The Greatest Opening Lines In Film

Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film
Intro
Nothing makes a first impression like a movie. A film’s opening moments are full of promise for the adventure to come, establishing the type of characters we are about to meet, the setting where the action will take place, or simply grabbing your attention from the first frame. Here are our favourite first lines ever spoken. (For clarity, we’ve excluded songs and text introductions – sorry, Star Wars – and it goes without saying, there are spoilers ahead!)

By Victoria Luxford

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Jazz Singer
THE JAZZ SINGER – 1927: “Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” We begin with the first line ever spoken on film, during Al Jolson’s infamous musical drama. His cry was to be prophetic, filled with the promise of what was to come in this exciting new chapter in cinema history.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Romeo & Juliet
ROMEO + JULIET – 1996: “Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” Shakespeare’s legendary prologue delivered in a new style, delivered by a news anchor. A stylish update on history’s most foreboding opening line.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Love, Actually
LOVE ACTUALLY – 2003: “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.” The beginning of Hugh Grant’s speech about the enduring power of love is as sweet as it is hopeful, setting the tone for the unashamedly romantic movie ahead and tugging at your heartstrings from the first line.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
prestige
THE PRESTIGE – 2006: “Are you watching closely?” Christian Bale murmurs these lines ominously in Christopher Nolan’s Victorian mind-bender. Of course, it’s a reference to the world of magicians we are about to enter, but it’s also a warning to the audience – within the story, just like magic, not everything is as it seems.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Gangs Of NY
GANGS OF NEW YORK – 2002: “No, son. Never. The blood stays on the blade. One day you’ll understand.” A tough but tender lesson passed from an Irish-American gang leader (Liam Neeson) to his young son, teaching the importance of tradition and honour… It is also a foreshadowing of the film’s meditations on the consequences of a violent life.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Forrest Gump
FORREST GUMP – 1994: “Hello. My name’s Forrest. Forrest Gump. Do you want a chocolate?” A line introducing Tom Hanks’ title character in a typically disarming, friendly fashion. If that line doesn’t already intrigue you, it certainly sets up one of the most quoted lines of any film, as Forrest muses about the similarities between life and a box of chocolates.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Braveheart
BRAVEHEART – 1995: “I shall tell you of William Wallace. Historians from England will say I am a liar. But history is written by those who have hanged heroes.” The opening minutes of Mel Gibson’s epic deliver both an eloquent description of the anecdotal nature of history, and perhaps also a cheeky dig at the criticism the film would receive for not being historically accurate.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Jerk
THE JERK – 1979: “I am not a bum. I’m a jerk.” Steve Martin’s peculiar distinction creates the sense of his character: a white man raised by an African-American family, but too dim to realise he is adopted.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Kubo
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS – 2016: “If you must blink, do it now.” A strange and exciting warning from the young hero of this animated adventure, inspired by Japanese culture and history. The line promises so much action that looking away for a second would mean missing out on the magic of his tale. Anyone who has seen this impeccable film knows that promise was fulfilled.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Rounders
ROUNDERS – 1998: “Listen, here’s the thing. If you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.” Films about gambling are full of philosophy, and student/professional gambler Mike (Matt Damon) succinctly warns of the dangers of being out of your depth at the table. It also sets the tone for a film in which almost everyone is looking to get the psychological upper hand.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Flatliners
FLATLINERS – 1990: “Today is a good day to die.” Kiefer Sutherland’s medical student grins as he prepares to see what lies beyond death, a cavalier maverick in a very dangerous game.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Grave of the fireflies
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES – 1988: “September 21, 1945… that was the night I died.” Studio Ghibli’s most harrowing film begins with an ending, as we watch a young homeless man die of starvation. It’s a stark entry into a film that illustrates the horror of armed conflict.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Drive
DRIVE – 2011: “There’s a 100,000 streets in this city. You don’t need to know the route. You give me a time and a place, I give you a five-minute window.” The code of The Driver (Ryan Gosling) kicks off the coolest opening scene in modern cinema. It establishes him as calm, in control. The perfect wheelman.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Never Been Kissed
NEVER BEEN KISSED – 1999: “You know how in some movies they have a dream sequence, only they don’t tell you it’s a dream? This is so not a dream.” Some of the best opening lines smash your expectations immediately. As Drew Barrymore stands in the middle of a packed baseball ground, her opening line makes you wonder just how she got there.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Cabaret
Cabaret – 1972: “Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome. Fremde, Étranger, Stranger. Glücklich zu sehen. Je suis enchanté. Happy to see you. Bleib, Reste, Stay. Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome. lm Cabaret, Au Cabaret, To Cabaret.” The emcee’s (Joel Grey) multilingual introduction establishes The Cabaret as a haven for all nationalities, for all backgrounds, for everyone – a safe place just as the shadow of Hitler looms over Berlin.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Outsiders
THE OUTSIDERS – 1983: “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.” Fading from the page to the screen, this line reveals lead character, Ponyboy, as he leaves a screening of The Hustler and finds who he wishes to be – a ‘Greaser’.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
LIttle shop of horrors.;/li
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS – 1986: “On the twenty-third day of the month of September, in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence.” An over-the-top, Star Wars-style beginning gives you a clear idea that this schlocky musical is not to be taken seriously.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Easy a
EASY A – 2010: “The rumours of my promiscuity have been greatly exaggerated.” A smart play on a famous quote by Mark Twain, Emma Stone’s opening lines let you know that this is not just another ‘high school movie’.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
The Big Lebowski
THE BIG LEBOWSKI – 1998: “Way out west, there was this fella that I wanna tell ya about. A fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski.” Why a mysterious cowboy (Sam Elliott) would narrate this tale of Californian misfits isn’t clear – but then, not much in this movie is. Nevertheless, his pleasing tones let you know this is a story worth listening to.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Rebecca
REBECCA – 1940: “Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Joan Fontaine eerily recalls the estate on which Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller is set, recalling it like a person – or a ghost – haunting her mind. As if the building itself were alive, a player in the psychological battle she endures during the film.

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The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Patton
PATTON – 1970: “Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.” Growled by the great George C. Scott in front of a giant American flag, it’s the arrival of an American icon. In one line we see a man ready to lead a country to victory, driven by the single-minded belief in the country he represents.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
The Fly
THE FLY – 1986: “What am I working on? Uh, I’m working on something that’ll change the world and human life as we know it.” After a dramatic sequence, we are thrust into the middle of a conversation between sceptical writer Veronica (Geena Davis) and inventor Seth (Jeff Goldblum). It’s symbolic of the disorienting horror we are slowly walking into, and Goldblum’s understated delivery makes things all the more unnerving.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Fear And Loathing
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS – 1998: “We were somewhere in Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold.” Johnny Depp’s voice, speaking over a dark screen, is the last moment of calm as we are thrown head-first into the narcotic-fuelled world of Hunter S. Thompson. The first line of the film (which is also the beginning of the book) is like a starter pistol for bedlam.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Casino
CASINO – 1995: “When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way.” Scorsese’s Vegas Strip tragedy begins with De Niro’s melancholic voice-over, outlining the major theme of the film: trust. The need for it, and ultimately the betrayal of it, is at the root of everything that transpires.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Million Dollar Baby
MILLION DOLLAR BABY – 2004: “Only ever met one man I wouldn’t wanna fight.” Voice-over legend Morgan Freeman introduces us to Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood. The famed director’s later films could be burdened by his cinematic legacy, but this film leans into it, using that presence to establish trainer Frankie Dunn as someone to be in awe of.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Lion King
THE LION KING – 1994: “Life’s not fair, is it? You see I – well, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day. Adieu.” A deliciously menacing counter to the Circle Of Life opening, Scar (Jeremy Irons) outlines his motivations and his cruelty in one line, delivered with Shakespearean gravitas to his intended prey.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Sound of Music
THE SOUND OF MUSIC – 1965: “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” While this is a list of spoken first lines, not sung, we’ve made an exception for Dame Julie Andrews and her joyful exclamation as the relentlessly hopeful Maria.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Stand By Me
STAND BY ME – 1986: “I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being. It happened in the summer of 1959 – a long time ago, but only if you measure in terms of years.” There are few films more nostalgic than Stand By Me, and that rose-tinted viewpoint is introduced by Richard Dreyfuss, looking back to the past as he struggles to deal with the present.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
A Matter of Life And Death
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH – 1946: “This is the universe. Big, isn’t it?” This gorgeous post-war fantasy opens with a seemingly unconnected tour of the cosmos. However, it is a hint that while we are focusing on one man’s journey, the story is bigger than it may seem at first.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Gone Baby Gone
GONE BABY GONE – 2007: “I always believed it was the things you don’t choose that makes you who you are.” Casey Affleck delivers a humble tribute to the idea of belonging. His brother Ben, working behind the camera, establishes a neighbourhood warmth, as well as the idealism of Casey’s character Patrick.

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The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Breathless
BREATHLESS – 1960: “After all, I’m an asshole.” The English translation of the first line from Jean Luc-Godard’s classic is more a boast than an admission. It reveals the intention of petty thief Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) to be a stylish villain, a rogue in the vein of his hero Humphrey Bogart. We may see him differently over time, but there’s no doubting how he sees himself.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Reservoir Dogs
RESERVOIR DOGS – 1992: “Let me tell ya what ‘Like a Virgin’ is about….” Less an introduction to a character, more an announcement of a cinematic style. Whereas other heist films would dive into a plan or an action scene, we find Quentin Tarantino’s colour-coded criminals having breakfast, discussing Madonna.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Shane
SHANE – 1963: “Somebody’s comin’, Pa.”; “Well, let him come.” A dreamy, technicolour frontier life is introduced in the first moments of this Western landmark. Van Heflin’s amiable farmer sees Alan Ladd’s title character approaching, with the caution in his voice building the anticipation of who Shane is, as well as portraying the cautious optimism of the Old West.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Fight Club
FIGHT CLUB – 1999: “People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden.” In a first scene told out of sequence with the rest of the film, The Narrator (Edward Norton) entices us by making the main character Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), but also teases the revelation to come, that he and Tyler are the same.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Black Swan
BLACK SWAN – 2010: “I had the craziest dream last night. I was dancing the White Swan.” When does a dream become obsession? To us, the opening dance in Darren Aronofsky’s drama is a disturbing nightmare. However, as Nina (Natalie Portman) says this line, she smiles. We see out first glimpse of the turmoil to come.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Spider Man
SPIDER-MAN – 2002: “Who am I? You sure you wanna know?” Tobey Maguire begins the main moral quandary of any superhero: where does the suit end and the person begin? It’s a dilemma that has faced many superheroes before and after him, but rarely has it been summed up so eloquently.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Pretty Woman
PRETTY WOMAN – 1990: “No matter what they say, it’s all about money.” A humorous beginning to this romantic drama, which proves the exact opposite of this magician’s assertion as a financial transaction turns to one of Hollywood’s favourite romances.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
The Departed
THE DEPARTED – 2006: “I don’t wanna be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.” In this line, we learn everything we need to know about the legend of Boston mobster Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). To Frank, money is not the true measure of success, it is the respect, or fear, that you inspire in others.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Kill Bill
KILL BILL VOL. 1 – 2003: “Do you find me sadistic?” The icy voice of David Carradine, delivered in front of his dying former lover (Uma Thurman) is a shocking start to Tarantino’s revenge saga. It also frames Bill as more than a soulless villain. While he has committed a heinous act, he wants The Blood-Spattered Bride to know that this is not without reason, or personal impact.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
High Fidelity
HIGH FIDELITY – 2000: “What came first? – the music or the misery?” Recently single record store owner Rob (John Cusack) sums up this comedy’s parallel between music and life. A beleaguered man wondering to himself whether his malaise is relieved or caused by his passion for songs about love.

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The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Oliver
OLIVER! – 1968: “Please, sir, I want some more.” The first (spoken) line from the multi-Oscar-winning musical is another phrase burned into the zeitgeist. It introduces Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) as an innocent, goaded by his fellow orphans to ask for more, a request that sets up the hardships that are yet to come for our hero.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Dirty Dancing
DIRTY DANCING – 1987: “That was the summer of 1963, when everybody called me Baby, and it didn’t occur to me to mind.” This nostalgic narration sets up the character of ‘Baby’ Houseman (Jennifer Grey), a young woman unaware of the restrictions of her life, content to be ‘in the corner’ before the events of that summer unfold.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Terminator
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY – 1991: “Three billion human lives ended on August 29th, 1997. The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgement Day.” Not only does Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) name the title of the movie in the opening lines, it’s also a chilling statement of just what is at stake as she teams up with her former tormentor.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Apocalypse Now
APOCALYPSE NOW – 1979: “Saigon, shit. I’m still only in Saigon. Every time I think I’m going to wake up back in the jungle.” Francis Ford Coppola’s nightmarish Vietnam drama portrays the harrowing effects of war, beginning with this line from Captain Willard (Martin Sheen). His disorientation encapsulates his war – an experience from which he never expects to escape.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Seventh Seal
THE SEVENTH SEAL – 1957: “Who are you?”; “I am Death.” This sombre yet polite greeting is the beginning of an icon of cinema. Max von Sydow’s soldier, a man unwilling to die, meets the cold stare of Death himself (Bengt Ekerot). A simple, brilliant opening to a simply brilliant film.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Manhattan
MANHATTAN – 1979: “Chapter One. He adored New York City. He idolised it all out of proportion.” This line, accompanied by Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue”, is Woody Allen’s love letter to the city he would become synonymous with. At once, the city becomes more than a setting. He is, in a sense, introducing the lead character in his finest work.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Trainspotting
TRAINSPOTTING – 1996: “Choose Life.” A mischievous play on an anti-drug slogan, this statement leads into Mark Renton’s (Ewan McGregor) diatribe against the dangers of settling for the mundane. The reason for which he escaped reality and, in his words, “chose something else.” It’s an intense fanfare for a film that changed British cinema forever.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Godfather
THE GODFATHER – 1972: “I believe in America. America has made my fortune.” Not the introduction you would expect from a film about organised crime. Yet, there is so much behind the delivery from a father asking for justice for his daughter. It defines the philosophy of all the characters who exist in Frances Ford Coppola’s world – people with principles, drenched in blood.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Citizen Kane
CITIZEN KANE – 1941: “Rosebud.” Charles Foster Kane’s final word becomes the opening mystery of Orson Welles’ classic. Much more than a longing for his childhood sled, it is the mourning of innocence lost. He realises far too late that all the power in the world is meaningless when faced with a life of regret.

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Special First Impressions
The Greatest Opening Lines In Film.
Goodfellas
GOODFELLAS – 1990: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” The best known and most celebrated opening line in movies. It provides both an entry into the criminal world of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), and a statement of intent. This is not the life he fell into. This is the life he chose.

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Special First Impressions

The Greatest Opening Lines In Film

51/50

Special First Impressions