank what?'"
Mister Roberts and Ensign Pulver are two of the most underrated movies of all time.
The funniest movie I have ever seen, from start to finish, was No Time For Sergeants. Andy griffith was brilliant in that role.
"Hey! Where are de white wimmen at?"
“One man is born a hero, his brother a coward. Babies starve, politicians grow fat. Holy men are martyred, and junkies grow legion. Why? Why, why, why, why, why? Luck! Blind, stupid, simple, doo-dah, clueless luck!” “Ah. Fortune smiles. Another day of wine and roses. Or, in your case, beer and pizza!” “Caffeine will KILL YA!” “Has anyone ever told you have a SERIOUS impulse control problem?” “You know, I simply love what you've done with this place. Heavy Metal with just a touch of House and Garden.” “You have broken into our hideout. You have violated the sanctity of our lair. For this we should crush your bones into POWDER. However, you do pose a very interesting proposition: therefore, heads, we accept, and tails, we blow your damned head off!” “You should have let me in on this. We could have planned it, prepared it, pre-sold the movie rights!” “Your entrance was good... his was better. The difference: showmanship.” |
You tell him I'm comin---AND HELL'S COMIN' WITH ME!
Texas Jack: Where's Wyatt?
Doc Holliday: Down by the creek, walking on water.
Ike Clanton: What is that, Holliday? Twelve hands in a row? Ain't nobody that lucky.
Doc Holliday: Why, Ike, whatever do you mean? Maybe poker's just not your game. I know! Let's have a spelling contest!
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