Famous Movie Quotes

What makes a simple line of dialog in a movie become one of the most famous movie quotes? One that everyone seems to know? It’s a factor of great writing, precise timing, and professional delivery by the actor.

Throughout the decades the best movies have contributed famous lines to our popular lexicon. In many instances, we say these lines without knowing from where they originally came.

This is what makes a great movie quote: when a spoken line leaves its mark on society beyond the movie itself. It becomes woven into our expressive language and way of talking.

Famous movie quotes: the greatest of all time

famous movie quotes

You’ll instantly recognize these famous movie quotes from some of the best movies ever produced.

1.) “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca, 1942

2.) “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz, 1939

3.) “May the Force be with you.”
Harrison Ford, Star Wars, 1977

4.) “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
Clark Gable, Gone with the Wind, 1939

5.) “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
Marlon Brando, The Godfather, 1972

6.) “The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.”
Brad Pitt, Fight Club, 1999

7.) “I am your father.”
James Earl Jones, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980

Funny movie quote from Caddyshack

Golf course groundskeeper Carl Spackler, played by Bill Murray, describes his putting game as he hunts for a pesky gopher digging holes on the course.

8.) “Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac… It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!”
Bill Murray, Caddyshack, 1980

Inspirational movie quotes

These inspirational and motivational movie quotes are just what you need to put a positive spin on life’s adventures.

9.) “I’m the king of the world!”
Leonardo DiCaprio, Titanic, 1997

10.) “Just keep swimming!”
Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo, 2003

11.) “To infinity and beyond!”
Tim Allen, Toy Story, 1995

12.) “I feel the need — the need for speed!”
Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards, Top Gun, 1986

Romance: Movie quotes about love

Hollywood’s perspective on love ranges from romantic dramas to snarky rom-coms. Here are some of the best movie quotes related to love and romance.

13.) “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.'”
Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca, 1942

14.) “You had me at ‘hello.'”
Renée Zellweger, Jerry Maguire, 1996

15.) “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
Ali McGraw, Love Story, 1970

16.) “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”
Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca, 1942

17.) “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?”
Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate, 1967

Check out these movie quotes for weddings.

Flirty sayings

18.) “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.”
Lauren Bacall, To Have and Have Not, 1944

19.) “Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?”
Mae West, She Done Him Wrong, 1933

20.) “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Estelle Reiner, When Harry Met Sally…, 1989

Movie quotes about life

Here are two of our favorite quotes about life from famous movies — wise words to live by.

21.) “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump, 1994

22.) “There’s no place like home.”
Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz, 1939

Movie genre quotes

Whether from tough guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood or smooth operators like Sean Connery and Al Pacino, these famous movie sayings will make anyone sound cool.

Famous action movie quotes

23.) “I’ll be back.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator, 1984

24.) “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”
Clint Eastwood, Dirty Harry, 1971

25.) “Hasta la vista, baby.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991

Cool movie quotes

26.) “Go ahead, make my day.”
Clint Eastwood, Sudden Impact, 1983

27.) “A martini. Shaken, not stirred.”
Sean Connery, Goldfinger, 1964

28.) “You talkin’ to me?”
Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver, 1976

29.) “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”
Strother Martin, Cool Hand Luke, 1967

30.) “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
Robert Duvall, Apocalypse Now, 1979

Sayings from drama movies

31.) “You can’t handle the truth!”
Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men, 1992

32.) “Say ‘hello’ to my little friend!”
Al Pacino, Scarface, 1983

About sports

Sports-movie aficionados will instantly recognize these classic lines.

33.) “If you build it, he will come.”
Ray Liotta, Field of Dreams, 1989

34.) “There’s no crying in baseball!”
Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own, 1992

35.) “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
Gary Cooper, The Pride of the Yankees, 1942

Famous horror movie quote

A quote from quite possibly the best horror movie ever made.

36.) “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
Colin Clive, Frankenstein, 1931

Scary movie quotes

These dramatic lines left us all on the edge of our seats.

37.) “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!”
Margaret Hamilton, The Wizard of Oz, 1939

38.) “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs, 1991

39.) “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape.”
Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes, 1968

40.) “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Roy Scheider, Jaws, 1975

41.) “Soylent Green is people!”
Charlton Heston, Soylent Green, 1973

Short movie quotes

The best short movie quotes presented for your enjoyment, because “brevity is the soul of wit.” (As William Shakespeare said in “Hamlet”)

42.) “Yo, Adrian!”
Sylvester Stallone, Rocky, 1976

43.) “Here’s Johnny!”
Jack Nicholson, The Shining, 1980

44.) “Bond. James Bond.”
Sean Connery, Dr. No, 1962

45.) “E.T. phone home.”
Pat Welsh, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982

46.) “Inconceivable!”
Wallace Shawn, The Princess Bride, 1987

47.) “Plastics.”
Walter Brooke, The Graduate, 1967

48.) “They’re heeeeere.”
Heather O’Rourke, Poltergeist, 1982

49.) “My precious.”
Andy Serkis, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002

Movie quotes about money

Hollywood wisdom you can take to the bank.

50.) “Show me the money!”
Cuba Gooding Jr., Jerry Maguire, 1996

51.) “A million dollars isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? A billion dollars.”
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network, 2010

How to use famous movie quotes

You can use movie quotes for many special occasions (and in every day life!), including:

  • Graduation – Send your graduate off with an inspiring line.
  • Yearbook – Leave your mark with a quote everyone will remember.
  • Birthdays – Say ‘happy birthday’ to loved ones by including a movie quote in their birthday card.
  • Goodbyes – “Hasta la vista, baby” says it all!
  • Instagram captions – Your friends will ‘like’ what you have to say when you use a famous movie line.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the most famous movie quotes. Here are some other lists you might enjoy:

Famous Toasts from Movies

The Cats We Love in TV and Movies

Bollywood Movies and Music