# Useful advice you've gotten from the movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137 "2017-06-16T18:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/1 "2017-06-16T18:39:11Z")
There’s a scene in _Saving Private Ryan_ where Matt Damon’s character complains that he “can’t picture his brothers’ faces” anymore. Tom Hanks tells him, “You’ve got to think of a context. Think about something specific, something you’ve done together.” So Matt Damon thinks back, and recalls a story about him & his brothers making fun of his older brother for making out with an ugly girl. The trick works in real life, too. In fact, whenever someone in the movies says, “I can’t even remember what so-and-so looked like,” I’m always tempted to shout at the screen: _“THINK OF A CONTEXT!”_ What uncommonly good advice have you learned from the movies? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/2 "2017-06-16T18:56:37Z")
Always have enough food and drink. Otherwise you miss part of the movie going to the snack bar. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/3 "2017-06-16T19:01:24Z")
The Lord loves a workin’ man, don’t trust whitey, see a doctor and get rid of it. ~ The Jerk ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/4 "2017-06-16T19:08:57Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Always have enough food and drink. Otherwise you miss part of the movie going to the snack bar. … and pee before the movie starts even if you really don’t need to. 2 1/2 hours is a really long time to sit and drink soda for. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/5 "2017-06-16T19:11:59Z")
Sweep the leg. If you build it, they will come. A nice game of chess is preferable to global thermonuclear war. _Never_ find a stranger in the Alps. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/6 "2017-06-16T19:34:50Z")
Watch crop dusting biplanes carefully If Ingrid Bergman says you get to choose, get on the #\*~ing plane with her Do not use the toilet of the dangerous man you are searching for, or if go you must, keep you firearm close to hand Don’t get into a car with a man who is carrying cannoli ---
**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:** [June 16, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/7 "2017-06-16T19:42:51Z")
“One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to show you a brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken. Then this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the jack of spades jump out of this brand-new deck of cards and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not accept this bet, because as sure as you stand there, you’re going to wind up with an ear full of cider.” – [Guys and Dolls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtBwoinDS18). I think of this whenever someone offers to bet me about something. And of course, “If a person saying he was something was all there was to it, this country’d be full of rich men and good-looking women… Too bad it isn’t that easy. In short, when someone else says you’re a writer, that’s when you’re a writer… not before.” – Hearts of the West. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/8 "2017-06-16T19:47:00Z")
Never rub another man’s rhubarb. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/9 "2017-06-16T19:47:31Z")
Always look on the bright side of life. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/10 "2017-06-16T19:48:17Z")
When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/11 "2017-06-16T19:49:39Z")
Both pilots shouldn’t eat the same meal. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/12 "2017-06-16T19:52:51Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Never rub another man’s rhubarb. What about his rutabaga? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/13 "2017-06-16T19:56:15Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Sweep the leg. > > If you build it, they will come. > > A nice game of chess is preferable to global thermonuclear war. > > _Never_ find a stranger in the Alps. > [@Kropotkin](#): > > Watch crop dusting biplanes carefully > If Ingrid Bergman says you get to choose, get on the #\*~ing plane with her > Do not use the toilet of the dangerous man you are searching for, or if go you must, keep you firearm close to hand > Don’t get into a car with a man who is carrying cannoli > [@Asimovian](#): > > Never rub another man’s rhubarb. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk. Haha, you funny guys. Actually, I was hoping to hear examples of serious advice that you can apply on a daily basis (as opposed to never getting involved in a land war in Asia.) A strange thing to find in the movies, but that’s kinda my point. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/14 "2017-06-16T20:05:10Z")
Then I guess I shouldn’t mention plastics. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/15 "2017-06-16T20:05:39Z")
**In Bruges** has so many: 1. You can’t sell horse tranquilizers to a midget. 2. One nice thing about Europe is you don’t have to learn any of their languages. 3. Hell might be an eternity spent in Bruges. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/16 "2017-06-16T20:08:47Z")
Let the Wookiee win. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/17 "2017-06-16T20:10:23Z")
If you ever have the opportunity to open a gateway to Hell, don’t. Avoid people who don’t cast reflections. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/18 "2017-06-16T20:18:14Z")
This one’s practically my credo: “Years ago my mother used to say to me, she’d say, “In this world, Elwood, you must be” - she always called me Elwood - “In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” - Elwood P. Dowd, _Harvey_ ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/19 "2017-06-16T20:20:51Z")
I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, “wouldn’t it be much worse if life were fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?” So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137/20 "2017-06-16T20:33:03Z")
Never get involved in a land war in Asia. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/useful-advice-youve-gotten-from-the-movies/789137.md?page=2)