Not a theatrical movie but a movie none the less…
I purchase a movie about Bridge Day. A festival held yearly at the New River Gorge Bridge where hundreds of B.A.S.E jumpers take the plunge. The film opened with a ceremonial spreading of a deceased skydivers ashes over the edge of the bridge prior to the first jump. As a gust of wind uncerimoniously sweeps the ashes back up onto the bridge we hear our camera man utter the unforgettable words:
“Oh look! We got some Dave on our lens…”
This is more of a classic than simply one of my favorites… but the ending to Some Like It Hot!
“Nobody’s perfect!”
I was a little disappointed with the movie as a whole but the last line of Some like it Hot is indeed terrific.
Billy Wilder seemed to have a knack for great endings; Sunset Boulevard and The Apartment also have deservedly famous last lines.
From a movie I just saw for the first time, and instantly loved… the closing line from The Crossing Guard is absolutely perfect.
“It’s pink. Emily’s stone is pink.”
Damn.
Oh, and BuckleberryFerry, I really like that closer from Fellowship as well. That’s one of the greats.
Opening line-
“what’s it going to be then? There we were, me Alex, and me three droogs…”
Closing line-
“I was cured, all right.”
No Casablanca fans?
“…Louie, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”
Best. Closing Line. Ever.
For you Johnny Depp fans, see Chocolat.
merrily, I’ve heard he was less than good in that movie, but I will rent it if you can persuade me…
FriarTed, is your opening line from Goonies? I’ve never seen more than a few seconds of it, but that line is really ringing a bell.
“Forget about it Jake. It’s Chinatown.”
‘Just one thing I hate about living in Santa Carla. All the damn vampires.’
If I’m not completely mistaken, both of FriarTed’s lines are from A Clockwork Orange. It’s been a while, but I think that’s right.
I’m trying to figure out where Ura-Maru’s is from. Is it From Dusk 'til Dawn?
Not exactly an opening “line”, but it’s hard to beat an opening scene where Katherine Hepburn dumps a bunch of golf clubs out of the bag, takes one, and deliberately breaks it… and then Cary Grant retaliates.
Close. The Lost Boys.
Damn, been a while since I’ve seen that one too. My next guess would have been the one with James Woods in it… I think it was just called Vampires.
In addition to a few mentioned here, there was the closing exchange (leading up to the great line) in Dinner at Eight:
Jean Harlow: I was reading a book the other day.
Marie Dressler (after executing the greatest double-take in the history of film): 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 (looking her up and down): Oh, my dear. That’s something you need never worry about.
Even after 70 years, few have topped that one.
After flipping channels tonight and catching the end of The Usual Suspects for the umpteenth time, I think the closing line from that flick needs to be added:
“The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he didn’t exist…then poof, he’s gone.”
Memento closing line
“Now, where was I?”
Bucakaroo Banzai closing line
“So what? Big deal.”
Chinatown
Opener: “Alright Curly, enough’s enough. You can’t eat the Venetian blinds, I just had them installed on Wednesday.”
Closer: “Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown.”
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
“Always look on the bright side of life”