# What is a movie that has good dialogue **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483 "2013-08-06T10:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/61 "2013-08-08T02:38:46Z")
_Sweet Smell of Success_ “Cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the river.” “That kid is dumb on matinee days only. Otherwise he’s got a head.” “I’d hate to take a bite out of you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic.” “My left hand hasn’t seen my right hand in twenty years.” “Watch me run the fifty-yard dash with my legs cut off!” “That’s fish four days old. I won’t buy it.” “From now on, the best of everything’s good enough for me.” Yeah, I love the over-the-top dialogue in this great, fun film. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/62 "2013-08-08T02:46:00Z")
Here are a couple I just thought of that had a “realistic” type of great dialogue: **500 Days of Summer Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind** There aren’t any particularly quotable moments from either of those movies. The dialogue is just so good and so believable and so average, in a wonderful way that just perfectly captures romance and struggling with real human issues and feelings. Anyone else agree with these choices? I agree strongly with the POV that the other type of “good dialogue” like from Tarantino or Coen Brothers is usually very good because of how “hyper real” or witty or clever or stylized it is. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/63 "2013-08-08T03:38:00Z")
The Maltese Falcon had a lot of very good dialogue. Network had some world class dialogue. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/64 "2013-08-08T06:30:32Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > That’s the genius of his dialog - real conversations do have the same loopy tangents and asides and goofy opinions, and he manages to make those interesting. The great thing about the “What? What’s not an answer!” exchange is everyone’s said it themselves. Everyone’s had that one annoying friend/acquaintance that “doesn’t believe in tipping” or dealt with a coffee snob or had their SO forget to pack the one god-damned thing you absolutely needed packed for the move, and it’s hilarious to see criminals in life and death situations dealing with the same crap. > > His dialog highlights that no matter who you are, you’re still stuck dealing with humanity. Jennifer Aniston gets cut off in traffic, Anthony Hopkins get’s the wrong toppings on his pizza order, Prince’s royalty checks get stuck in someone else’s mailbox. I know what you mean. I wish I had a nickel for every time one of my dead father’s POW friends told me a story about sticking my great-grandfather’s wristwatch up his ass. Lots of good movies mentioned so far. I’ll add two more, both westerns: **Silverado** **The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly** ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/65 "2013-08-08T06:45:44Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > Lots of great mentions, but I must recommend both **Double Indemnity** and **The Apartment**. +1 for **Double Indemnity** which has the best dialog in a film noir and arguably the best ever. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/66 "2013-08-08T07:18:27Z")
> [@Rollo\_Tomasi](#): > > **Topsy Turvy** Jim Broadbent was lucky in that he was playing one of the great geniuses of the English language. I love the rhythm of the language in this film: Gilbert: You have my sympathies, Lely. But unfortunately your avocation as an actor compels you on occasion to endure the most ignominious indignities…as Grossmith will doubtless testify. George Grossmith: Without question, sir. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/67 "2013-08-08T14:37:41Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Lots of good movies mentioned so far. I’ll add two more, both westerns: > > **Silverado** > **The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly** I think _ **Tombstone** _ could qualify as well, or at least every line of it written for Doc Holliday. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/68 "2013-08-08T14:49:07Z")
The dialogue in _ **High Fidelity** _ is all fantastic, but it comes from a fantastic writer, Nick Hornby. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/69 "2013-08-08T17:35:03Z")
I’d nominate This Is Spinal Tap… Like the Mike Leigh films already mentioned, the dialogue is largely improvised which gives it a very real feel. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/70 "2013-08-08T23:10:25Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I know what you mean. I wish I had a nickel for every time one of my dead father’s POW friends told me a story about sticking my great-grandfather’s wristwatch up his ass. You’d likely have quite a few nickels, for the value of “old person’s story with TMI.” If I had a nickel for every such story from my grandparents and uncles and their cronies, I wouldn’t be rich - but if I put them in a sock I could do some damage. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/71 "2013-08-09T01:04:09Z")
Coen Brothers’ _True Grit_. Every single character is on point in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/72 "2013-08-09T01:12:44Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Diner\*\* (there’s a conversation over the end credits that keeps people from leaving the theater). It’s interesting you bring up _Diner_ because in that film, there is a character who does nothing but speak dialogue from perhaps the best-written American film ever: the brilliant **Sweet Smell of Success** And I notice Fiddle Peghead beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/73 "2013-08-09T03:35:39Z")
I’m glad to see so many recommendations for _Sweet Smell of Success_, as we recently picked up a copy and will watch it this weekend. Haven’t seen it before. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/74 "2013-08-09T04:43:54Z")
I will say again…the classic Jack Nicholson films of the 70’s. For some reason they are nit easily available to watch. They are far more realistic and edgy than modern PC/corporate films. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/75 "2013-08-09T08:48:38Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > **The Lion In Winter** is king of snappy, witty dialogue. Hepburn and O’Toole chew through the (limited) scenery like buzzsaws, but it’s a delight listening to them while they do so. Beat me to it. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![nogwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nogwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nogwart)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/76 "2013-08-09T10:47:42Z")
I’m surprised it hasn’t been mentioned, and maybe it’s just me, but I don’t recall anything I’ve watched that has had me consistently rewinding scenes just to hear the dialogue over again like HBO’s **Deadwood**. Maybe it’s the complexity of the vocabulary combined with the setting and character histories that makes it so riveting, but I found the dialogue in many, many scenes absolutely brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/77 "2013-08-09T11:40:58Z")
Comedy: The Apartment Bringing Up Baby Drama: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/78 "2013-08-09T13:06:19Z")
As Good As It Gets ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/79 "2013-08-09T13:26:27Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > As Good As It Gets Good one! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483/80 "2013-08-09T14:49:22Z")
The one Oscar I was pulling for the year it came out was “Best Original Screenplay” for **The Usual Suspects**. The unfolding of the story comes mostly through dialogue, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. [Keaton always said…](http://youtu.be/chNc7nGhQ4M) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-movie-that-has-good-dialogue/665483.md?page=5)