What is the most commonly used phrase in English that came from a movie?

Cafe Society
1

We’ve got a thread going on about movie lines people use in everyday conversation.

What would be THE most commonly used movie line in English? My rules:

  1. It has to be essentially original to a movie script. No fair using a Shakepearian or Biblical phrase. They’ve all been said in movies, and one of those would win easily.

  2. It has to be a line, not just one word.

  3. I’m looking for phrases used as part of language, not merely quoted because it’s fun. “No, I am your father” is rarely used as a part of conversation or a metaphor. It’s usually just because you are actually quoting the Empire Strikes Back.

2

“We’re not in Kansas anymore” (from The Wizard of Oz) is somewhat common in any situation where things go off plan.

“I’ll be back” (Arnie’s catchphrase) also seems to get used in earnest quite a bit (I mean, people realise they are quoting him and often make some attempt at the voice, but they use it in situations where they are stepping away for a moment.

3

“We’re going to need a bigger […]”. Started out as boat, but I’ve heard it used in other circumstances.

4

“That’ll be the day.” (The Searchers) was the first that sprang to mind for me.

5

Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn?

6

It’s tricky, because all the ones I can think of are used at least in part as nods to the movie; if you say them, you’re also quoting. But here’s what I can think of:

  • Go ahead: make my day.
  • I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.
  • I’m the king of the world!
  • We don’t need no stinking badges!
  • Forget it Jake–it’s Chinatown.
7

"It could be worse. It could be raining.:

8

Ooh! This article has some good ones, including a possible winner (a line that didn’t appear anywhere in the books):

  • Elementary, my dear Watson!

And I dunno about other families, but in ours, there’s a very specific movie line we say if we eat a particularly tasty bit of pork.

Edit: and another possible winner from that list:

  • Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
9

Not sure I’d argue that it’s literally the most commonly used, but the first thing that came to mind for me was “I’m not even supposed to be here today.”

ETA: Or maybe “Say hello to my little friend.”

10

Not sure if this is what you had in mind, but your OP makes me think of the phrase “bucket list.” When the movie “The Bucket List” came out in 2007, that wasn’t a phrase I’ve ever heard anyone use, but after the movie, it became a commonly understood phrase.

11

Can I just slip in a TV script line?

“That’s what she said!”

12

Absolutely. Completely new phrase to me when the movie came out, and I use it all the time. In Easy A, Stanly Tucci has a great line delivery when he talks about how now that they’ve seen the movie The Bucket List, they can cross it off their bucket list.

13

Turn it up to eleven.

14

How about “Nobody’s perfect” from Some Like It Hot? Although perhaps that was in use beforehand.

15

Here’s looking at you, kid.

Or was that a thing before Casablanca?

j

16

Ignore everything I said–this seems like the obvious winner to me.

17

That term certainly shot up a lot on NGrams after the movie came out.

18

Let’s get out of here!

19

Damn, that may be a winner. Some excellent ones so far though.

The reference to :“bucket list” might be another contender. Like @The_wind_of_my_soul I had never heard that term before the movie. It is also a strong contender for “most memorable line or phrase from an otherwise forgettable movie.”

Sure we can open this up to TV lines, but that phrase appears in print before it did on TV.

20

This one is remarkable because when people quote it, they may be entirely unaware that they’re quoting anything. That movie isn’t so much forgettable as forgotten.