There are some movie quotes that have become so iconic that you don’t even need to have seen the film to know them. And yet, you may only think you know the actual quotes, when what you’re really parroting are famous (and infamous) misquotes.
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The Empire Strikes Back
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The actual quote: “No, I am your father.”
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The common misquote: “Luke, I am your father.”
The actual quote: “No, I am your father.”
The common misquote: “Luke, I am your father.”
The moment in The Empire Strikes Back when (spoilers) Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker that he is his father is one of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. And yet the vast majority of people, including true Star Wars fans, misquote the line to add context. In the film, Vader is replying to Luke, correcting him with, “No, I am your father.” But most of us have turned this into “Luke, I am your father” to add context without having to repeat both sides of the conversation.
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Casablanca
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The actual quote: “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.'”
The common misquote: “Play it again, Sam.”
Being a film from the 1940s means that many people have never seen Casablanca. And yet the majority of people, young and old, will know one line from the film. The misquoted line is “Play it again, Sam,” a simple line we all associate with a pianist being asked to play the same song again. And yet, in the film, the actual line is, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By'”. By removing the name of the song, this quote has moved beyond the realms of Casablanca and become a standard way of asking for a song to be repeated.
9
Wall Street
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The actual quote: “The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”
The common misquote: “Greed is good.”
Wall Street is a movie about the stock market, capitalism, and corporate greed. And its legacy has been wrapped up in a nice three-word quote of “Greed is good.” However, this is actually a misquote of what Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, says during a shareholders’ meeting. The longer, accurate quote, “The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good,” adds much more nuance and context by implying that greed is an essential force in driving humanity forward.
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Dirty Harry
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The actual quote: “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”
The common misquote: “Do you feel lucky, punk?”
Clint Eastwood’s iconic police detective, Harry Callahan, doesn’t mess around when it comes to criminals. However, his famous quote is often shortened from 15 words down to just five words. In Dirty Harry, Callahan asks the guy he’s pointing a gun at, “‘You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” And yet when most of us use this in less gun-toting fashion, we shorten it to the much easier to remember and say, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”
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Forrest Gump
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The actual quote: “My mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
The common misquote: “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
Forrest Gump sees Tom Hanks playing a sweet, simple man who inadvertently influences major events in history. And while there are several quotable lines in the film, one has truly stood the test of time. We all say, “Life is like a box of chocolates,” and yet, in the film, Forrest actually says, “My mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” That subtle shift from “was” to “is” makes all the difference. The misquote is catchier, flows better, and as a result, it has lived on long after the film’s release.
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The Wizard of Oz
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The actual quote: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
The common misquote: “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Few films have had as much staying power as The Wizard of Oz, with Wicked renewing interest. Dorothy’s journey from monotone Kansas to the technicolor land of Oz is packed with memorable lines, but none more so than her realization that she is far from home. In the film, Judy Garland says, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” However, most people drop the “I’ve a feeling” part, simplifying the line to, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.” The cut-down version is much more quotable and has become shorthand around the world.
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Gone With the Wind
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The actual quote: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
The common misquote: “Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn.”
Rhett Butler’s parting words to Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind are some of the most famous ever uttered on screen. And yet, they are often misquoted. The actual line is, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” But many people quote it as, “Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn,” inserting her name to add context. Misquoted or not, this remains one of the most devastating break-up lines to ever feature in a film.
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The Graduate
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The actual quote: “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?”
The common misquote: “Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Robinson?”
The Graduate defined a generation by showing a young man being seduced by an older woman. And one of the film’s most quoted lines comes from that seduction. Most people seem to think that Dustin Hoffman said, “Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Robinson?” However, the actual line is, “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?” The difference is subtle, but important, with the misquote being a more straightforward question than the actual quote.
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Jaws
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The actual quote: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
The common misquote: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Jaws terrified audiences in the 1970s and instilled a fear of sharks in most people who saw it in cinemas. It also gave us one of the most iconic lines in movie history when Chief Brody said, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” And yet, most people seem to think the line was, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” With no offense meant to Steven Spielberg, the misquote actually makes more sense given that everyone on the boat is in trouble.
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Field of Dreams
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The actual quote: “If you build it, he will come.”
The common misquote: “If you build it, they will come.”
“If you build it, they will come” is the line most people associate with Field of Dreams. But in the film, the voiceover actually says, “If you build it, he will come.” The difference is small, but meaningful. The original was specifically about Ray Kinsella’s father, giving the film a personal and emotional ending. However, the misquote is more universal, ensuring it’s a phrase that can be applied outside the confines of the emotional movie it’s from.
