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Wit (noun): clever or apt humor
Movies are anchored by dialogue, at least after the silent era. And sometimes the witty observations made by various quick-thinking characters are downright enlightening, as well as funny. This impressive use of language is bedazzling, a wonder to behold, and one of the reasons why comedic banter in movies is so powerful.
The following is a collection of clever quotes that highlight the type of language play contained in these highly entertaining movies. They showcase a difficult, complex skill that doesn’t get enough recognition for elevating movies beyond the story and the acting.
This is next level wit; worth your time and consideration:
Your small minds are musclebound with suspicion.
That’s because the only exercise you ever get is jumping to conclusions!
— Walter Mitty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) is a comedy directed by Norman Z. McLeod based on the story by James Thurber about Walter Mitty (Danny Kaye), a man who daydreams constantly and gets caught up in a murder mystery when he meets a beautiful wealthy woman, Rosalind Van Hoorn (Virginia Mayo).
Life Lesson: Don’t jump to conclusions.
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Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.
— President Merkin Muffley
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) is a comedy co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick about the events in the “war room” where military and government officials have gathered to try to stop an air strike launched by a rogue U.S. general, Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), against a country with nuclear weapons.
Life Lesson: “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” — Robert Burns
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I can’t stand the marriage. I don’t find you any fun. I feel you suffocate me. I don’t feel any rapport with you, and I don’t dig you physically.
Oh, for God’s sake, Allan, don’t take it personal! — Nancy
Play it Again, Sam (1972) is a comedy directed by Herbert Ross about Allan Felix (Woody Allen), a recently divorced film critic who looks for guidance from Humphrey Bogart, the actor who plays the hero in the movie Casablanca.
Life Lesson: “But above all, in order to be, never try to seem.” ― Albert Camus
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Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. — Dennis
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) is an absurd comedy spoof co-written and co-directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones about the legend of King Author (Graham Chapman), his Knights of the Round Table, and their search for the Holy Grail.
Life Lesson: Know the basics.
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Airplane passenger: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Airplane passenger: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I've been nervous lots of times.
Airplane! (1980) is a comedy co-written and co-directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker about Ted Striker (Robert Hays), a pilot with a fear of flying who has difficulty maintaining a relationship with his stewardess girlfriend Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty), but is tasked with landing a plane full of passengers.
Life Lesson: Don’t let fear paralyze you.
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Dark Helmet: Before you die there is something you should know about us, Lone Starr.
Lone Starr: What?
Dark Helmet: I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.
Lone Starr: What's that make us?
Dark Helmet: Absolutely nothing! Which is what you are about to become.
Spaceballs (1987) is a comedy co-written and directed by Mel Brooks about a father, King Roland (Dick Van Patten), who hires a mercenary, Lone Starr (Bill Pullman), and his sidekick, Barf (John Candy), to rescue his daughter, Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga), from an invading force led by Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis).
Life Lesson: Doing good is its own reward.
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Garth Algar: Uhm, Wayne? What do you do if every time you see this one incredible woman, you think you're gonna hurl?
Wayne Campbell: I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. But if you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be.
Wayne’s World (1992) is a comedy directed by Penelope Spheeris about Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), two underachieving friends who host a public-access cable show that is bought by a sleazy tv executive, Benjamin Kane (Rob Lowe).
Life Lesson: Be optimistic: You’ll find better solutions.
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Amy Archer: [to Norville] Shut up! After all, you haven't talked to me for a week and now I'm going to say my piece. Look, I've never been dumped by a fella before, and that hurts. But what really hurts is watching you outrun your soul, chasing after money and ease and the respect of a board that wouldn't give you the time of day if you, if you...
Norville: Worked in a watch factory?
Amy Archer: Shut up! Exactly!
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) is a comedy co-written and co-directed by Joel and Ethan Coen about Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins), a recent business school graduate from a small town who is unwittingly made president of a successful company as part of a scam by its board of directors.
Life Lesson: You always have a second chance.
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The Dude: Are you sure he won't mind?
Bunny Lebowski: Uli doesn't care about anything. He's a Nihilist.
The Dude: Ah, that must be exhausting.
The Big Lebowski (1998) is a dark comedy co-written and co-directed by Joel and Ethan Coen about The Dude (Jeff Bridges), a lazy unemployed man who is mistaken for a millionaire with the same name, Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), and inadvertently gets himself embroiled in an increasingly escalating series of conflicts.
Life Lesson: Life is a cycle of ups and downs, so take it easy on the downs.
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Po: Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles.
Oogway: Quit, don't quit... Noodles, don't noodles... You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.
Kung Fu Panda (2008) is a humorous animated fantasy directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson about an unlikely hero, Po, a warrior panda voiced by Jack Black, who trains to become the legendary Dragon Warrior.
Life Lesson: Physical appearance does not determine ability.
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What have we learned? Hopefully an appreciation for the intelligence displayed in the dialogue of some great movies. Beyond the story line, beyond the performance, sometimes we can catch a glimpse of witty language, a human capacity that is as significant and awe-inspiring as any masterful skill because of its remarkable combination of insight and ingenuity.
Of the thousands of choices available in entertainment, these are the films that are worth the time watching and studying because they are entertaining as well as rewarding in an intrinsically satisfying way. There is just something about appreciating a turn of phrase that is genuinely uplifting.
Simply put, we are made better for having been exposed to it.
Wit is the crown of the human intellect.
Visit the moviewise catalogue—a searchable database of one sentence movie summaries, movie quotes, and movie wisdom—for movie recommendations.
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Wow, you hit some of my all time favorite movies here!! 😍 Holy Grail, Wayne’s World, Dr. Strangelove, AND Lebowski?! Well done-and too right that these are all brilliant gems of wit!
Those all are top notch comedies.