The power of film to convey messages, educate, provoke emotion, and deepen our understanding of lives lived, which we may otherwise have never known anything about, is unquantifiable.
Even one single line from a movie has the power to forever capture the sentiments of an entire culture and a period in time.
While some might make us laugh, and others might make us want to cry, here are some of the best movie one-liners ever uttered on screen.
“You may take our lives, but you’ll never take our freedom.” – Braveheart
As Mel Gibson (Sir William Wallace) leads an army of Scottish rebels into war (and most likely to their death) with the English, he yells this battle cry at the top of his lungs, and it has remained one of the best movie one-liners of all time.
“Get to the chopper.” – Predator
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous one-liner, which he delivered while trying to escape a man-eating alien in the jungle, has immortalized him. In that scenario, I think we’d all want to get to the chopper pretty fast, too!
“May the force be with you.” – Star Wars
This legendary one-liner is so epic and famous that everyone knows exactly what movie it’s from whenever they hear it.
“You talking to me?” – Taxi Driver
Robert De Niro delivered this notorious line in 1976, and we’ve all been impersonating a New York City cab driver by copying it ever since.
“Go ahead, make my day.” – Sudden Impact
Clint Eastwood’s character in this movie, Inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan, is responsible for this famous one-liner, and his character helped solidify Eastwood’s career as a Hollywood icon.
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” – Apocalypse Now
It is an epic movie about the Vietnam War that created an epic one-liner about the smell of bombs and conflict in the air.
“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you?” – The Graduate
Dustin Hoffman plays a fresh-faced graduate battling the advances of a much older, mature woman when he delivers this memorable line that made movie history.
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” – Casablanca
An iconic piece of Hollywood cinema starring Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca tells the story of American ex-pats trying to escape the Nazis in French Morocco.
“You had me at hello.” – Jerry Maguire
This romantic comedy starring Tom Cruise as a slick sports agent and Cuba Gooding Jr. as his only client was a big hit in the 1990s. Cruise’s one-liner has been famous ever since.
“You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?” – Dirty Harry
Clint Eastwood strikes again with another one of the best movie lines ever. While confronting an assailant, Dirty Harry allows the punk to think carefully about his next move.
“Here’s Johnny.” – The Shining
These are probably the most famous two words ever uttered in movie history. Jack Nicolson’s notorious performance in the horror movie The Shining lives on through this iconic one-liner.
“I’ll have what she’s having.” – When Harry Met Sally
Taken from the scene where Meg Ryan’s character, Sally, simulates having an orgasm in a packed restaurant, this one-liner from the movie has proved quite unforgettable.
“You can’t handle the truth.” – A Few Good Men
After being challenged about the truth by a defense attorney, played by Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson famously shouted this iconic one-liner out loud while on the witness stand.
“Listen to them. The children of the night. They make such beautiful music.” – Dracula
This creepy, famous one-liner was repeated by Gary Oldman in Bramstoker’s Dracula, in 1992, starring Keanu Reeves, where many people believe it’s from. However, Dracula uttered the original line in 1931 while listening to howling wolves at his castle gates. Charming.
“Couchie coo.” – Blade
As the legendary Wesley Snipes (Blade) catches a baby thrown across the tops of some high-rise buildings, he stares into the infant’s face and stoically delivers this line, with his vampire fangs on full display. There’s not much creepy about that.
“ My precious.” – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
While Gollum, the fantastical little creature from Lord of the Rings, who was obsessed with the ring, slowly caressed it, he uttered these famous words.
“Bond. James Bond.” – Dr.No
It was Sean Connery playing James Bond when this short, but subtle introduction became famous, and Bond fans have been repeating the sultry one-liner ever since.
“Show me the money!” – Jerry Maguire
Tom Cruise strikes again with another of the best one-liners in movie history.
“I’ll be back!” – The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger said “I’ll be back!” and he is back, as this is his third appearance on this list because Arnie knows how to deliver powerful, impactful, and iconic movie one-liners.
“My mama always said that life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks gave one of the greatest performances of his career in this epic movie from 1994. He received six Academy Awards for playing Forrest Gump and this famous one-liner was part of that award-winning performance.
