", In the all-time classic Casablanca, American expatriate/nightclub owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is reunited with an old lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). Amen. "From The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Morrisons classic novel about slavery begins with this enigmatic line: 124 was spiteful. We come to understand that animus slowly, as the story of a murdered baby moves backward and forward in time, before and after the Civil War. Here she is with another hour before her. Make fun all you want, but after everything that Harry went through, this may be the most well-deserved last line weve ever read: The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. 'And here is Toto, too. ", Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, "And so we stayed out in the garden of the old house until we couldnt see to kick a ball, laughing in the gathering twilight, my mother and son, my wife and our daughter, making the most of the good weather and all the days that were left, our little game watched only by next doors cat, and every star in the heavens. by Mary Shelley (1818). 19. Here's looking at you, kid. written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak (1963). "The cults of the famous and the dead" is such a punchy last line, it could just as well serve as the book's subtitle. He uncovers a corruption scandal within the Los Angeles Department of Power and Water. Sometimes, famous last lines can be more famous than the work they come from. The Broom of the System, David Foster Wallace. Perhaps the greatest failure of American literature, which is so bravely explicit about all other aspects of life, is its nervous avoidance of anything explicitly religious. Batman knows that, if the citizens of crime-ridden Gotham learn of Dent's killing spree under his guise of Two-Face, all hope will go out the window. She knew firsthand the deleterious effects of that lack of demand. Nancy Dell'Olio v Jeremy Paxman, Quiz: match the stage directions to the play, Which Shakespeare characters speak these lines? As a man, he makes his way into the Mafia, where he's guided by three mentors: Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino), Jimmy "the Gent" Conway (Robert DeNiro), and the volatile Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). But even more arresting is the books moral struggle to understand and forgive his parents failings and his own. All was well. ", "With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Wake up to the day's most important news. 4 min. Mitchell's famous last lines are at once heartbreaking and hopeful. The elitist snobs are no longer in charge. What early event in American history was the backdrop for Arthur Miller's play in which this line appears? Before moving to Washington, he edited the books section of the Christian Science Monitor in Boston. ", "And here she is, herself, Clarissa, not Mrs. Dalloway anymore; there is no one now to call her that. ", "She had started to cry softly. OPTIONS: Show cue speeches Show full speeches # Act, Scene, Line (Click to see in context) Speech text: 1. In this closing scene, the lovely Lady Brett tempts Jake once again to imagine what a damned good time they could have had. 'Im a man of my'"From The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace. The Extra-Terrestrial tracks the relationship between an adorable alien visitor who has accidentally been stranded on Earth and the young boy he befriends. Those words are meaningful because the entire theme of The Dark Knight is meaningful. "There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks filled the air." "The Awakening," by Kate Chopin (1899) At the end of Henrik Ibsen's play "Hedda Gabler" (1891), a trapped and passionate. Weve already given you a rundown of our favorite opening lines in literature, but since every beginning needs an ending (and youd be surprised at how many works with awesome first lines also have awesome last lines or perhaps you wouldnt be surprised), we feel compelled to treat you to a list of our favorite last lines as well. And Carlson said, 'Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys? "From Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Sophocles. The last line is so important to nail because it will send the audience out of the theater on the right emotional note. Now, of course, his story about a handsome gangster is considered one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. You may deny me, but I'll be your servant, Whether you will or no. ", "We sat there for a long time, till the crowd around us thinned, till the sun shifted and the light changed. As you probably guessed, the famous lines above open Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night. Angsty teens everywhere can relate to Holden's desire to quell his heightened emotions. After the gray and blood-soaked pages that came before, its shockingly beautiful and places humanitys horrors against the boundless life of the Earth. But, eventually, he's caught in a pinch by the Feds. In the final pages, the narrator knows some readers will continue to ignore the relevance of his life: Youll fail to see how any principle that applies to you could apply to me. But he knows thats not true. The above is only a portion (we wouldn't be able to fit all of it in this article), but we couldn't NOT include one of the longest last sentences in literature. That line has several layers, but, most prominently, it acknowledges that their relationship has changed. Lorrie Moore, one of the best short story writers alive, once said, The end of a story is really everything, and for many years it seemed she had abandoned novel writing altogether. ", "This stone is entirely blank. 8. Her simple, final wish looks banal out of context, but after watching her family and her murderer for years, its devastatingly pure. That might be the subject of a new story, but our present story is ended. I been there before. We'll take any optimism we can get from curmudgeonly Franzen, regardless of whether or not it's meant in earnest (and in this case, it seems to be). The Catcher in the Rye , J.D. ", A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini, "But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy. The ending would be a downer were it not for Gordon's admiring words. 1. The Maltese Falcon has a plot that confuses a lot of viewers, at least on first viewing. Rabbit eventually crawls home, determined to be better, but his flight instinct is not so easily quelled. Shakespeare's Opening Lines: The Quiz If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it. Their land will then be re-watered, leading to growth and prosperity for the new owners. And us so happy. "As you from crimes would pardoned be,Let your indulgence set me free. Charlotte was both. Her first book, Barracoon, never found a publisher during her lifetime. "But that is another tale, and as I said in the beginning, this is just a story meant to be read in bed in an old house on a rainy night. The last words of some of Shakespeare's characters are not only among the most famous last words but the most quoted lines of all time. Moments. The tale of Max, the mischievous boy sent to bed without his supper, was Sendaks greatest achievement, the perfect pairing of text and image. The 1933 version of King Kong is an all-time classic thanks in no small part to its dramatic ending. ", Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak, "I wrote at the start that this was a record of hate, and walking there beside Henry towards the evening glass of beer, I found the one prayer that seemed to serve the winter mood: O God, You've done enough, You've robbed me of enough, I'm too tired and old to learn to love, leave me alone forever. Brody is, of course, being ironic. I carry a lot of scars. people dont do such things. A few years later, Chopin ran right up against those same stultifying expectations in her last novel, The Awakening, about a wife and mother who falls in love with another man and begins to imagine a different life. Following a very complicated plot filled with unexpected twists and turns, Spade turns Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor), the woman who hired him in the first place, over to the police for murder despite the fact that he has developed feelings for her. Ending an entire book in the middle of a sentence is a bold and playful choice. Her parting words are Sunset Boulevard's stinging, darkly funny punchline. Then after a 15 year hiatus came A Gate at the Stairs, about a witty young woman trying to figure out adult life in the face of two unspeakable tragedies. It'd be a glaring omission to not mention Fitzgerald's oft-quoted thesis about the American Dream. If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow. Everything about The Matrix is designed to make the viewer's head spin. The Awakening,by Kate Chopin (1899). Its no real pleasure in life., 3. ", "And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he buzzed me through like I was someone who mattered. Best reason to go adventuring in Wonderland: Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood; and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago; and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days. Dorothy, relieved to be away from all that drama, looks at her aunt and exclaims "Auntie Em, there's no place like home!". ", Create and edit your own book list on Stylist here, "One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, 'Poo-tee-weet? ", RELATED: 10 Most Iconic Shots In Goodfellas. The scene takes place before the Battle of Agincourt in Northern France, specifically on October 25th, 1415 (a day known as Saint Crispin's Day). "And she comes to you, and she does not speak, and the others do not notice her, and she takes your hand, and you ready yourself to die, eyes open, aware this is all an illusion, a last aroma cast up by the chemical stew that is your brain, which will soon cease to function, and there will be nothing, and you are ready, ready to die well, ready to die like a man, like a woman, like a human, for despite all else you have loved, you have loved your father and your mother and your brother and your sister and your son and yes, your ex-wife, and you have loved the pretty girl, you have been beyond yourself, and so you have courage, and you have dignity, and you have calmness in the face of terror, and awe, and the pretty girl holds your hand, and you contain her, and this book, and me writing it, and I too contain you, who may not yet even be born, you inside me inside you, though not in a creepy way, and so may you, may I, may we, so may we all of us confront the end. ", "It begins like this: Barrabs came to us by sea", "He now has more patients than the devil himself could handle; the authorities treat him with deference and public opinion supports him. Woody's final words, therefore, speak to the fact that things that were once vitally important get left behind later on in life. (Miranda, Act 3 Scene 1) The clouds methought would open and show riches. Its possible to measure the weight of a novel by the size of its impact crater. ", Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Patrick Sskind, "Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead. Only months after it was published, Fitzgerald referred to Gatsby as a flop, and copies of the second printing were gathering dust in the publishers warehouse 15 years later when he died. Shakespeare's plays and sonnets are some of the most quoted in all of literature. Stock-still at their desks, novelists face a similar demand for a perfectly choreographed last move. Harvey Dent, thought by many to be a hero, is dead. I ran. They were uncommonly proud. As the movie wraps up, Somerset, in voiceover, says, "Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.' ", "I went on my way. Hamlet ponders life, death, and the merits . A beautiful, or at least effective, final sentence anchors a story in a reader's mind long after the book is finished. Famous Last Words in theatrical productions. Best description weve ever read of rationalizing one decision over and over as you make the other decision with your body: They were frantic, calling out to him, but they were dead, as dead as the ancient dead, and he was alive, he was needed at home, it was a no-brainer, no one could possibly blame him for this one, and making a low sound of despair in his throat he kicked off his loafers and threw his long ugly body out across the water. Stane has a personal agenda that involves manipulating the company for his own personal gain. Even today, millions of people think of the ravages of the Great Depression through the lens of Steinbecks story. Four decades later, I can still feel the shock of reaching the end of Steinbecks novel about an Oklahoma family traveling to California in search of work. Lament nor sorrow at; but please your thoughts. Theatre quiz: which Shakespeare character is dying? A beautiful, or at least effective, final sentence anchors a story in a reader's mind long after the book is finished. Orwells classic dystopian novel about a totalitarian state has never gone out of print, but it got a huge boost two years ago from the election of Donald Trump. Hazel followed; and together they slipped away, running easily down through the wood, where the first primroses were beginning to bloom. Over the course of the movie, he sees evidence that the world can be a pretty horrible place. She lures screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) into her scheme. Censors objections have shifted over the years (from truancy to the n-word), but its been banned in parts of the country ever since. I have bad dreams but I never saw Mister Duck again. "From The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. score: 5,129 , and 56 people voted. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston (1937), The fact that there is no demand for incisive and full-dress stories around Negroes above the servant class is indicative of something of vast importance to this nation, Hurston wrote in 1950. I am serious, and dont call me Shirley. But see how fast the smoke rises--oh, even faster when we laugh, lifting our hopes, higher and higher. This Civil War story cleverly blends biographical details about the real Bronson Alcott, Louisa Mays father, with elements of the fictional Mr. March, who has gone south to serve as a chaplain to Union soldiers. Inside, the agent comes to the shocking realization that he just let the real Keyser Soze get away. Interesting cinematography and engaging introductory scenes are vital to reel viewers into a film, but a final line is perhaps even more important. The miserable change now at my end. These famous lines appear in the fourth act of Henry V, one of Shakespeare's most commonly read history plays. Tarantino is known for several stellar films, and its status as a masterpiece isn't often contested. "She was seventy-five and she was going to make some changes in her life. NEXT: 10 Best Comedy Movies Of 2021, According To IMDb, 13 Best Shark Movies To Watch This Summer (That Aren't Jaws), 10 Unpopular Opinions About E.T. "From The Tempest by William Shakespeare. Hooper replies, "I can't imagine why. That contrast is most evident in the final moments. Most dearly held last line for moody and secretive teenagers everywhere: Dont ever tell anybody anything. Se7en is one of the most nihilistic motion pictures ever made, and Somerset's quote reflects that. But how painfully ironic that Americas most macho author should be remembered for a novel about an impotent man. He watched it dash along the table and through the hands of those who wished to pin it down. Upon being arrested, Norma, who is convinced that the newsreel cameras filming her capture are part of her movie production, exclaims, "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.". ", "The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards me, and guiding myself by them, as by a magical thread, I stepped into the room. Advertisement. The Road won a Pulitzer Prize and even spurred the normally shy author to agree to speak with Oprah for his first-ever television interview. ", "It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search after her missing children, only found another orphan. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Usual Suspects ends with a callback in which Verbal provides a very telling quote: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. Now, they are on the same side of a political cause. In Grand Hotel John Barrymore plays a baron and jewel thief, Wallace Beery plays a tycoon, Joan Crawford plays a stenographer, and Greta Garbo plays a ballerina who utters an even more famous line, "I want to be alone." 4. A Complete List of Shakespeare's Plays. He may have been a beast, but he was a beast with heart. Best closing lines in movies 1. A Dark Knight.". I took one more glance over my past life, then turned to the future. ", "Yukiko's diarrhoea persisted through the twenty-sixth, and was a problem on the train to Tokyo. ", "At that, as if it had been the signal he waited for, Newland Archer got up slowly and walked back alone to his hotel. If you don't stop and look around once and a while you might miss it." Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) 111 27 3. The Finish Line - 10 questions - 3 mins. The point, driven home so forcefully in those five words, is that corruption is so deeply ingrained in the situation Jake is investigating that he's wasting his time trying to expose or change it. His enemy in this case is Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), his late father's old business partner, who also manages Stark Industries. ". "From Ulysses by James Joyce. See if you recognise these closing lines of 10 great plays, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 'You bull's pizzle': match Shakespeare's insults to his plays quiz. This is the very famous last line of "Casablanca" which starred Humphrey Bogart, Paul Henreid and Ingrid Bergman. "Everything we need that is not food or love is here in the tabloid racks. "From Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J.K. Rowling "Severus. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate. In fewer words than most novelists use in a single paragraph, Sendak managed to capture our fundamental fears and thrills. Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot revolves around two musicians, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon), who witness a gangster murder. ", "But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing. ", RELATED: 10 Unpopular Opinions About E.T. It's dusty and desolate, and there's not much to do. I am haunted by humans. 3.66 avg rating 137,082 ratings. ", "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.