The most memorable five words in movie history

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Filed under: Entertainment, Film, Men And Women, Movies, Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally

101 comments

It’s a close-run race with “Here’s lookin’ at you kid”, but “I’ll have what she’s having” is right up there as one of the best one-liners ever. Its creator, writer and film maker Nora Ephron, died today at 71.

The woman was a quotable quote machine, able to read relationships between men and women with wit and honesty. How she never won an Oscar is a mystery.

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- iansand says:
  
  12:00pm | 27/06/12
  
  And the very place at which it was said http://flic.kr/p/9HjB7E
  
  Katz’s Deli on East Houston
  
  Reply
hazym says:

04:47pm | 27/06/12

As I recall (and Wikipedia confirms) the line came from Billy Crystal.
Rose says:

08:15pm | 27/06/12

Didn’t the line come from a fellow diner and not Crystal or Ryan?
Rose says:

09:24pm | 27/06/12

Checked the clip, it wasn’t Crystal, it was a lady at the next table
hazym says:

02:49pm | 28/06/12

Yes the women on the next table said the line BUT it was written by Crystal
- Dave Charlesworth says:
  
  12:22pm | 27/06/12
  
  One of fav’s would have to be:
  
  ...“I’m Brian and so is my wife”
  
  7 words I know but a classic.
  
  Reply
- Kassandra says:
  
  12:31pm | 27/06/12
  
  Cue the list of everyone’s favourite movie quotes. Being a sci-fi fan from way back, my personal favourite is “Gort! Klaatu barada nikto.” Don’t think that got any Oscars either.
  
  Reply
Borderer says:

02:00pm | 27/06/12

“Good, bad, I’m the one with the gun….”
Fiddler says:

05:28pm | 27/06/12

We’ll take off and nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure
- darren says:
  
  12:46pm | 27/06/12
  
  ‘go ahead, make my day’
  
  Reply
- HappyG says:
  
  12:50pm | 27/06/12
  
  What about ” Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn ” That has to be the best, most memorable movie line ever.
  
  Reply
Emma says:

01:14pm | 27/06/12

I like “F*** Glee.”
- Zeta says:
  
  12:50pm | 27/06/12
  
  A brilliant writer whose screenplays signed cheques her directing ability was never able to cash. I think she’ll be remembered as the only person able to write a personality for Billy Crystal. If he had any dignity, he would have adopted it for his own years ago.
  
  Sadly, Ephron’s career nose dived with ill conceived late 90s Meg Ryan / Tom Hanks romantiflop You’ve Got Mail, which is almost unwatchable for modern audiences, who spend the whole film wondering what AOL was.
  
  And then there was the cinematic abortion of Bewitched, the only film to make Will Ferrel completely unlikeable, and Nicole Kidman turning in a performance indistinguishable from the android she played in The Stepford Wives.
  
  My pick of Ephron’s career would be Michael, which absolutely has it all. A manic, overweight John Travolta following up his return to the A list after Pulp Fiction as an actual archangel, a snarky Andie MacDowell and a cute dog put to a soundtrack by Randy mother-f***ing Newman at his narrative best. There’s a fine line between a movie being a hot mess and a burning turd on your front door step and Michael walks it so carefully it’s remarkable.
  
  Although we’re all sad about Nora Ephron’s passing, I for one am glad that failing the return of Rob Reiner, we might never again have to watch those awkward autists Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks share a film together ever again. Seriously, I’ve never seen too humans more devoid of romance mimic those emotions so perfectly while secretly plotting to sell us all out to their reptillian alien masters.
  
  Reply
Harry says:

01:41pm | 27/06/12

Was there any point to this comment apart from taking the opportunity to be negative & nasty (at great length)?
Economist says:

02:02pm | 27/06/12

As always, brilliantly informative.
Condor says:

02:20pm | 27/06/12

Will ferrel has been likeable?

Maybe passably tolerable on occasion but likeable is a big stretch.

The man is a Chevy Chase wannabe without the talent of Bill Murray nearby him to play off.
Rose says:

04:23pm | 27/06/12

.....in your humble opinion!!
Chonko says:

04:46pm | 27/06/12

@Zeta - hope you don’t overcook your vegetables like you do your comments.
Anne71 says:

05:04pm | 28/06/12

I can only assume that some people are so bitter and disillusioned with their own lives that they take great pleasure in tearing another’s to shreds, in a desperate attempt to make their own look better by comparison. Very sad.
- Dash says:
  
  12:52pm | 27/06/12
  
  “And this one time, at band camp, I stuck a flute in my p_ _ _ y”.
  
  Reply
- Emma says:
  
  12:54pm | 27/06/12
  
  I dont know either of those “famous one liners”. And I have actually never watched “when Harry met Sally”.
  
  Reply
- Shane From Melbourne says:
  
  12:55pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Luke, I’m your father…” (as if anyone didn’t see that coming)
  
  Reply
- PW says:
  
  01:00pm | 27/06/12
  
  1. You can’t fight in here. This is the War Room.
  
  2. You tiny brained wiper of other people’s bottoms.
  
  Reply
- Rowdy says:
  
  01:05pm | 27/06/12
  
  “You’re gonna need a bigger boat….”
  
  Reply
- ibast says:
  
  01:07pm | 27/06/12
  
  This is Sparta
  
  Reply
- Macca says:
  
  01:08pm | 27/06/12
  
  “No, I am your father”. Possibly the most consistently incorrect quoteable quote in movie history.
  
  Reply
ibast says:

01:34pm | 27/06/12

“You played it for her, you can play it for me,”
Macca says:

02:50pm | 27/06/12

Well Done, ibast
Pedro says:

03:33pm | 27/06/12

Hasta la vista baby ...
Nora Ephron directed some of the worst movies of all time. Chicks might dig them but there was nothing for a straight man in them. She should have stayed in the writers’ room.
Anyway, so long Nora. Women who thought their life would be some romantic fairytale will miss you. Pragmatists won’t.
neil says:

03:56pm | 27/06/12

Houston, we have a problem

John Swigert actually said

Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here
Rose says:

05:32pm | 27/06/12

Pedro, any straight man with half a brain would know that the benefit of watching a rom-com with their partner come AFTER the movie…..sheesh, you just have to spell things out for some people!!
- Josh says:
  
  01:12pm | 27/06/12
  
  I’ll be back
  
  Reply
- Rowdy says:
  
  01:12pm | 27/06/12
  
  “You’re gonna need a bigger boat…...”
  
  Reply
- shabangabang says:
  
  01:15pm | 27/06/12
  
  Houston, we have a problem. Prefer those five words.
  
  Reply
- Reggieman says:
  
  01:28pm | 27/06/12
  
  “He’s not the messiah. He’s a very naughty boy”
  
  Reply
Macca says:

02:53pm | 27/06/12

“it’s just a flesh wound”

ahhahah, so many from Monty Python!
Elizabeth1 says:

12:56am | 28/06/12

The Mesiah…..your all individuals
The crowd…..yes we’re all individuals
The lone bloke up the back…..I’m not
Monty Fan says:

02:07pm | 28/06/12

What is the air speed velocity of a swallow? African or European - AUUUUGGGHHHH
- iansand says:
  
  01:53pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Round up the usual suspects” said with such ennui.
  
  Reply
- Max Power says:
  
  01:55pm | 27/06/12
  
  Not five, but
  
  Charlie don’t surf.
  
  Reply
- TheRealDave says:
  
  02:06pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Jeez I could go a passiona”
  
  Reply
Kevin Milo says:

03:51pm | 27/06/12

“Gray, Green, Brown, Oakover.”
TheRealDave says:

07:51pm | 27/06/12

Ahh someone got it, warms my cockles. Greatest Australian movie ever made.
- Borderer says:
  
  02:07pm | 27/06/12
  
  Drinking some wine, eating some cheese, catching some rays….
  
  Possibly Donald Sutherland’s greatest performance.
  
  Reply
jhamiltonwa says:

02:31pm | 27/06/12

“Always with the negative waves, Moriarty”
TheRealDave says:

02:32pm | 27/06/12

Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves
jhamiltonwa says:

03:47pm | 27/06/12

“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? ”
- simonfromLakemba says:
  
  02:07pm | 27/06/12
  
  Since everyone else is doing it ill chuck a few in
  
  Dutch n Dillion: Predator.
  
  What’s the matter? The CIA got you pushing too many pencils? Huh? Had enough?
  Dillon: Make it easy on yourself, Dutch.
  Dillon: OK, OK, OK!
  
  Double Impact - Van damme
  
  ” For example, because of my big legs and karate I can do the splits no problem”
  
  Bad Boys II - Marcus, Mike N Reggie
  
  Marcus Burnett: You a virgin?
  Reggie: Yes, sir.
  Marcus Burnett: Good. Keep it that way. Ain’t gonna be no fucking tonight.
  Mike Lowery: You ever made love to a man?
  Reggie: No.
  Mike Lowery: You want to
  
  Reply
Scotchfinger says:

02:30pm | 27/06/12

Predator creature: ‘ssccccccccreeeeeeeeeeeaaaaat! Aaaaaaaaargggghhhhhhhhh!. Slash, slice, cut, shear, stomp.’
- Condor says:
  
  02:15pm | 27/06/12
  
  If it bleeds then we can kill it
  
  Reply
Tim says:

02:35pm | 27/06/12

Get to the Choopppeeerrr!!!
simonfromLakemba says:

03:50pm | 27/06/12

cant beat Arnie!
- Hulk Hogan says:
  
  02:33pm | 27/06/12
  
  I don’t got time to bleed - Jesse Ventura - Predator
  
  Reply
Condor says:

04:17pm | 27/06/12

Got time to duck?
- Scotchfinger says:
  
  02:35pm | 27/06/12
  
  ‘Mr Heriott, oh Mr Herriot! Dear little Tricki is suffering, please help him!’
  
  Mrs Pumphrey, All Creatures Great and Small.
  
  Reply
- SimpleSimon says:
  
  02:35pm | 27/06/12
  
  For 5 word quotes, it’s hard to look past: “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”
  
  Reply
Economist says:

02:49pm | 27/06/12

Yp God love Aaron Sorkin.
Sideshow Bob says:

10:35pm | 27/06/12

‘No truth handler you, I decry your truth handling ability’... Ok The Simpsons had to get in somewhere while we’re doing entertainment quotes!
- jhamiltonwa says:
  
  02:35pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Caught my first tube today,...sir”
  
  Reply
- Rowdy says:
  
  02:36pm | 27/06/12
  
  Not from a movie, but from the old TV series “Leave it to Beaver”......
  
  “Ward, I think you were a little hard on the Beaver last night.”
  
  Reply
- Mahhrat says:
  
  02:38pm | 27/06/12
  
  We are the knights who say, “NI!!”
  
  Reply
- Johnny says:
  
  03:01pm | 27/06/12
  
  Mildred: Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?
  Johnny: Whadda you got?
  
  Reply
- Shane From Melbourne says:
  
  03:04pm | 27/06/12
  
  “There can only be one.”
  
  Reply
- Narrator - Fight Club says:
  
  03:07pm | 27/06/12
  
  My 5? Because we’re the same person.
  
  Reply
Narrator - Fight Club says:

05:03pm | 27/06/12

We are God’s unwanted children?
Narrator - Fight Club says:

05:04pm | 27/06/12

Fu*k damnation, man! Fu*k redemption
- andrew says:
  
  03:18pm | 27/06/12
  
  “baby you make me wish i had three hands” from total recall
  
  Reply
- Rose says:
  
  03:20pm | 27/06/12
  
  “That’s going straight to the pool room”.....
  
  Reply
Rose says:

04:26pm | 27/06/12

Also from “The Castle” “tell him he’s dreaming”
or
Cool Hand Luke “What we have here is a failure to communicate”
- L A BORE says:
  
  03:20pm | 27/06/12
  
  species 2
  ” make me pregnant”
  
  Reply
- Getouttahere says:
  
  03:32pm | 27/06/12
  
  What do you mean I’m funny?
  what do you mean, you mean the way I talk? What?
  Funny how? What’s funny about it?
  Oh, oh, Anthony. He’s a big boy, he knows what he said. What did ya say? Funny how?
  What?
  You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it’s me, I’m a little ****ed up maybe, but I’m funny how, I mean funny like I’m a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I’m here to ****in’ amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
  No, no, I don’t know, you said it. How do I know? You said I’m funny. How the **** am I funny, what the **** is so funny about me? Tell me, tell me what’s funny!
  Ya mother****er! I almost had him, I almost had him. Ya stuttering prick ya. Frankie, was he shaking? I wonder about you sometimes, Henry. You may fold under questioning.
  Goodfellas - 1990
  
  Reply
Scotchfinger says:

03:59pm | 27/06/12

I have a man-crush on you!
Getouttahere says:

04:31pm | 27/06/12

Now that’s funny!
LJ Dots says:

06:18pm | 27/06/12

Memorable scene. It scared the hell outta me, and I was just watching.
- Greg says:
  
  03:50pm | 27/06/12
  
  Mine’s the one that says bad motherf****r
  
  Pulp fiction classic
  
  Also never seen when Harry met Sally or any movie by someone I hadn’t heard of until today
  
  Reply
- Tbird says:
  
  03:55pm | 27/06/12
  
  Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a… in a Turkish prison?
  
  Jack Kirkpatrick: Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let ‘em crash.
  
  Ahhh and I could go on…..Flying High what a classic!
  
  Reply
- Interloper says:
  
  04:24pm | 27/06/12
  
  Actually, I think I’m right in saying that the line (said by Rob Reiner’s mother) was suggested during shooting by Billy Crystal. Sorry, Norah Ephron’s memory.
  
  Reply
- Pikelette says:
  
  05:14pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Infamy Infamy they’ve all got it infamy” Kenneth Williams in Carry on Cleo
  “You don’t get many of those to the pound” Frankie Howard Up Pompei the movie
  “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb” Batman in the original Batman movie
  Any line spoken by Lee Majors in “The Norseman” best film ever made
  
  Reply
- Luke says:
  
  05:29pm | 27/06/12
  
  What we have here….is a failure….to communicate!
  
  Reply
The Gimp says:

06:17pm | 27/06/12

His name is Keiser Soze.
- stephen says:
  
  06:09pm | 27/06/12
  
  ‘You know that John Denver, he’s just full of shit’... after the duo on Dumb and Dumber take a wrong turn, expecting to go to the Rocky Mountains but end up in the desert.
  
  Reply
It's good night from him says:

07:05pm | 27/06/12

Loved that comment. It’s a stupid silly movie, but has some classic LOL moments.
- Dave C says:
  
  06:12pm | 27/06/12
  
  From Pulp Fiction…...
  Jules: Mmmm! Goddamn, Jimmie! This is some serious gourmet shit! Usually, me and Vince would be happy with some freeze-dried Taster’s Choice right, but he springs this serious GOURMET shit on us! What flavor is this?
  Jimmie: Knock it off, Julie.
  Jules: [pause] What?
  Jimmie: I don’t need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I’m the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what’s on my mind right now? It AIN’T the coffee in my kitchen, it’s the dead nigger in my garage.
  Jules: Oh, Jimmie, don’t even worry about that…
  Jimmie: [interupting] No, No, No, No, let me ask you a question. When you came pulling in here, did you notice a sign out in front of my house that said “Dead Nigger Storage”?
  Jules: Jimmie, you know I ain’t seen no…
  Jimmie: [cutting him off again; getting angry] Did you notice a sign out in front of my house that said “Dead Nigger Storage”?
  Jules: [pause] No. I didn’t.
  Jimmie: You know WHY you didn’t see that sign?
  Jules: Why?
  Jimmie: ‘Cause it ain’t there, ‘cause storing dead niggers ain’t my fucking business, that’s why!
  
  Reply
- Capt. Benjamin Willard says:
  
  07:00pm | 27/06/12
  
  Everyone gets everything he wants.
  
  Reply
- Gordon says:
  
  08:50pm | 27/06/12
  
  “Grunt, grunt grunt grunt. Grunt!”
  - Sylvester Stallone
  
  Reply
- Gordon says:
  
  08:54pm | 27/06/12
  
  Leave the F%cking cat behind!
  - the audience in Alien
  
  Reply
- Gordon says:
  
  08:55pm | 27/06/12
  
  “I want my money back”
  - audience in Prometheus
  
  Reply
- 5 little words says:
  
  09:12pm | 27/06/12
  
  Fill your hands, you sonofabitch!
  - John Wayne in true Grit
  
  “How much for the little girl?”
  - Jake Blues
  
  and last of all…
  
  “A derngo toiwk mah baby”
  -Meryl as Lindy
  
  Reply
- Benjamin L. Willard says:
  
  10:35pm | 27/06/12
  
  Never get off the boat
  
  Reply
- Dingo says:
  
  10:38pm | 27/06/12
  
  The ultimate revenge line from Spartacus (the TV series). “There is but one path, we kill them all!!!
  
  Reply
- Dingo 2 says:
  
  10:42pm | 27/06/12
  
  Can’t go past Clint for a movie one, from Unforgiven.
  
  Little Bill: You’re William Munny, killed women and children.
  
  Clint; “That’s right, I killed women and children. I killed just about everything that ever walked or crawled at one time or another, and I’m here to kill you Little Bill!”
  
  Reply
- HoraceMcForest says:
  
  11:38pm | 27/06/12
  
  It was out of hand. It was a metaphysical, precision collision…
  
  Reply
- Steve Putnam says:
  
  11:49pm | 27/06/12
  
  From “Bridge on the River Kwai”:
  Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) after finding two weeks in the cooler haven’t changed Colonel Nicholson’s (Alec Guiness) resolve about officers working on the bridge tries a softer approach and gives him shortbreads and pours him a Scotch whisky. He berates the British about their lack of shame although they have been defeated and then tries to reason with Nicholson:
  Col Saito: “You do not understand Colonel Nicholson, if bridge is not completed on time I will have to kill myself. What would you do in my position?”
  Col Nicholson: “I suppose I’d have to kill myself….(downs the Scotch)... ...cheers”.
  
  Reply
- Nicki says:
  
  01:00am | 28/06/12
  
  “Show me the money!”
  
  Reply
- Really? says:
  
  02:31am | 28/06/12
  
  E.T. Phone Home x
  
  Reply
- Michael says:
  
  07:32am | 28/06/12
  
  “There can be only one” Highlander.
  
  Reply
- jimbo says:
  
  08:46am | 28/06/12
  
  Here’s Johneeee!
  
  Reply
- steve says:
  
  02:39pm | 28/06/12
  
  Five words - “Are you talkin’ to me?” Taxi Driver. All time classic scene, copied in about 100 other films and TV shows.
  
  Reply
- John says:
  
  03:56pm | 28/06/12
  
  Both kinds of music…Country AND Western
  
  Reply
- Alfie says:
  
  03:58pm | 28/06/12
  
  “This is going straight to the poolroom”
  
  Reply
- Jezebel says:
  
  09:23pm | 28/06/12
  
  Show me the money….
  Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. talking about money in the film ‘Jerry Maguire’
  
  Reply

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The most memorable five words in movie history

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101 comments

iansand says:

hazym says:

Rose says:

Rose says:

hazym says:

Dave Charlesworth says:

Kassandra says:

Borderer says:

Fiddler says:

darren says:

HappyG says:

Emma says:

Zeta says:

Harry says:

Economist says:

Condor says:

Rose says:

Chonko says:

Anne71 says:

Dash says:

Emma says:

Shane From Melbourne says:

PW says:

Rowdy says:

ibast says:

Macca says:

ibast says:

Macca says:

Pedro says:

neil says:

Rose says:

Josh says:

Rowdy says:

shabangabang says:

Reggieman says:

Macca says:

Elizabeth1 says:

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iansand says:

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TheRealDave says:

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TheRealDave says:

Borderer says:

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TheRealDave says:

jhamiltonwa says:

simonfromLakemba says:

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Tim says:

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Narrator - Fight Club says:

Narrator - Fight Club says:

Narrator - Fight Club says:

andrew says:

Rose says:

Rose says:

L A BORE says:

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Getouttahere says:

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