# Movie scenes recalled by a single word **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 18, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112 "2025-01-18T17:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/1 "2025-01-18T17:51:48Z")
I was discussing cropdusting the other day with some co-workers, as you do, and I couldn’t help remembering the classic scene in _North by Northwest_ where Cary Grant is lured into the middle of nowhere and then menaced by a cropdusting biplane. It took me until just now, while writing this post, to think of another movie with a cropduster in it, and it’s much less well known. Mention “cropdusting” to a movie fan, and I’ll wager that they all think of _North by Northwest_ So what other movie scenes are there that can be brought to mind with a single word? Better still, post a single word here and see if we all think of the same scene. “Rosebud” might work, but some of us will think of the beginning of _Citizen Kane_, and some might think of the end. (I did some searches of “cropduster” and “cropdusting”, and there didn’t seem to be complete agreement on whether it’s one word, two word, or hyphenated.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/2 "2025-01-18T17:55:17Z")
Plastics ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/3 "2025-01-18T17:59:35Z")
Badges. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/4 "2025-01-18T18:03:30Z")
Serpentine. Inconceivable. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/5 "2025-01-18T18:09:28Z")
All good choices. I notice that they’re all bits of dialog; something that a character within the movie said. I’d also like to find examples like “cropduster”; things or ideas that are iconic to just one movie scene. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/6 "2025-01-18T18:12:55Z")
One term, though two words: “[potter’s wheel](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41a37qstBIL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg).” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/7 "2025-01-18T18:13:36Z")
[with a “J” sound] “GIGAWATTS!!!” [/with a “J” sound] ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/8 "2025-01-18T18:16:46Z")
One band name, though two words: Stealers Wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/9 "2025-01-18T18:16:53Z")
Milkshake ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/10 "2025-01-18T18:20:48Z")
Shower ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/11 "2025-01-18T18:25:00Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Shower Psycho? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/12 "2025-01-18T18:26:53Z")
Monkey-boy. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/13 "2025-01-18T18:28:33Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > > Shower > > Psycho? That’s what I had in mind. (Would we still have thought of it if the OP hadn’t gotten us thinking Hitchcock?) ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/14 "2025-01-18T18:29:36Z")
LOL I missed the Hitchcock comment … I haven’t watched a whole lot of movies either. This was one that my mother used to talk about all the time. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/15 "2025-01-18T18:31:30Z")
Boulder. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/16 "2025-01-18T18:33:15Z")
TruCoat. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/17 "2025-01-18T18:43:22Z")
Cannoli ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/18 "2025-01-18T18:43:35Z")
Thirteen! ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/19 "2025-01-18T18:44:06Z")
Dude. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112/20 "2025-01-18T18:47:11Z")
Ssssssmokin [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-scenes-recalled-by-a-single-word/1013112.md?page=2)