Five Movies You Can Quote in Everyday Situations

Impersonations Welcomed

theBarefoot

"To the mirth mobile!"
First on the list is Wayne's World because this movie messed my brain up permanently. Just this week when I was asked to fork-over my copay at the doctor's office, I pulled some money out and said dramatically, "Do you accept...cash?"

If you don't have the TV remote and the person who does is too slow muting the commercial, just say, "Car!" When the show is back and they're not quick enough, just say "Game on!" I don't know how this family meme started in my house, but it's a direct result of the street hockey scene in Wayne's World.

I can't say "Excuse me, I beg your pardon?", I always end up saying, "Ex-squeeze me? Baking powder?" If I see something very tempting, "She will be mine. Oh, yes - she will be mine," is always mumbled. Damn your eyes, Mike Myers.

"I was born a poor black child."
Steve Martin's classic 1979 movie The Jerk lends itself to a plethora of situations. Any time you leave a room, you can reenact the scene where Navin leaves his stately home, insisting he needs nothing to survive, but slowly grabs items on the way out the door."I don't need anything except this ashtray, and this lamp, and this remote control, and this chair..." Just collect items at-hand as you leave. If you can do this with your pants around your ankles, go for it!

After seeing The Jerk, you can not get a new phone book without jumping up and down, shouting, "The new phone books are here!" You can not see a display of cans, especially oil cans, without saying, "He hates these cans. Stay away from the cans." And if you are ever asked for identification, you must reply, "Ah yes. I have my temporary driver's license - and - my astronaut application form." I carry a folded, worn piece of paper in my pocket for just such an occasion.

"Give the Governor a harrumph!"
If you are going to quote Blazing Saddles, you'll need to be careful, but there are still some great quotes to mine from Mel Brook's 1974 comedy. If you are asked what someone else just said, tell your inquisitor, "S/He said the new sheriff is near."

When you've just avoided a minor disaster, but a major disaster still looms, imitate Slim Pickens saying, "Dang, that was lucky. Doggone near lost a four hundred dollar handcar." If you are on the receiving end of a particularly nasty fart, "Can we have some more beans Mr Taggert?" is appropriate. A simple question like "What's your name?" can get a Blazing Saddles call-back when you answer "Well, my name is Jim, but most people call me... Jim."

Is someone at work telling you something ridiculous? Simply shout, "We've gotta protect our phony baloney jobs, gentlemen!" Harrumphing is encouraged. Because of Blazing Saddles, when anyone asks me, "Do you need any help?" I instinctively reply, "All I can get," and picture Gene Wilder hanging upside-down in a jail cell.

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"
Airplane! is full of cliches and, therefore, the perfect movie to quote for many cliche questions. When you're in a pointless argument, simply interject, "The white zone is for loading and unloading only." If you are asked, "What do you make of this?" always reply, "I can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl."

If you can get someone to say, "A hospital? What is it?" You've been set up for, "It's a big building with patients, but that's not important." Any closed-door meeting is the perfect opportunity to stick your head in and do a Leslie Nielsen dead-panned, "I just want to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you."

And of course, the classic, "Don't call me Shirley," is practically expected when someone says, "Surely, you can't be serious."

"Is that a bed or a parade ground?"
I was going to end with the 1952 classic, The Quiet Man, simply because it's my favorite movie, but I realized it's probably fairly obscure. It's got great lines like, "When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey. When I drink water, I drink water." and "If you say 'three,' mister, you'll never hear the man count ten.'" My favorite response to "Is that true?" is Father Lonergan's line, "Well, I can't say it's true, and I won't say it's not, but there's been talk."

Instead of The Duke's The Quite Man, I'd rather know what movie you love to quote. There's a comment section below. What's your favorite movie quote?

Behind the Writing

Published by theBarefoot

Please visit http://theBarefoot.wordpress.com/ for my newest articles. From there you can find my YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. I no longer publish with Yahoo.  View profile

45 Comments

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  • Bob Langham6/28/2011

    From The Big Lebowski, "You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me. I'll get you a toe by this afternoon--with nail polish."
    From Blazing Saddles, "Excuse me while I whip this out."

  • Clark Farley3/12/2011

    ...also liked (from Blazing Saddles), "work, work, work, work"

    Of course, there is always, "Well, allow me to retort"

    Great Post.

  • Kelley Nielsen10/6/2010

    Will Ferrel: "Did we just become best friends?" "Don't act like you're not impressed!" "60% of the time, it's effective 100% of the time." "Dear, sweet baby Jesus, all wrapped in swaddling, don't even know a word yet." Mel Brooks is a genius: "You use your tongue pertier 'n a twenty dollar whore!" "That's the combination to my luggage!" "Go to... Plaid speed!" "Cut them off at the pass!? I hate that cliche!"

  • theBarefoot10/6/2010

    @Bob: Sadda tay on the runny tie.

  • Rebecca Foster7/15/2010

    "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?" - 'Damn, we're in a tight spot!' and 'I don't want Fop, goddammit, I'm a Dapper Dan man.'
    "Sling Blade" - 'Doyle said to send an ambulance, or a hearse.'

  • Michelle Adams7/4/2010

    "CRAMPS" from "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka", "I's just a flesh wound." from Monty Python, and from "Forest Gump" "That's all I got to say about that.", "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.", and "Run, Forest, run!".

  • Ted Williams6/25/2010

    I have to go back to Airplane for- "Have you ever seen a grown man naked?"
    Monty Python for- "It's just a scratch." and "Okay, we'll call it a draw."
    Harlem Nights for- "Bitch, I'll shoot that nasty pinky-toe right off your nasty motherf'n foot.
    @Kay, Support your local Sheriff

  • Britt Baker6/7/2010

    Very clever! :)

  • Kelly Woodcox5/18/2010

    Haaaa! You are creative Duuuuuude.

  • Sandy James5/13/2010

    We quote from the movie 'Arthur' a lot; "You're a HHHHHOOOOOOOOKKER!" Great article.

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