What’s in a catch phrase? Those few words which somehow exist outside of their cinematic origins take on a greater status in film than most other things. We all know and can parrot countless cinematic phrases without actually realising their inception. In a few phrases, we can tap into whole other worlds without even noticing that we have done so. The most successful of catch phrases exist in culture as elements in their own right; they are bigger than the film from which they came, they are utterly detached from them. And yet, when we use them as references, we tap into a whole different place in time, in which people spoke to one another in ways entirely different. Without even knowing it, we bring up the ghosts of a time gone by and more than ever, it seems that screenplays just aren’t what they used to be. Whilst we can run off the scripts of films from decades past with little trouble, there are fewer snappy dialogues in modern cinema. Whereas talking used to be the crux of most cinema, nowadays, we are focused on things a little more visual.
Of course, as with everything, we all have our favourites. There are certain films which simply seem to lend themselves to spoken cinema more than others. Without realising it, we have opened ourselves up to a world of cinema, absorbing more films than we may have even seen. In the following films, delight at the origin of your favourite sayings and perhaps, even, return to the point of origin and realise why these dialogues were just so great.
Annie Hall – “La di da, la di da”
Annie Hall is responsible for giving us more than just a few catch phrases; its honest and bitter sweet portrayal of a relationship is incredibly accurately presented and is so much more uplifting than more recent, artificially upbeat fare. In the initial awkward attraction between Annie and Alvy, the pair awkwardly exchange niceties after a couple’s tennis match. As a fumbling attempt to fill the silence, Annie sing songs her now famous “la di da” line, emphasising her somewhat ditzy personality. Whilst a little outdated at the time, the line has since become synonymous of the film, summing up the pair’s awkward relationship in a matter of seconds.
Jaws – “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”
Whilst Jaws is most fondly remembered for its now iconic two note musical theme, Martin Brody’s nonplussed declaration is catching up as one of the most famous cinematic utterances. The bare faced statement offers a much needed comic relief to the otherwise bloody film and whilst the film seems empty without the sentence, the original script did not contain the line. Proof that some things just occur to you in the moment and when they do, you should just go with it.
Sunset Boulevard – “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up”
The notoriously misquoted closing lines of Sunset Boulevard have taken on something of a cult status. In whatever incarnation, the words seem to be indicative of every sort of diva behaviour anywhere and it seems that merely uttering the words will bring back the ghost of Gloria Swanson’s Norma Desmond.
Taxi Driver – “You talkin’ to me?”
In the scheme of things, who hasn’t spoken obsessively to themselves in the mirror? To force myself out of bed in the morning, I have to chant adrenaline-packed mantras. Whilst that may or may not be a lie, there’s no denying the effectiveness of the talking to Travis Bickle gives himself. Before inexplicably shaving his hair into a Mohawk and committing somewhat anti-social actions, he pumps himself up in the mirror. And really, what better way is there to do something which inherently opposes who we are than to split ourselves in two, the us we inhabit and the us in the mirror?
The Graduate – “Mrs Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me”
Benjamin Braddock is perhaps the ultimate cinematic ingénue, thrust suddenly into an after-hours affair with his disillusioned older neighbour. The scene in which the initial seduction takes place has been parodied time and again and the lines themselves seem to sum up an entire cougar culture, perpetuated by the modern generation. Mike Nichols’ through the leg shot now has an iconic place in cinematic history and, given his recent death, hold a more dear place in the heart of many film goers than ever before.
The Shining – “Heeeeere’s Johnny”
Never has an introduction been more terrifying. With a face surrounded by splintering wood and a maddening drool, Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance is remembered as one of cinema’s greatest villains. After succumbing to the dark influences of The Overlook Hotel, he erupts on a murderous rampage against his family, finally cornering his screaming wife in the bathroom. The deceptively simple dialogue speaks a world of terror; Jack’s introduction shows the rift between him and the monster which overcomes him. Perhaps it was Nicholson’s crazy eyebrows which made the part but really, the line gives you all you need to know about the entire film.
Casablanca
Responsible for more well-known lines than any other film, surely Casablanca takes the cake for the most quotable films. Take a deep breath: “Here’s looking at you kid; Play it Sam, play “As Time Goes By”; Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine; We’ll always have Paris; Round up the usual suspects; Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”. Phew. The film is a classic for a reason; the script writers really hit the ball out of the park. Casablanca is so successful perhaps because it is so evocative of a certain point in cinema. The world of the film is romantic Hollywood, the way in which we all like to remember it. Like all the greats, the narrative tells a doomed and yet utterly addictive romance. When we quote Casablanca, we enter into a different world, in which romance is rife, lighting is soft and talking is snappy.