Every now and then, a film character will drop a quote that seems ordinary at the time. But little do we know, we just witnessed movie magic. After the credits roll, those words infiltrate pop-culture, as if society collectively decided, “This quote is awesome, and we must preserve it at all costs.” Suddenly, everyone is reciting the same movie line, using it in everyday situations. Over time, that quote becomes legendary and takes its place amongsome of the most iconic movie lines ever. And a lot of the time, we get those lines completely wrong.
Some of cinema’s most famous quotes are often recited incorrectly. Sometimes, we rearrange the words or insert new words that don’t belong, completely butchering the line. Other times, we fabricate the quote completely; it was never even in the movie. Here are ten famous movies lines that are commonly misquoted.
10"Mama always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.'" Misquoted from Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump
Directed by Robert Zemeckis,Forrest Gumpis the Oscar-winning film that captured everyone’s hearts in the 90s. It follows the life of Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks in perhaps his best performance), a simple-minded yet kindhearted soul, interweaving his journey with 20th century American history.
How It’s Misquoted
In the very beginning, Forrest deliversone of the most profound movie quotes about life. People love to quote it – except they tend to say it wrong. “Mama always said, ‘Lifeislike a box of chocolates,'” fans usually recite. But what Forrest actually says is, “Mymama always said, ‘Lifewaslike a box of chocolates.'” There’s only a slight difference, but it’s still enough to make this one of the misquoted lines in movie history.
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9"We’re going to need a bigger boat." Misquoted from Jaws (1975)
Jawskept everyone away from the ocean during the summer of 1975, thanks to the monstrous great white shark that terrorizes a New England coastal town in this movie.Jawsis a significant milestone in cinema. It created the modern blockbuster (for better or worse) and broughtdirector Steven Spielbergto prominence.
A ragtag team is assembled to hunt and take down Jaws, which includes a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and a 1970s version of Captain Ahab. In one of the most frightening scenes in the movie, Jaws unexpectedly pops out of the ocean while Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), the sheriff, is dumping bait into the water. Terrified, he backs away from the ocean and doesn’t speak a word until this line: “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
But in the nearly 50 years since the film’s release, this line has been commonly misquoted as, “We’regoing to need a bigger boat.”
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8"I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille." Misquoted from Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Set on the famous Hollywood street,Sunset Boulevardcaptures the relationship between a struggling screenwriter and fading silent film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Norma is determined to make a triumphant return to the big screen, even as madness envelops her and causes her to lose touch with reality. Since its release,Sunset Boulevardhas been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made.
At the end ofSunset Boulevard, police and news cameras storm Norma Desmond’s home to arrest her for murder. Disillusioned, she believes that everyone has come to film a movie that she’s starring in. As she descends the staircase, insanity lighting up her eyes, Norma drops one of the most iconic lines in film history: “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.” Actually, that’s the often misquoted line. What Norma really says is, “Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”
7"Houston, we have a problem." Misquoted from Apollo 13 (1995)
Apollo 13captures the true story of the titular NASA spacecraft. Astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) are heading to the moon – until their mission goes awry, and they encounter a, uh, problem. Between its biographical story and all-star cast that also includes Ed Harris,Apollo 13is regarded asdirector Ron Howard’s greatest film.
How’s It Misquoted
Lovell is forced to contact NASA’s ground personnel in Houston after an accident causes Apollo 13 to malfunction mid-flight. “Houston, we have a problem,” he says, the camera zooming in on Tom Hanks’ face.
This is what the character says in the movie. However, it isnotwhat the real Jim Lovell said in 1970. His actual words at the time of the accident were, “Ah, Houston, we’ve had a problem.” For whatever reason, the quote was changed slightly for the film. It’s since become an iconic movie line. It’s often parodied in comedies or quoted whenever there’s an issue, even if it’s something trivial.
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6"We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto." Misquoted from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Ozis widely regarded asone of the greatest movies of all time. After being carried away to the fantastical world of Oz, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are determined to get back home to Kansas. And the only person who can help them is the wonderful wizard of Oz. Dorothy travels down the yellow-brick road to Oz, making new friends while avoiding a wicked witch along the way.
Dorothy is stunned when she steps out of her gray, dull home and into the vibrant and colorful world of Oz. “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” she tells her dog while glancing around in confusion. It’s one of the most iconic lines ever said in a movie. It’s also one of the most misquoted, usually as “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto” or “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Either way, it’s totally wrong.
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Timeless Quotes From Black and White Movies
There are so many classic moments from old black-and-white movies, specifically lines of dialogue, that have made them stand the test of time.
5"Run, you fools." Misquoted from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringis a fantasy epic masterpiece. In order to stop the Dark Lord Sauron from returning to Middle-Earth, a team of brave adventurers must embark on a perilous quest to destroy the One Ring that will bring him back to power. This movie features many iconic moments. But its most famous scene has to bethe appearance of the Balrog, a massive, fiery beast that prowls the Mines of Moria. Gandalf (Ian McKellan), the film’s wizard, engages the Balrog in an epic one-on-one showdown that includes one of cinema’s most famous, and most famously misquoted, lines.
Gandalf’s battle ends with both the Balrog and himself plummeting into the dark depths of Moria. Just before he falls, Gandalf is clinging to the edge of a cliff for dear life. Upon realizing that he’s about to lose his grip, the wizard tells his companions, “Fly, you fools” and then goes plunging into the darkness.
Many viewers, though, misinterpreted Gandalf’s words and thought he said, “Run,you fools.” There’s also a lot of debate around Gandalf’s actual quote. Did he mean “fly” as in get the hell out of here as fast as you can? Or was he telling his companions to use the Great Eagles to physically fly to Mount Doom? It would’ve saved our heroes a hell of a lot of time if they had done the latter from the beginning.
4"Mirror, mirror on the wall." Misquoted from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
As the first full-length, animated film,Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsis a legendary achievement. Disney’s first princess, Snow White, is forced to flee the kingdom when her vain stepmother and evil queen becomes envious of her beauty. She takes refuge among seven quirky dwarfs – until a bite of a poisonous apple places her in an enchanted sleep.
The Queen possesses a magical, talking mirror and often asks it, “Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” Obsessed with her own beauty, the Queen wants to ensure that she remains the most beautiful woman in the land. Plus, as a grade A narcissist, she loves to hear her own name as the answer.
The Queen’s line has become iconic – not just in animation but in cinema. And it’s often misquoted as, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” Interestingly, this error isn’t the audience’s fault. The Queen actually does say this in the original Brothers’ Grimm fairy tale. It’s the Disney movie that changed the line.
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3"Play it again, Sam." Misquoted from Casablanca (1942)
Casablanca
In the city of Casablanca, smooth-talking nightclub owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Boggart) is coincidentally reunited with the love of his life, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), amid the chaos of World War II.
The posterchild of classic Hollywood,Casablancais widely regarded asone of the greatest films ever made. It also has one of the best scripts ever written and features tons of iconic movie lines like, “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine”, “Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”, “We’ll always have Paris”, and “Here’s looking at you, kid.” But there’s another famous quote that actually doesn’t appear in the movie.
“As Time Goes By” is a song that Rick and Ilsa shared during their romance. Rick forbids his pianist Sam (Dooley Wilson) from ever playing it. But when Ilsa arrives at his nightclub, she asks Sam to break his rule and play her the song. “Play it again, Sam,” Ilsa is misquoted as saying. But what she really says is, “Play it once, Sam.” This has become one of the most famously misquoted lines in cinema. There’s even a Woody Allen film,Play It Again, Sam,that takes its title from this mistake.
2"Hello, Clarice." Misquoted from The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Silence of the Lambs
InThe Silence of the Lambs,FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) enlists the help of an incarcerated cannibal to track down a serial killer, who’s been abducting and murdering women. Psychiatrist-turned-psychopath, Hannibal Lecter, is one of the most famous characters in cinema. He’s appeared innumerous films over the years. But it’s his 16 minutes of screen time in this 1991 classic that audiences remember most. Or rather,misremembermost.
Our anticipation grows as Clarice walks through a hospital for the criminally insane, passing by the cells of disturbed inmates. Then, finally, she reaches the notorious figure that we’ve heard so much about. Remember when we see Hannibal Lecter for the first time, standing stiffly in his cell, and he says in that eerie voice, “Hello, Clarice”? Do you really? Because if so, then your memory is totally wrong.
Hannibal never says these two words at any point in the film. What he actually says, in a cheerful and polite tone, is, “Good morning.” Even if it is frequently misquoted, Hannibal’s introduction inThe Silence of the Lambsis an iconic movie scene.
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1"Luke, I am your father." Misquoted from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
empire strikes back
After destroying the Death Star inA New Hope, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) continue their war against the evil Galactic Empire inStar Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Unlike most sequels, this film improved upon its predecessor and made the originalStar Warstrilogy what it is today. Han and Leia’s enduring romance, popular supporting characters like Yoda, Lando, and Boba Fett, the famous Darth Vader reveal – all of these elements were introduced inThe Empire Strikes Back.
Sometimes, the obvious choice is the best choice. And really, what else can be number one but this?The Empire Strikes Backis loaded with iconic lines like, “Do or do not. There is no try” and Han’s badass response to Leia’s romantic confession, “I know.” But there’s one particular quote that has become one of the most famous lines in cinema, producingone of the greatest twists in movie history: “No, I am your father.”
17 Most Famous Movie Lines and Quotes in Action Films
Action movies and cool one-liners go hand-in-hand, and these classic action films have some of the most quotable lines and catchphrases in history.
For whatever reason, this line from Darth Vader is often misquoted as, “Luke, I am your father.” Regardless of how they say it, everybody seems to know this line, even if they’ve never watched the movie.
