Been Misquoting That Famous Movie Line? Fuggedaboutit

Been Misquoting That Famous Movie Line? Fuggedaboutit
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There's a longstanding list of famous movie quotes that we quote incorrectly. They've been ranked and remain a source of both discussion and confusion among the movie-seeing public. The fact many of the most famous and iconic lines are misquoted (and mislabeled) is nearly irrelevant to viewers. They want to hold onto what they and their peers remember the lines as, even if corrected. But why are these lines so dear to the hearts of American film watchers?

Fred R. Shapiro tried to investigate in a New York Times Magazine column what happens when we warp original lines into something closely related but inaccurate. Many of Shapiro's examples and explanations stem from a sense that the American viewers have a better sense of what the lines should sound like. What resonates with them is pretty much a crap shoot for directors and screen writers to figure out and take aim at.

But what's clear from all of these examples is that we like to keep our quotes short. We've condensed, shortened, and summarized in order to retain the original meaning minus the fluff that encompasses the context of the lines. That's not to say that in order for a movie line - and with it the film itself - to rise to iconic status that writers should try to stick to short sentences. Some of the best writing in cinematic history is inside long-winded speeches and rants (See A Few Good Men, for one).

What it does show, however, is how little the actual language matters to people's memories of those scenes and moments. When people quote "You can't handle the truth" it's not necessarily a reflection of their abilities to recall the exact language (and tone) of a specific scene inside a movie they love. Rather, it's an opportunity to re-live the power of the scene itself, a word or line that represents the larger impact. So the same may take place in their minds when they misstate something like "Luke, I am your father." It shows a greater love for Star Wars or that storyline inside the film - it's not about the line itself.

The intriguing question here is what lines will rise to become the ones that the audience will associate with and link to the movie after watching it. Any of the lines Shapiro cites that get cited out of context of the overall film to those who haven't seen them won't convey the significance or authority of them being uttered inside the films. They don't hold up as standalone quotes worth mention.

So filmmakers shouldn't worry about people who misquote their lines, nor should fans correct their friends for these innocent flubs. It's never been about the language, but about the sentimental association that the movies imbue in their enthusiasts. Movies have always been left up to interpretation, even, it turns out, some of their most famous lines.

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