# Famous movie quotations -- that weren't actually spoken **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598 "2007-11-15T21:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/1 "2007-11-15T21:59:38Z")
Everyone recognizes “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” The line is from _Star Wars_ – though it’s never spoken in any of the films. What other movie quotes can we think of that were only written, never spoken? I’m not talking about misquotes – “Play it again, Sam” being the classic example. But text from the credits, lines from computer chats that the actor doesn’t actually read out loud, or words that appear onscreen without being spoken all qualify. Even taglines from the poster can qualify: “In space, no one can hear you scream,” after all. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/2 "2007-11-15T23:00:09Z")
My sister was bitten by a møøse… ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/3 "2007-11-15T23:18:46Z")
The promotional tagline for _Jaws 2_ was better than the movie: **Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…** ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/4 "2007-11-15T23:44:02Z")
It was mostly TV, but _The Truth is Out There_ ---
**Author:** ![I\_m\_No\_Saint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/977dab/32.png) [@I\_m\_No\_Saint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_m_No_Saint)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/5 "2007-11-16T00:58:58Z")
Damn, this is a good question… How about “They won’t stay dead!” from **Night of the Living Dead** ’s movie poster? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/6 "2007-11-16T01:01:48Z")
“In space no one can hear you scream.” “Filmed on location in space.” ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/7 "2007-11-16T01:31:37Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/8 "2007-11-16T02:03:14Z")
Heck, you could comb libraries of old movie posters (or go to the iMDB and look through the tag lines) to generate as many of these as you want. Tag lines from trailers and catchphrases from posters rarely get spoken in the film \*\*His Whole Life was a Million-to-One Shot A Story of a Boy, a Girl, and a Galaxy Makes Ber Hur Look Like an Epic! Sets the Cinema back 500 Years! Go Ahead … Laugh! If You Have a Taste for Terror, You have a Date with Carrie! Welcome to Westworld, Where Nothing can go Wrnog You Will Believe a Man Can Fly! \*\* ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/9 "2007-11-16T05:25:24Z")
Cary Grant: “Judy, Judy, Judy.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/10 "2007-11-16T05:47:03Z")
**See You Next Wednesday**. Never spoken in John Landis films, but seen in just about every one as the title of a film being advertised or playing at a theatre in the background. Not sure if this should count though, since Landis apparently took the phrase from _2001_, where Frank Poole’s parents say it to Poole when they speak with him. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/11 "2007-11-16T06:08:20Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] **See You Next Wednesday**. Never spoken in John Landis films, but seen in just about every one as the title of a film being advertised or playing at a theatre in the background. Not sure if this should count though, since Landis apparently took the phrase from _2001_, where Frank Poole’s parents say it to Poole when they speak with him. [/QUOTE] Technically you’re correct since you never hear it in one of Landis’ movies. However, in the video for “Thriller” during the scene where MJ and his date are watching a movie in a theater, you do hear a voice from on-screen say the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/12 "2007-11-16T11:09:20Z")
“You dirty rat” I understand was never actually uttered by **James Cagney** but was the go-to line used by his myriad impersonators as a representative phrasing. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/13 "2007-11-16T11:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=minlokwat] “You dirty rat” I understand was never actually uttered by **James Cagney** but was the go-to line used by his myriad impersonators as a representative phrasing. [/QUOTE] This isn’t the sort of thing the OP is looking for. The OP is looking for quotes that were actually in the movie (or perhaps on its promotional material), but which were never spoken, only written. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/14 "2007-11-16T16:03:14Z")
The propaganda signs in the background of Gilliam’s _Brazil_ are pretty memorable. “Don’t suspect a friend, report him” and “Be Safe, Be Suspicious” are the two I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/15 "2007-11-16T16:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] The propaganda signs in the background of Gilliam’s _Brazil_ are pretty memorable. “Don’t suspect a friend, report him” and “Be Safe, Be Suspicious” are the two I remember. [/QUOTE] That reminds me of the sign in the girl’s camp in Kubrick’s _Lolita_: “Welcome to Camp Climax. Drive Carefully.” Which was not in the book but summarizes what occurs there quite nicely! ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/16 "2007-11-16T16:16:26Z")
Can’t remember if Kubrick did this too, but Lyne’s _Lolita_ put the classic “Children Under 14 Free” on a hotel sign. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/17 "2007-11-16T16:24:32Z")
“Eerie, Indiana. Population 16661” ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/18 "2007-11-16T17:02:48Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] **See You Next Wednesday**. Never spoken in John Landis films, but seen in just about every one as the title of a film being advertised or playing at a theatre in the background. Not sure if this should count though, since Landis apparently took the phrase from _2001_, where Frank Poole’s parents say it to Poole when they speak with him. [/QUOTE] I remeber it as the movie in _American Werewolf in London_. I figured that movie was a sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/19 "2007-11-17T18:55:51Z")
Speaking of Kubrick, there’s also the sign on the military barracks “Peace is our Profession”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598/20 "2007-11-17T19:03:31Z")
“Yes, I assure you, we’re open” from Clerks “The night HE came home” from Halloween “The Evil Dead” from The Evil Dead or any of it’s sequels And I’m sure there’s a thread (or twenty) on great background signs in The Simpsons. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-movie-quotations-that-werent-actually-spoken/426598.md?page=2)