Quotes about Defining Moments

Tom Winters: You're hardly my idea of the faithful old family retainer, but you've got to stay. They want you. I've lost touch...

- Cary Grant (as Tom Winters) in Houseboat (1958)

Tony Kirby: Well, Dad, if you think it's funny, I'm sorry. I came in here to say goodbye.
Anthony P. Kirby: Goodbye? Are you serious?
Tony Kirby: Yes I'm serous. I don't want any part of this, Dad. I never did.
Anthony P. Kirby: You can't do this -- after all the plans I made for you...
Tony Kirby: Dad, if I can just make you understand this... I think this business is great -- it's good for you because you like it. I don't and I never will. Oh, I... I've tried to talk to you so many times about it, but I... I just couldn't get it out. I... I used to be able to talk to you dad, but lately... (he's at a loss for words) I'll probably be gone before you get home tonight. Goodbye Dad.

- James Stewart (as Tony Kirby) in You Can't Take It With You (1938)

Rhett Butler: I can't go all my life waiting to catch you between husbands.

- Clark Gable (as Rhett Butler) in Gone with the Wind (1939)

Robin Hood: I'll organize revolt, exact a death for a death, and I'll never rest until every Saxon in this shire can stand up free men and strike a blow for Richard and England.
Prince John: Are you finished?
Robin Hood: I'm only just beginning. From this night forward I'll use every means in my power to fight you!

- Errol Flynn (as Robin Hood) in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Dr. Peter Blood: Men, I've just heard a startling piece of news - King James is kicked out of England and good King William reigns in his stead.
[the crew all cheer]
Dr. Peter Blood: For me this changes the shape of the world. For you who were slaves with me, it means that we're no longer slaves, that we once more have a home and a country. For you who are English it means a chance to fight for your native land... for I now propose to sail into Port Royal and take it from the French! Those of you who are not English will have to be content with fighting for Captain Blood... and the loot you'll find on the French ships. Are you willing to fight, men?
[the crew all cheer, "Aye"]

- Errol Flynn (as Peter Blood) in Captain Blood (1935)

Dominique Francon: I wish I had never seen your building. It's the things that we admire or want that enslave us, I'm not easy to bring into submission.

- Patricia Neal (as Dominique Francon) in The Fountainhead (1949)

Longfellow Deeds: About my playing the tuba. Seems like a lot of fuss has been made about that. If, if a man's crazy just because he plays the tuba, then somebody'd better look into it, because there are a lot of tuba players running around loose. 'Course, I don't see any harm in it. I play mine whenever I want to concentrate. That may sound funny to some people, but everybody does something silly when they're thinking. For instance, the judge here is, is an O-filler.
Judge May: A what?
Longfellow Deeds: An O-filler. You fill in all the spaces in the O's with your pencil. I was watching him.
[general laughter]
Longfellow Deeds: That may make you look a little crazy, Your Honor, just, just sitting around filling in O's, but I don't see anything wrong, 'cause that helps you think. Other people are doodlers.
Judge May: "Doodlers"?
Longfellow Deeds: Uh, that's a word we made up back home for people who make foolish designs on paper when they're thinking: it's called doodling. Almost everybody's a doodler; did you ever see a scratchpad in a telephone booth? People draw the most idiotic pictures when they're thinking. Uh, Dr. von Hallor here could probably think up a long name for it, because he doodles all the time.
[general laughter; he takes a sheet off the doctor's notepad]
Longfellow Deeds: Thank you. This is a piece of paper he was scribbling on. I can't figure it out - one minute it looks like a chimpanzee, and the next minute it looks like a picture of Mr. Cedar. You look at it, Judge. Exhibit A for the defense. Looks kind of stupid, doesn't it, Your Honor? But I guess that's all right; if Dr. von Hallor has to, uh, doodle to help him think, that's his business. Everybody does something different: some people are, are ear-pullers; some are nail-biters; that, uh, Mr. Semple over there is a nose-twitcher.
[general laughter]
Longfellow Deeds: And the lady next to him is a knuckle-cracker.
[general laughter]
Longfellow Deeds: So you see, everybody does silly things to help them think. Well, I play the tuba.

- Gary Cooper (as Longfellow Deeds) in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Ned Sharp: Where is the regiment riding?
George Armstrong Custer: To hell, Sharp... or to glory. It depends on one's point of view.

- Errol Flynn (as George Armstrong Custer) in They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

Alexander Sebastian: I am married to an American agent.

- Claude Rains (as Alexander Sebastian) in Notorious (1946)

Addison DeWitt: It's important right now that we talk, killer to killer.
Eve Harrington: Champion to champion.
Addison DeWitt: Not with me, you're no champion. You're stepping way up in class.
Eve Harrington: Addison, will you please say what you have to say, plainly and distinctly, and then get out, so I can take my nap?
Addison DeWitt: Very well - plainly and distinctly - though I consider it unnecessary because you know as well as I do what I'm going to say: Lloyd may leave Karen, but he will not leave Karen for you.

- George Sanders (as Addison DeWitt) in All About Eve (1950)