Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes

Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes
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Everyone loves quoting a movie, whether it’s to friends, colleagues or via memes in a social media post. It may surprise you, however, to learn that a number of famous movie lines are actually incorrect, at least in the way they are commonly used. Whether it’s a small change, a different phrasing or a completely made-up line that’s been attributed to a character, here are some of the worst offenders…

By Victoria Luxford

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Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Well that escalated quickly.” (Anchorman, 2004) – Actual Line: “Boy, that escalated quickly.” This line from Will Ferrell’s most-quoted character of all time became a popular meme on Twitter, commonly used when a conversation gets out of hand. You might think that one word isn’t the biggest deal, but it changes the line from an understated quip to an exclamation, as it was in the film.

1/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Play it again, Sam.” (Casablanca, 1942) – Actual Line: “You played it for her, you can play it for me… If she can stand it, I can! Play it!” One of the most famous quotes from the Golden Age of Hollywood was never actually said. People often attribute it to Humphrey Bogart, who instead gave the above angry rebuke to piano player Sam. The other closest line was “Play it, Sam,” but it was uttered by Bogart’s co-star, Ingrid Bergman.

2/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.” (The Godfather, 1972) – Actual Line: “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Another classic line that wasn’t quite said the way we quote it. There are variations of this line throughout The Godfather trilogy, most commonly delivered by Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone (“My father made him an offer he couldn’t refuse”), but never in the direct, rather threatening way it is used by fans.

3/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“If you build It, they will come.” (Field Of Dreams, 1990) – Actual Line: “If you build it, he will come.” Another small but important change – when Ray (Kevin Costner) hears the voice in his field, it doesn’t promise ‘they’ (the baseball team) will come, but ‘he’. As fans of the film will know, that ‘he’ turns out to be Ray’s late father, in an emotional meeting that closes out the movie. A small change, but a significant one.

4/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Beam me up, Scotty.” (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 1986) – Actual Line: “Scotty, beam me up.” You’d think in three seasons and seven movies, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) might have said the line most attributed to him. However, the closest he gets is in the fourth film, where the Enterprise crew travel back to 1980s San Francisco. Variations of the line were said in the series (“Beam me up,” “Beam us up”), but never the exact phrase that became interlinked with the franchise for a generation.

5/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“We’re going to need a bigger boat.” (Jaws, 1975) – Actual Line: “You’re going to need a bigger boat.” The infamous line is slightly different at the beginning, but emphasises the sense of mistrust the men have – Roy Scheider’s Brody does not see himself as the hero of his story, instead deferring to shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) when first faced with the horrifying creature. Interestingly, the line wasn’t even in the script! It was an on-set joke used by the crew referring to the rough filming conditions, and the actor appropriated it for what would become one of the greatest scenes in cinema.

6/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” (Dirty Dancing, 1989) – Actual Line: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” Given that the 30-year-old film is regularly re-released in cinemas, its signature line is not quite what is quoted by audiences. Lovers of the movie may also be surprised to know that the man who said it, the late Patrick Swayze, hated the line. “It sounded so corny,” he wrote in his autobiography, titled The Time of My Life.

7/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937) – Actual Line: “Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” Now here’s one that’s decidedly different from what was actually said in the movie. Most people remember that as the line from the Disney film – arguably the most popular adaptation of the beloved fairy tale – with many thinking this is an example of The Mandela Effect (where many people share a false memory of something that never happened). In reality, it’s likely they are remembering the original Brothers Grimm story, which does feature the line. Disney further confused the situation by putting “Mirror, Mirror” in various book versions of the film over the years!

8/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Greed is good.” (Wall Street, 1987) – Actual Line: “The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” The reason for this misquote may be clear – it’s snappier. Many quotes get truncated as time goes by, particularly in the years before YouTube and internet searches. Douglas did say the exact line in the less celebrated sequel, 2009’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

9/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Do ya feel lucky, punk?” (Dirty Harry, 1971) – Actual Line: “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” Another case of a line being shortened for convenience. This comes from a long speech that Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) says twice in the film. Interestingly, Eastwood was far from the first choice – a number of Hollywood legends such as John Wayne and Burt Lancaster turned it down, and for a while Frank Sinatra was cast to play the role.

10/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Run, you fools!” (The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, 2001) – Actual Line: “Fly, you fools!” A common misquote from the heartbreaking scene where Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) falls to his apparent doom. It’s likely modern audiences remember it this way because, while the sentences mean the same thing, ‘run’ is a more modern verb than ‘fly’. McKellen’s breathless delivery no doubt added to the confusion!

11/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“This one goes to eleven.” (This Is Spinal Tap, 1984) – Actual Line: “These go to eleven.” The signature quote of any rock aficionado is slightly off the mark, given that Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) was referring to all his amps – not just one. Does it matter? Well, let’s just say it matters as much as putting eleven on your amp volume!

12/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore…” (The Wizard of Oz, 1939) – Actual Line: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore….” It’s inevitable that speech evolves, particularly in the 80 years since The Wizard of Oz was first released. It’s likely that the line was modernised in the memories of those quoting it, but it still conveys the same message of wonder and excitement as when Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) originally delivered it.

13/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“What if I told you…” (The Matrix, 1999) – Actual Line: Doesn’t exist! Morpheus achieved a new lease on life as an internet sensation with the “What if I told you…” meme, where the poster adds to that line a minor, usually obvious and sarcastic revelation – for example, “What if I told you… you could eat at a restaurant without posting it on Instagram?” But what if we told you… Morpheus never said that line! While it does seem in keeping with the character’s all-knowing persona, the meme itself is not a direct quote from the film.

14/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” (A Few Good Men, 1993) – Actual Lines: “You want answers?” “I want the truth!” “You can’t handle the truth!” A hugely quotable moment from Jack Nicholson actually included a lively line from Tom Cruise. It has been rephrased in the public mindset, likely because it’s very hard to convince someone to reenact the scene with you!

15/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“I want to suck your blood.” (Dracula, 1931) – Actual Line: Never said! This quote is most commonly associated with Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, delivered in the same Hungarian accent that became a trope of the character. While the line has been used in parodies, it’s unclear where the association came from, as he never said anything close to that in his performances. It’s likely the line came as a result of people simply wanting to do the impression!

16/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“I’m king of the world!” (Titanic, 1997) – Actual Line: “I’m the king of the world!” Anyone who has ever been at the front of a large ship has tried either saying this line or putting their arms out like Leo and Kate in the infamous romantic drama. However, many will be misquoting the film, as Leonardo DiCaprio added a grammatically correct ‘the’ in the line, which was echoed by director James Cameron when he won Best Director for the film at the 1998 Oscars.

17/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Well yes, but actually no.” (The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! 2012) – Actual Line: “Good guess, but actually no.” Another internet meme that misquotes a movie character, this time a short film that accompanied the British animated hit starring Hugh Grant. The meme accompanies anyone correcting an inaccurate assumption. In the short, The Pirate Captain (Grant) corrects The Pirate King (Brian Blessed), who incorrectly guesses that the secret to his lustrous beard is shouting.

18/19
Culture
Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes .
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“Luke, I am your father.” (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980) – Actual Line: “No, I am your father!” The biggest twist in science fiction is a favourite among quote fans, and a line that has been shortened so that the revelation can be delivered without the conversation that came before it. If you feel foolish for remembering it the wrong way, you’re in good company – the man who said it, actor James Earl Jones, has often used “Luke, I am your father” when recalling the role in interviews.

19/19
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Say What?: The Top 20 Classic Movie Misquotes

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