### Author:  [@dlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlb)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/21 "2001-03-23T16:50:38Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \*
> **But what lines can you remember woman saying that are famous. I have tried to think of some but it is hard. I can remember what Sally said in “When Harry Met Sally” but I don’t know if having a fake orgasm counts as a line. There has got to be some from Sigorney Weaver in the “Alien” series but I can’t think of any. It is weird.**
And you, sir, simply can’t remember your movies unless they are liberally laced with testosterone. Some of the best lines in history are given to women. Gone With the Wind has already been exercised; I will quote several times from The Lion in Winter, the immortal Katherine Hepburn (I hope I get these right):
(screaming after Henry as he stumbles, retching from the room):
You were in the next room! We did it while you were in the next room!! (after he leaves) Ah, well, what family doesn’t have it’s ups and downs?
(later)
I could peel you like a pear and God himself would call it justice!
(Another scene)
I could take defeats like yours and come up smiling. I know, I’ve done it. Lost your life’s work, have you? Land is dirt. I’ve lost the only thing that ever mattered. I’ve lost you, and I can never have you back.
(And the last one, that always makes my spine melt)
We’re jungle animals, Henry. There, in the corners — you can see the eyes.
Of course, there is not just movies. Ivanova, from Babylon 5, has some of my favorite lines in the world:
Repeat after me: Ivanova is God. I will do what Ivanova says.
or:
Boom. Boom boom. Boom. BOOM!
or:
Good luck, Captain. You are about to go where many have gone before (speaking of bedding down a representative from Earth trying to seduce him).
Sometimes they even get great lines in interviews.
“Where did they go?” (Marina Sirtis, speaking of her boobs after she takes off her Star Trek couselor’s costume.)
That’s one movie, one TV show, and one interview. I suspect we can match you line for line for line. I haven’t even touched Glenda Jackson’s classics in Mary, Queen of Scots (or any of her other great movies), Vanessa Redgrave’s great lines, Glenn Close in Garp or Dangerous Liasons (“Immaturity.”), or hundreds of others.
Bah. You just aren’t thinking.
---
### Author:  [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/22 "2001-03-23T17:01:11Z")
Continuing:
Babs Striesand from What’s Up Doc?
Ryan O’Neill: Love means never having to say you’re sorry
Babs: That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.
Myrna Loy from The Thin Man
Reporter: What kind of case is (your husband) working on
Nora: A case of scotch, let’s pitch in and help him.
“Waiter, serve the nuts. I mean…serve the nuts to the guests.”
Miss Moneypenny from Dr. No
Bond: Moneypenny! What gives?
Moneypenny: Me, given just an ounce of encouragement
Madelyne Kahn in Blazing Saddles:
“Is it twue, what zey say zat you people aww…gifted? \ Oooh. It’s twue! It’s TWUE!”
Greta Garbo, in Grand Hotel (I can’t believe I get to be the first one to mention this one):
“I want to be alone”
Fenris
---
### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/23 "2001-03-23T17:05:05Z")
I was going to comment on the many many great lines the ladies get in the Mel Brooks movies, but I see Fenris has started in that direction. So let me just add my favorite:
“Yes! Say it! He was my BOYFRIEND!!” - Cloris Leachman - Young Frankenstein
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/24 "2001-03-23T17:10:43Z")
There’s the famous exchange in _The Big Sleep_ (1946) when Humphrey Bogart (as Philip Marlowe) is comparing Lauren Bacall’s character to a racehorse, and says “You’ve got a touch of class, but I don’t know how far you can go.” Her reply: “A lot depends on who’s in the saddle.”
Ooooooooh.
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### Author:  [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/25 "2001-03-23T17:18:08Z")
To continue the Mel Brooks theme from Blazing saddles Madeline Kahn :I’m tired of men always coming and going, going and coming and always too soon! [spoken] Vat am I, a rabbit?
And who can forget the classic line from the Wizard of Oz; “Toto I don’t think we’re in Kansas any more.”
Keith
---
### Author:  [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/26 "2001-03-23T17:43:43Z")
“What are you going to do, arrest me for smoking?”
-Sharon Stone, moments before the most famous leg crossing scene on film.
“The servant waits while the Master baits.”
“Yes. NoNoNoNo. Yes. NoNo. Yes. NoNo. Yes. NoNoNONOnonoNoNoNo. YES! NoNoNoNoNo. _Yes_NoNoNONOnonoNoNoNoNONONONONONONO **NONONONO** waitaminute! _ **YESSSSSS!** _”
“I love forward hartch!”
-Madeline Kahn, to continue the Mel Brooks theme, but from History of the World, Part One.
---
### Author:  [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/27 "2001-03-23T18:11:32Z")
There was this one time, at band camp…
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### Author:  [@Palandine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palandine)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/28 "2001-03-23T18:27:20Z")
Linda Blair in “The Exorist”:
_Your mother sucks c_\*\*\* in Hell.\*
Kathy Bates in “Misery”:
_I’m your number-one fan._
---
### Author:  [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/29 "2001-03-23T18:46:04Z")
Pricess Leia "I am not a committee!’
**Thelma and Louise**"I don’t want to stop’ (driving off cliff)
**Long Kiss Goodnight** , Geena Gavis
- after SL Jackson comments on shooting self in privates\*
“What,and now you’re a sharpshooter?”
“Chefs do that”(After throwing butcher knife)
**Aliens** , (to cat) “And you, you little s\*\*\*head, you’re staying here”
“I’ve slept enough”
**Alien Ressurection** “This piece of s\*\*\* is older thatn me”
**Girl,Interruped**
Doctor: “You chased a bottle of asprin with a bottle of vodka.”
Winnona sp? Rider “I had a headache.”
Tina Turner: “THUNDERDOME!”,“Two men enter, one man leaves.”
---
### Author:  [@Palandine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palandine)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/30 "2001-03-23T19:06:40Z")
Exor **c** ist, Exor **c** ist, Exor **c** ist.
Preview preview preview
Betty White in “Airplane!”:
_Oh, stewardess? I speak Jive._
---
### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/31 "2001-03-23T19:20:46Z")
Noooo, not Betty White, Barbara Billingley (Beaver’s Mom) said “oh Sterwardess, I speak jive”
---
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/32 "2001-03-23T19:21:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Babs Striesand from What’s Up Doc?
> Ryan O’Neill: Love means never having to say you’re sorry
> Babs: That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.
Got it backwards. O’Neal says it’s the stupidest thing he’s ever heard.
> [@](#):
>
> Betty White in “Airplane!”:
> Oh, stewardess? I speak Jive.
Not Betty White. The left it to Barbara Billingsley.
How about this:
Jean Harlow: I was reading a book the other day.
Marie Dressler: Reading a book??
Jean Harlow: Yes. It’s all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?
Marie Dressler: Oh, my dear. That’s something you need never worry about.
(Dinner at Eight)
---
### Author:  [@DuhMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhMan)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/33 "2001-03-23T19:23:46Z")
I’m sorry, but this just had to be brought up…
“Me love you long time.”
-The prostitute in Full Metal Jacket
---
### Author:  [@bashere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bashere)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/34 "2001-03-23T19:33:07Z")
Alien^3 (Sigorney Weaver)
- “Don’t be afraid, I’m part of the family”
The Professional (Natalie Portman)
- “Can we try with real bullets now?”
The Adams family (Christina Ricci)
- “Are they made with real girl scouts?”
Adams family values -
“I’ll be the victim”
“All your life.”
In Aliens, Newt gets one of the creepiest lines:
“We’d better get back, 'cause it’ll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night… mostly.”
It is a mindset, thing, Wildest Bill. When I saw the title of your thread, I suddenly couldn’t think of any lines by female characters (and I’m a movie 'ho ). After reading a few, they all came flooding back.
---
### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/35 "2001-03-23T19:33:12Z")
Good God, Bill, you call yourself a film fan and you can’t think of ANY memorable lines said by women? For heaven’s sake, there are more channels on cable than TNT and TBS! I sentence you to one week of viewing Turner Classic Movies when they do their annual Women in Film salute.
Here are some of my favorites:
“There’s a name for you ladies, but it isn’t used in high society, outside of a kennel.”–Joan Crawford in _The Women_ (1939)
" Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above."–Katherine Hepburn in _The African Queen_
(1951)
" Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."–Vivien Leigh in \* A Streetcar Named Desire\* (1951)
" Oh Moses, Moses, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool."
–Anne Baxter in \* The Ten Commandments\* (1956)
Blanche: “You wouldn’t be able to do these awful things to me if I weren’t still in this chair.”
Jane: “But cha AAH, Blanche, ya AAH in that chair!”–Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in _Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?_ (1962)
“Yes! Live! Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.”–Rosalind Russell in _Auntie Mame_ (1958)
“Snap out of it!”–Cher in _Moonstruck_ (1987)
" I want kids that love me as much as I hated my mother."–Elizabeth Ashley in _Happiness_(1998)
“It’s not the men in your life that counts, it’s the life in your men.”–Mae West in _I’m No Angel_ (1933)
“A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they’re not dead,
really. They’re just… backing away from life. Reach out. Take a chance. Get hurt, even! Play as well as you can. Go team! GO! Give me an L! Give me an I! Give me a V! Give me an E! L. I.V. E. LIVE! …Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room.”–Ruth Gordon in _Harold and Maude_ (1971)
And, finally, a movie even Wildest Bill has seen:
“You can take your thumb out of my ass any time now, Carmine.”–Verna Bloom in _Animal house_ (1978)
---
### Author:  [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/36 "2001-03-23T19:54:02Z")
Beyond the question of which gender gets the good roles, what I am finding interesting is the age of the movies being mentioned.
As I write this, 39 individual movies have been mentioned. The most recent is 11 years old, the oldest is 85 years old, and the average age is 45 years old (if we exclude Eve’s since she limited herself to a time period the average age is 40 years). Ignore the two anomolous young ones (_When Harry Met Sally_ and _Who Framed Roger Rabbit?_) and that 40 years goes back to 42.
Is this indicative of anything? I personally feel that dialogue as a driver of mainstream movies died in the '70s and this may show that. Or, perhaps we just like old movies here at SDMB. Or perhaps, if men are getting better lines than women it is a more recent phenomenon.
Just some musings.
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### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/37 "2001-03-23T20:08:03Z")
hey \*\*obfusciatrist \*\* are you certain? sure a lot of those mentioned are old classics, but Alien? Airplane? Alien 3 Adams Family? Adams Family Values? Misery? Moonstruck? Long Kiss Goodnight?
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### Author:  [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/38 "2001-03-23T20:55:35Z")
**wring** , while I writing my post most of those were mentioned. But still, it isn’t a young bunch of films you’ve added:
Alien - 21 years old
Airplane - 20 years old
Alien 3 - 9 years old
Adams Family, Addams Family Reunion - 10 and 8 years, respectively.
Misery - 10 years old
Moonsruck - 13 years old
Long Kiss Goodnight - 4 years old
Out of more than 40 movies mentioned only three are less than 10 years old. But again, most of these movies were mentioned after I did the math.
---
### Author:  [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/39 "2001-03-23T21:06:21Z")
Ob, I think you’re exactly right on the count about dialogue getting the short end of the stick in movies of late.
I know there are some fine films that have come out recently where this wasn’t the case, but special effects, explosions, gun play, and action tend to be the draw now.
Just another example of the decline of civilization if you ask me.
---
### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-any-famous-lines-made-by-women-in-movies/59157/40 "2001-03-23T21:11:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \*
> \*\ ***wring** , while I writing my post most of those were mentioned. But still, it isn’t a young bunch of films you’ve added:
>
> Alien - 21 years old
> Airplane - 20 years old
> Alien 3 - 9 years old
> Adams Family, Addams Family Reunion - 10 and 8 years, respectively.
> Misery - 10 years old
> Moonsruck - 13 years old
> Long Kiss Goodnight - 4 years old
>
> Out of more than 40 movies mentioned only three are less than 10 years old. But again, most of these movies were mentioned after I did the math. \*\*
me and my walker will be over here in the corner drinking prune juice. :😭:
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