The culture that we share in common as Americans is filled with sports , religion, literature, art and yes even movies. Since the inception of talkies, American cinema has been a force to be reckoned with. Films today are seen on the big screen, on television, via DVD’s and now on multiple small screen electronic options. Films don’t just entertain us, they unite us as a people. We can all talk about common themes and enjoy the performances of commonly known actors and actresses. We can even predict and wait in anticipation for the sequels. Good movies leave behind not just great pictorial memories but also plant in the mind certain sentences that are both pivotal in a film but also often descriptive of some of life’s common occurrences. Most great old movies have some equally great old movie quotes.
1. Casablanca. In 1942 Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid teamed up in a now classic film called Casablanca. Drawn from the early experiences of World War II, Casablanca remains interesting both as a period piece and as a portrait of human emotions. The plot involves the magnificent love affair of characters played by Bogart and Bergman, that is destroyed by the onset of World War II and the German invasion of Paris. What Bogart doesn’t know but what he eventually learns is that Bergman is married to Henreid. The three end up at Rick’s place a bar and club owned by Bogart(Rick). As Bergman slowly details the circumstances which surround the three of them Bogart is first angry, then in love again and finally resolved to assist Bergman and Henreid escape from Casablanca. At the last moment it is the complicity of Claude Rains that allows for the couple to leave Casablanca together and for Bogart to remain in Casablanca a free man as well. In gratitude and unable to hide a little surprise and admiration for Rains , Bogart delivers: ” Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
The sentence demonstrates Bogart’s resolve to enjoy his life in Casablanca and his recognition that there are in fact people there who share his inner spirit. But the sentence also has come down to new generations of viewers as a statement of the fact that war makes strange bedfellows. Two men who might never have found friendship in their everyday pursuits are brought together by their anti-Nazi sentiments and their willingness to sacrifice to help others. This theme is one frequently seen in movies but perhaps never quite so simply put. For this reason it is one of the great old movie quotes that still rides high on the list of all time favorite movie quotes.
2. All About Eve. Nominated for a then record 14 Oscar Awards, All about Eve was produced in 1950 and proved a perfect vehicle for the unique talents of Bette Davis, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress . While the entire script is crowded with quick and witty remarks, the one that has lingered with Davis Fans and fans of good screenwriting is delivered midway through the film. Bette Davis heading off screen warns the remaining guests to “Fasten your seat belts , its going to be a bumpy night”.
The line continues to be used today in situations in which the speaker intimates that he or she has a premonition that things are about to take an unpleasant turn. Only Bette Davis delivers this line with its optimum effect but everyone enjoys giving it a whirl. That’s what makes it a great old movie quote that has life in it yet.
3. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Those who have enjoyed following the career of Elizabeth Taylor may have greater fondness for her performances in Butterfield 8 or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or even Suddenly Last Summer . Still when you go searching for great old movie lines heralded in the present , few would argue about the effectiveness of Elizabeth Taylors delivery of a classic one liner in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Entering the home she shares with Richard Burton as they play George and Martha , Elizabeth punches out the power packed line “What a dump!”
The line is short but descriptive and allows the actress, who just happened to win the best actress award for her part in Virgina Wolf, all the room in the world to intone and deliver the three words any way she wished. The result was a a quote that people enjoy today, for its brevity and the way it hits the nail on the head. There are just way too many instances when “what a dump” is the perfect line to insert. That’s what makes it a great old movie quote.
4. The Godfather Now old enough to be considered an “old movie”, The Godfather had the kind of quality writing that was guaranteed to yield some great old movie quotes. A full generation after the Godfather debuted in 1972, Americans still love to talk about “going to the mattresses ” or making clear that ” this is business, not personal”. But even among avid Godfather fans and the general public there is usually agreement that the line most frequently used remains “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’ t refuse.”
Used by both Vito and Michael Corleone in the movie, this line evokes a remembrance of all that is darkest about the film, the killings, the violence , the disregard for life. But the line also points to a dark humor that the movie displays. Here is a mafia kingpin speaking as if a friendly negotiation is about to take place. The line is frequently danced out and used today to describe situations in which one person literally forces another to do his bidding. The truth is however that today the line, like many Godfather lines, is often used in jest. Either way it is still one of the great old movie quotes.
Sharing a common culture means people can enjoy and understand references made to popular books, plays or movies . Your own familiarity with these great old movie quotes means you are an active participant in U. S. culture.
