Every family has a collective second language: inside jokes. And I suspect a large part of it is often made up of quotes from their favorite movies. I, for instance, live with three siblings who are amazingly skilled at imitating voices and inflections (my brother’s Walter Brennan imitation has to be heard to be believed), improvising whole conversations “in-character,” and inserting apt quotes into everyday conversation. If we’d gotten started on Shakespeare a little earlier in life, we’d probably be quoting the Bard at each other all day long. As it is, hardly a day goes by when somebody doesn’t get a laugh by using a movie quote in just the right place.
Most of them really are inside jokes, in that they only “work” if everybody else knows the quote thoroughly well. For instance, if one of us quips “You don’t think that would look a trifle coincidental?” in a British accent, we all know exactly what they’re talking about. On the other hand, the other day my mom and I were discussing an item that came in different colors, and I said “Lemon, strawberry, or lilac?”—and it fell a bit flat because I had to refresh her memory on the source. (Bonus points if you can identify either of those.)
However, though most quotes are topical, there are those which, in the immortal words of Mr. Collins, “may be adapted to ordinary occasions.” This list I have compiled, if committed to memory and delivered with the proper flair, will provide you with a handy response in nearly every situation.
When asked to take on a job you thankfully cannot:
“That ain’t in my department.” ~ She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949)
When a dubious honor is conferred:
“What ’appiness to be asked!” ~ Martin Chuzzlewit (1994)
When everyone around you is over-excited:
“SPECULATION is the ENEMY of CALM.” ~ Cranford (2007)
After a minor calamity, especially a noisy one:
“I’m all right! I’m a-a-a-all right!” ~ It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
“I am injured in my feelings…” ~ Martin Chuzzlewit (1994) [Read more…]
