What’s the Word: One good line deserves another

By Charles W. Johnson / Columnist

JOHNSON

I’ve been a movie buff for most of my life. I love them, as do most Americans, and for that matter, the rest of the civilized world. Though I’m sure I’d probably seen several movies before it, the first I remember seeing is the great classic “Gone With the Wind.” The thing I remember most from that movie is the burning of Atlanta scene. As I recall, I asked the person that took me, I’m not sure who it was, whether we were going to burn up too. I have to admit I wax a bit nostalgic for that feeling of being there I felt then. Movies have never seemed quite so real to me since.

Over the years, one of my favorite activities has been querying my friends and family about what they consider their most memorable lines of dialogue from the movies. There have been some classics, and everyone seems to have their favorites. Some are funny, some are profound, and some are just plain dumb.

Herewith, some of my personal favs. Now, this is going to reveal my penchant for horror films, since several come from this genre. Whether or not you approve of this type of film, they have been around since the silent movie days and have always had a major audience. It seems a great many of us love to be scared out of our wits. The thing I like about them, if they are well done, is the suspense. I love sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what is going to happen next. A truly suspenseful movie never gets boring, and I hate being bored.

Anyway, on to some of my favorite lines. Now, these may not be exact quotes, but the gist is there. The first comes from the movie “Poltergeist.” Early in the film, the mother is startled when she turns to see her kitchen chairs suddenly stacked up high in the air after she has just placed them around the table. Her youngest daughter had previously told her family the house is haunted by what she calls the “TV people,” something her mother has found hard to believe. But when she is confronted by incontrovertible evidence of their existence, she turns to her daughter and asks, “The TV people?” “Uh huh,” the little girl replies. “Can you see them,” asks her mom. “Unh uh,” the little girl says shaking her head, “Can you?”

I love that. I don’t know why really. Maybe it’s the innocence of two people who are faced with the impossible and are forced to try and make sense of it. Maybe it’s because both seem to be wondering if the other is kind of weird.

Here’s a good one from an older movie. It’s a famous line spoken by the marvelous Bette Davis as Madge Norwood in the movie “Cabin in the Cotton.” This one has to rank as one of the greatest put-downs ever uttered. “I’d love to kiss you, but I just washed my hair,” Davis says to some hapless guy in that wonderful clipped New England accent.

Yeah, right. Might as well give up on this one fella, it’s not going to happen. Women wash their hair a lot. Every day even.

Another favorite is from the movie “The Lost Boys.” In this teenage vampire flick a mother and her two sons are forced to come live with her father. The boys are horrified to find their grandfather doesn’t own a television. At the same time, they are totally confused to find a copy of “TV Guide” on a table in the house, which leads to a really great line.

“Grandpa, why do you have TV Guide if you don’t have a TV,” the boys ask.”

“If you read TV Guide, you don’t need a TV,” says grandpa.

Well, makes sense I guess, and would probably be better for you in the long run, but I still find the whole thing pretty hilarious. You have to wonder if he went to sleep reading the guest list for the “Tonight Show?”

(Charlie Johnson is news editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].)