23 Best Movie Lines of All-Time - An Update with a Twist
In 2005 the American Film Institute (AFI) released a list of the 100 Best Movie Lines of All-Time. You can see the full list here: http://www.afi.com/100years/
In episode 4 of the Why Is That Podcast, I mentioned that the Gone With the Wind line, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn,” was ranked number 1 and in that episode I explained the origins of the phrase I don’t give a damn, see episode here:
As I worked on that episode I remembered all of my favorite movies and favorite movie quotes and I thought that since it has been 13 years since the AFI published that list it might be time for an update. Below I have gathered my personal 20 Best Movie Lines of All-Time. However, I did not just want to regurgitate the same old list you have seen a thousand times; so I made myself three rules so that this list would be an entirely original masterpiece. (Okay, masterpiece may be a bit of a hyperbole, but I believe it is a great list.)
Rule 1: The movie line cannot appear on the 2005 AFI 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes list.
Rule 2: The movie and the line must be an original movie. This means movies based on novels, comic books and Broadway performances are disqualified. (Sorry to the likes of Fight Club, V for Vendetta and Grease).
Rule 3: I have to have seen the movie. I consider myself a bit of a movie buff and I have seen a lot of movies in my day, but I have not seen all of them and I wanted to make sure if I was going to count a line as one of the best that I know the full context.
I also used the original selection criteria to select the lines. Here are the criteria as specified by the American Film Institute.
MOVIE QUOTE
A statement, phrase or brief exchange of dialogue spoken in an American film.* (Lyrics from songs are not eligible.)
A statement, phrase or brief exchange of dialogue spoken in an American film.* (Lyrics from songs are not eligible.)
CULTURAL IMPACT
Movie Quotes that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon.
Movie Quotes that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon.
LEGACY
Movie Quotes that viewers use to evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening its historical legacy.
Movie Quotes that viewers use to evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening its historical legacy.
These rules and criteria actually made it really difficult to select, but without further adieu, here are my 20 Best Movie Lines of All-Time. If you find any that I have missed be sure to comment below or tweet me @WhyIsThatPod
22. “Disturbing the peace? I got thrown out of a window! What’s the fuck!n’ charge for getting pushed out of a moving car, huh? Jaywalking?”
16. “Hitler… there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!”
15. “I, have made fire.”
14. “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
13. “Boards don’t hit back.”
12. “Get away from her, you b!tch!”
11. “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
10. “James, earn this… earn it.”
9. “To infinity and beyond.”
8. “Oh, Captain. My, Captain.”
7. “Great Scott!”
6. “I’ll… be… right… here.”
4. “Well, to tell you the truth, I lied a little.”
3. “The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.”
2. “You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
23. “I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, “Sorry, guys; I gotta see about a girl.”
Good Will Hunting, 1996.
22. “Disturbing the peace? I got thrown out of a window! What’s the fuck!n’ charge for getting pushed out of a moving car, huh? Jaywalking?”
Beverly hills Cop, 1984.
21. “You were in the window. You waved to me, ‘bye bye Rain Man, bye bye.’”
Rain Man, 1998.
20. “Ditto.”
Ghost, 1990.
19. “Don’tcha know that?”
Fargo, 1996.
18. “Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating.”
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004.
17. “Any fool with a dick can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children.”
Boyz n the Hood, 1991.
The Producers, 1967.
15. “I, have made fire.”
Cast Away, 2000.
14. “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
The Big Lebowski, 1998.
13. “Boards don’t hit back.”
Enter the Dragon, 1973.
12. “Get away from her, you b!tch!”
Aliens, 1986.
11. “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
Inception, 2010.
10. “James, earn this… earn it.”
Saving Private Ryan, 1998.
9. “To infinity and beyond.”
Toy Story, 1995.
8. “Oh, Captain. My, Captain.”
Dead Poets Society, 1989.
7. “Great Scott!”
Back to the Future, 1985.
6. “I’ll… be… right… here.”
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982.
5. “You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!”
Rocky, 1976.
4. “Well, to tell you the truth, I lied a little.”
Chinatown, 1974.
The Great Dictator, 1940.
2. “You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
The Matrix, 1999.
1. “With the blast shield down I can’t even see. How am I supposed to fight?
Star Wars, 1977.
That does it for my list. Let me know what you think. After compiling this list I have to say that rule 2 was the hardest rule to adhere to. Our whole movie industry really owes a debt to adaptations. If you haven't listened to episode 4 of the Why Is That Podcast yet I would encourage you to do so to learn the fascinating history behind the phrase below. Find the episode below and be sure to subscribe to the show with your favorite podcast app.
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