AFI 100 Best Quotes From American Films (2 Viewers)

[Eric Peterson]

I think this would've been a much better countdown, if they called it "The 100 Most Quotable movies". Too many spaces were used up by repeat movies, and there were several movies that are only remembered for one quote. That or "The 100 Best Screenplays".

Overall, I was very disappointed by the low number of Billy Wilder entries, and the complete lack of quotes from The Coen Brothers, how can they not include "Dude, your phone's ringing!". "The Big Lebowski" has got to be the most quoted movie of the last 10 years, and wasn't represented at all. Another major missing person is Preston Sturges.

I find it odd, that they kept referring to the show as the night for writers, yet some of the most well known writers were not represented, and several of the quotes were admitted to be adlibs.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I have no problem with most of the list, but the clump at 92-98 doesn't even strike me as vaguely memorable--I've seen all but one of those movies and I don't remember any of those quotes. Weird.

 

[Haggai]

Yeah, that's right, like with the top two quotes in the list from Casablanca. "Here's looking at you, kid" is believed to have been ad-libbed by Bogart, and "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" didn't come from the writers, but from the producer, Hal Wallis, who wrote it after principal photography had finished (they brought Bogart back in to record the line).

 

[Eric Peterson]

I actually wasn't aware of those. I know there were a couple others, but the glaring one was from "Midnight Cowboy", where that whole scene was referred to as a "Lucky Accident".

 

[glen_esq]

Question (I didn't watch the broadcast):

Is The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes referring to the 1939 movie instead of 1929 listed on the AFI website?

I can't find a movie in imdb in 1929 titled The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

 

[Bryan Tuck]

There were definitely some great quotes there, but I was very surprised at a couple of omissions.

"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya..."

and

"No, I am your father."

That second one is even more iconic than "May the Force be with you," IMO.

I mean, really: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" over one of the greatest surprises in movie history?

 

[Chris Farmer]

How about in addition to no Princess Bride, "No I am your father," etc. there's also the omission of Tombstone?

"I'm your huckleberry."

"My hypocrisy goes only so far."

"Down by the river, walking on water."

"Father so and so and I were discussing the Church of Rome. My hypocrisy knows no bounds."

"I got two guns, one for each of you."

"It's Steven stinking Foster."
"This is a nocturne."
"A what"
"You know, Fredrick fucking Chopin?"

"Give doc the shotgun. They'll be less likely to get antsy with him on the street howitzer."

"Something around the eyes. Reminds me of...me. Yep, I hate him."

"It seems Mr. Ringo is an educated man. Now I really hate him.

Hugely quotable movie. They really should have had at least one from there.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I'm annoyed that there is nothing from Princess Bride, no "No, Luke, I am your father", and no "Cuckoo Clock" speech from Third Man.

But the thing that really annoys me? Look at the list of films that have multiple quotes:

* Casablanca - 6 quotes
* Gone With The Wind - 3 quotes
* The Wizard of Oz - 3 quotes
* Sunset Blvd - 2 quotes
* The Graduate - 2 quotes
* A Streetcar Named Desire - 2 quotes
* Jerry Maguire - 2 quotes

With all the great quotes that didn't make it, Jerry Maguire gets 2? I never understood what Show Me The Money was supposed to mean, even while I was watching the film, and I can't for the life of me remember why she said "You had me at Hello" - and I only saw the film last year. That's the worst part of the list for me - not the omissions, because they were inevitable, but the excessive inclusion of Jerry Maguire.

 

[Seth Paxton]

How about "Once Upon a Time in the West"
'Looks like we brought one horse too few.'
'No, you brought two horses too many.'

And I thought that Leone's Eastwood films were also in the AFI film's mix which would lead me to expect 'My mistake, four coffins" (if I have the number right) to possibly be in there.


But some that were mentioned that I definitely think were overlooked considering how often I hear them used.

Inconceivable
Lighten up Francis
Luke, I am your father.
Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.

And then there are many choices from both Blazing Saddles and Holy Grail, probably the two most quoted comedies ever along with Caddyshack.

I mean no "Excuse me while I whip this out" or "It's just a flesh wound"?!?

I'm not asking for all my favs, but no one can convince me that those 2 lines are used ad nauseum at this point.

I'd also thrown on the great Ghostbusters line "What are you supposed to be, some kind of cosmonaut?" and something from Pulp like Jackson's biblical reference or the "Royal with Cheese" lines.

 

[Chris Atkins]

That's one I hear ALL THE TIME. Don't know why they left it out.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I won't quibble with either quote in the least. This list should cover quotes that took on a life of their own and went beyond the movie, and that's the case for the two Maguire quips. They entered the public consciousness and have been used over and over in many settings. They definitely should have made the cut.

BTW, of all the "omissions" listed here, how many were eligible - ie, how many were on the list of 400 nominees?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

One problem I have with a lot of the quotes "nominated" by people here: I have no idea from what movies they come. You should be able to recognize a movie by its quote immediately if it makes this list, and there are a lot I've never heard - or don't recall, at least. If the average person doesn't know the quote, it shouldn't be on the list.

Overall, I think the AFI list is pretty decent. Yeah, some pet phrases didn't make it, but it's hard to argue with the vast majority of the top 100...

 

[Colin Jacobson]

But like "Play it again, Sam", that's not the line. As others have mentioned, it's "No, I am your father"...

 

[Ashley Seymour]

Kelleys Heroes
Crapgame: “Make him a deal.”
Big Joe “What kinda deal?”
Crapgame “A deal deal, maybe he’s a Republican.”


Ghostbusters
I’ve been slimed.

True Lies
Simon “I’m nothing, I’m naval lint!”


Starship Troopers
Join the Mobile Infantry. Service guarantees Citizenship

Die Hard
Hans Gruber “What you some kind of cowboy?”
John McClain “Actually I’m partial to Roy Rogers.”

 

[george kaplan]

Actually the line I like best from Star Wars is Solo's response to Leia's declaration that she loves him - "I know".