The 20 greatest final lines in cinema history
A final line is one last flourish, one last chance to polish a final product and apply a cherry on top of a perfect piece of cinema. It sounds easy in practice, yet countless movies choose to follow the status quo and ease a story to a finish with a naff final line that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But, last impressions are everything, with final lines carrying the capability of becoming iconic in and of themselves.
Some directors, such as the influential perfectionist Stanley Kubrick, were known for their climaxes, crafting many of the greatest movie endings of all time. From the exclamation of “fuck” that neatly summarises the events of 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut to the eerie rendition of the German folk song ‘The Faithful Hussar’ in the WWI drama Paths of Glory, Kubrick’s endings were always pitch perfect.
Elsewhere, the iconic American filmmaker Martin Scorsese also created a number of thrilling climaxes, with Jake LaMotta uttering “I’m the boss” in the heart-aching finale of Raging Bull and Ray Liotta bringing the odyssey of Goodfellas to an end, saying: “I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook”. Still, despite his mastery, none of Scorsese’s films make it onto our list of the 20 greatest final lines in cinema history.
Take a look at our full list of the greatest final lines in movies below, with films from the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfred Hitchcock, Richard Linklater, David Cronenberg and John Carpenter.
The 20 greatest final lines in cinema history:
20. Kids (Larry Clark, 1995) – “Jesus Christ, what happened?”
Harmony Korine is known as one of cinema’s most divisive figures. With films such as Gummo and Spring Breakers under his belt, Korine’s movies are cinematic Marmite. However, when he was 19, he wrote his first screenplay, Kids, under the direction of photographer Larry Clark. The result is a scarily accurate depiction of New York youths amid the AIDS crisis.
Kids was highly controversial due to its boundary-pushing depiction of teenagers, with certain scenes dubbed as child pornography. As the film ends, we witness the protagonist, Telly, spreading HIV to Darcy before Jennie can intervene. Yet, after passing out at the party, Jennie is raped by Casper, who unknowingly receives HIV. The following day he wakes up and looks directly at the camera, saying, “Jesus Christ, what happened?”
This final line summarises the film well. Kids is a movie designed to be discussed afterwards, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel.
19. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986)- “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
John Hughes rose to prominence in the 1980s due to his string of teen movies that spotlighted American adolescents like never before. From Pretty in Pink to The Breakfast Club, Hughes’ teen pics were received outstandingly well, although, retrospectively, they are oft criticised for their sexism and racism. However, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, starring Matthew Broderick as the eponymous character, remains one of Hughes’ less offensive and lovable outputs.
After bunking off school, Ferris, his girlfriend Sloane, and best friend, Cameron, sneak away to Chicago, where they explore an art gallery and join a parade float, all while Ferris breaks the fourth wall. The film is a joyous celebration of life and adolescence; thus, it ends perfectly, with Ferris telling the audience, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
18. The Truman Show (Peter Weir, 1998) – “What else is on?”
After releasing the Australian New Wave classic Picnic at Hanging Rock in 1975, Peter Weir began to make larger Hollywood productions, finding his greatest success with The Truman Show in 1998. Led by Jim Carrey, who plays Truman, the unknowing star of a reality show that has chronicled every aspect of his life since he was born, the movie was a commercial hit. Weir charts Truman’s journey towards escaping surveillance, culminating in him finding an exit door out of the dome.
As he leaves the set that he once believed to be his life, audiences across America cheer Truman on as he says his iconic catchphrase, “In case I don’t see you… good afternoon, good evening, and good night” for the final time. However, the movie ends with a shot of two men watching the broadcast end, asking each other, “What else is on?” communicating the endless consumerism that envelopes our lives.
17. Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010) – “So long, partner.”
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story franchise is one of the most beloved works of animation of all time, thanks to each film’s effortless blend of humour, nostalgia and bittersweetness. In 2010, Toy Story 3 was released to critical acclaim, finding an audience in adults and children alike. At the time, it was the highest-grossing animated film ever until it was usurped in 2013 by Frozen.
With Andy off to college, he decides to store his beloved toys in the attic and only take Woody with him. Yet, when his mother mistakes the bin bag of toys for actual rubbish, they narrowly escape their demise, instead ending up at a daycare centre. Eventually, after many intense events, the toys return to Andy, who gives them to Bonnie, a child from the daycare. At the film’s emotional end, Andy decides to give his favourite toy, Woody, away to Bonnie, despite hesitating. As he drives away, Woody looks over and says, “So long, partner.”
16. Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983) – “Long live the new flesh.”
Canadian filmmaker and body horror master David Cronenberg made the genius decision to cast Blondie singer Debbie Harry in his 1983 sci-fi horror Videodrome, which has since been labelled a cult classic. Although it failed at the box office, Cronenberg’s movie was praised by many critics, who highlighted the brilliance of its visual effects, labelling it as a landmark entry in the body horror subgenre.
Videodrome follows James Woods’ Max as he tries to find a new program to attract viewers to the television channel he is in charge of. Yet, he quickly realises that the violent and gory imagery depicted on the new ‘Videodrome’ program isn’t as fake as he first thought. After he ends up on a murdering spree, Max is told by Harry’s Nicki, via a television screen, to “leave the old flesh” before shooting himself. Blood and gore burst out of the television before Max actually shoots himself, saying, “Long live the new flesh.”
15. Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004) – “Baby, you’re gonna miss that plane.”
Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy is a work of art that chronicles the growing relationship between Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Celine over 18 years. Beginning with Before Sunrise in 1995, the pair meet on a train and spontaneously decide to spend the night walking around Vienna, talking about life and love. They bond instantly, yet they live in separate countries.
Jesse and Celine agree not to exchange contacts but to meet again in the exact location six months later. However, they meet again nine years later in 2004’s Before Sunset, where it is revealed that Jesse did return, but Celine could not because her grandmother died. They spend the film walking around Paris, making up for the lost time. In Celine’s apartment, she plays Jesse a song she wrote about him, and he watches with amazement, clearly falling in love. As she dances to Nina Simone’s ‘Just in Time’, she exclaims, “Baby, you’re gonna miss that plane.”
Before Midnight was released in 2013, and if their marriage and kids are anything to go by, Jesse certainly did miss that plane.
14. Stand by Me (Rob Reiner, 1986) – “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?”
Stand by Me is arguably one of the greatest coming-of-age tales ever told, depicting the lives of four boys forever changed by their discovery of a dead body. Rob Reiner allows us to become attached to each character as they figure out what to do while navigating such a definitive moment. Based on the short story, The Body, by Stephen King, Stand By Me was praised for its powerful depiction of youth, friendship and nostalgia.
The movie ends with an adult version of Gordie finalising his memoir, explaining what happened to each of the boys. Tragically, River Phoenix’s Chris is revealed to be dead after he tried to separate a fight, only to be stabbed. He reflects on his close friendship with Chris, stating, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?” Reiner expertly taps into the audience’s minds, encouraging them to reflect on their own childhood friendships.
13. No Country for Old Men (The Coen brothers, 2007) – “And then I woke up.”
The Coen brothers wowed critics with their 2007 release No Country For Old Men, a neo-western thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones as Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss, and Javier Bardem in his Oscar-winning role as the terrifying hitman Anton Chigurh. As Anton attempts to recover money stolen by Llewelyn, ruthlessly killing anyone who gets in his way, the sheriff investigates the situation, which ends with Llewelyn dying off-screen.
Despite the film’s critical and commercial success, many people were unsatisfied with the decision not to have Llewelyn and Anton have a sensational ending duel. However, the Coen brothers’ choice to end the film with a dramatic monologue performed by Jones is arguably much more unforgettable. He discusses a dream before claiming, “then I woke up”, before the film ominously cuts to the end credits.
12. The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994) – “I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
In Frank Darabont’s moving drama The Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins’ Andy and Morgan Freeman’s Ellis ‘Red’ become close friends in the Shawshank State Penitentiary, where Andy is locked up for murder, despite claiming that he is innocent. Over the years, the pair remain close as they endure the trials and tribulations of intense prison life.
Eventually, Andy manages to escape after digging a tunnel in the wall of his cell, which is hidden behind a poster. Following 40 years of incarceration, Red is finally allowed back into the outside world on parole. However, he breaks his parole agreement and sets out to reunite with Andy. On his journey towards freedom, Red says in a voiceover, “I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.” Then we see him by the ocean, approaching Andy, ready to reunite with his best friend in one of cinema’s most tear-jerking moments.
11. The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991) – “I’m having an old friend for dinner.”
Anthony Hopkins gave a chilling yet mesmerising performance as the cannibal Hannibal Lecter in Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs. Jodie Foster plays the young FBI agent Clarice, sent to interview the murderous psychopath. Yet, she soon becomes entangled in a dramatic series of events as she attempts to save the senator’s daughter, Catherine, from the clutches of another serial killer, Buffalo Bill.
The film meets a dramatic end when Clarice successfully shoots Buffalo Bill and rescues Catherine. After escaping prison, Hannibal calls Clarice to reassure her that she is safe. He ends the call on a spine-tingling note, telling her, “I’m having an old friend for dinner,” signalling that he is back to his murderous ways.
10. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) – “Why, she wouldn’t even harm a fly.”
Critically recognised as one of the greatest horror movies of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece Psycho tells the story of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a secretary who embezzles money and goes on the run, checking in at a motel run by a mysterious young man. The villain, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), sits at the very heart of this story, providing much of the sinister undertones and true narrative soul.
The very end of the movie sees Bates being arrested by the authorities for the murder of several hotel guests whilst embodying the identity of his mother, but just before we part ways with him, he cranes his neck up to the camera and utters one hell of a closing monologue. “They’re probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I’m not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching. They’ll see. They’ll see and they’ll know, and they’ll say, ‘Why, she wouldn’t even harm a fly'”.
9. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007) – “I’m finished!”
There’s no doubt that the American filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest minds of modern cinema, being responsible for a handful of contemporary classics. His 2007 movie There Will Be Blood tells the story of Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a manic businessman and powerful figure obsessed with family, religious hatred and greed, who helps herald in American capitalism as an oil prospector at the turn of the new century.
Whilst his career slowly spirals out of control, the life of a local preacher, Eli (Paul Dano), sees unprecedented success, causing the two personalities to clash dramatically. This climaxes with Daniel killing Eli with a bowling pin before lying back and announcing, “I’m finished”. It’s just perfect.
8. Some Like it Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959) – “Nobody’s perfect.”
Arguably, the American filmmaker Billy Wilder isn’t discussed enough in modern cinema, with the director being responsible for some of the greatest Hollywood movies ever made. His early career started with such classics as Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd. and Ace in the Hole, all before his arguable masterpiece, Some Like it Hot, was released in 1959. Starring the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, the film is surprisingly progressive given the decade in which it was produced.
The beloved comedy follows the story of two male musicians who invade a mob hit by infiltrating an all-female band by wearing disguises. It all builds to a grand comic finale that ties everything together perfectly, with Lemmon’s Jerry riding off in a boat with a gentleman who believes he is a woman. Revealing his identity, the man simply shrugs the news off, announcing, “Nobody’s perfect”.
7. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Stanley Kubrick, 1964) – “Mein Fuhrer, I can walk!”
We’ve already discussed how much of a master Stanley Kubrick is when it comes to satisfying endings, and, alongside the classic climaxes in Paths of Glory and A Clockwork Orange, the terrifying ending to Dr. Strangelove is his very best. The WWII satire tells the story of a room of politicians and generals who are desperately trying to avoid a nuclear holocaust, with the British comic Peter Sellers playing three separate characters, including the insane closet Nazi, Dr. Strangelove.
Thanks to the lackadaisical efforts of the generals, the ending of Kubrick’s movie sees the dawn of a nuclear holocaust whilst Vera Lynn sings an eerie rendition of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ in the background. Before this, however, Sellers’ Strangelove is given an iconic piece of comedy dialogue, announcing, “Mein Fuhrer, I can walk!” as he sees his plan of destruction being enacted.
6. The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982) – “Why don’t we just wait here for a little while… see what happens…”
Few filmmakers encapsulate the spirit of cinema in the 1980s better than John Carpenter, the director behind such iconic cult classics as 1981’s Escape from New York and 1986’s Big Trouble in Little China. His 1982 remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World may be his very best movie, however, suffusing his love for icky cinematic monsters with a talent for intense storytelling.
The story follows a cosmic being who manages to infiltrate an Arctic research facility and pick off the members one by one by mimicking the human form, making it impossible for the crew to know who’s ‘good’ and who’s ‘bad’. It all ends with most of the crew perishing and burning their facility in the process, leaving just two friends stranded in the cold, wondering if either of them is a cosmic beast.
Carpenter leaves the audience in the dark with a perfect final line, with Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady commenting: “Why don’t we just wait here for a little while… see what happens…”.
5. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950) – I’m ready for my close-up.”
We’ve already discussed just how influential Billy Wilder is as a filmmaker, helming some of the 20th century’s greatest movies, from Some Like it Hot to Double Indemnity. Back in 1950, however, he released a timeless love letter to Hollywood in the form of Sunset Boulevard, a movie that tells the story of a screenwriter who starts a relationship with an old film star still vying to make it big.
Recognised as a quintessential classic of mid-20th century Hollywood, the complex movie ends with the film star going to jail for murder, with the cops showing up at her door. Baited into being caught with a fake movie production, however, the woman announces: “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” unaware of her fate. In a film all about a fame-obsessed individual, the irony of the final line is just perfect.
4. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) – “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Winning three Academy Awards in 1942, including the coveted ‘Best Picture’ Oscar, Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca has long been considered an undisputed classic. Set during the early years of the war in French Morocco, the film follows an American cafe owner who is forced to decide whether or not to help his former lover escape from the clutches of the Nazis. With a handful of prized performances from the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, the film is a romantic drama that oozes class.
Eventually, Bogart’s Rick decides to help his former lover and organises a plane to carry Ilsa to safety, but when Conrad Veidt’s Major Heinrich Strasser tries to stop the daring escape, the protagonist kills him in cold blood. It all ends with Rick turning to his friend to state: “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” an eloquent line of iconic dialogue that finalises the drama with a victorious flourish.
3. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985) – “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
Hollywood in the 1980s bulged with excitement, imagination and possibility, with the likes of John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Ridley Scott creating wild cinematic visions that the industry had never seen before. One such vision came from Robert Zemeckis in the form of the beloved family favourite Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Crispin Glover.
The charming sci-fi adventure sees Marty (Fox) team up with Doc (Lloyd) to travel back to the past in the DeLorean. After much time travel hijinks, Marty gets back into the car alongside his girlfriend Jennifer and Doc expecting another trip back to the past, this is before his old friend states, “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads,” however.
Possibly the greatest teaser to a forthcoming sequel ever put to film, the final line also acts as the perfect piece of fuel for the imagination; who knows where their travels will take them.
2. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979) – “The horror, the horror.”
Francis Ford Coppola took to the 1970s like a man possessed, creating several movies that would go on to define not just the decade but American filmmaking in general. If The Godfather parts one and two and The Conversation wasn’t proof enough that he was a master craftsman, the release of Apocalypse Now in 1979 erased all doubt. Part Vietnam war movie and part dark psychological drama, Coppola’s film tells the story of an American captain assigned to assassinate a renegade colonel who has become something of a god to a local tribe.
Aside from perhaps Oliver Stone’s 1986 movie Platoon, no film represents the Vietnam war better than Apocalypse Now, with Coppola bottling the sheer terror, destruction and madness that existed during the conflict, and all conflicts for that matter. No line better sums this up than the closing words of Marlon Brando’s Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, who utters, “The horror, the horror,” shortly before being assassinated. It’s haunting stuff.
1. The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941) – “The stuff that dreams are made of.”
Choosing number one on this list of the 20 greatest final lines in cinema history was no easy task, after all, each concluding piece of dialogue is perfectly tailored to their respective movies. But some lines transcend the boundaries of their given flicks, and indeed, such aforementioned quotes as “where we’re going, we don’t need roads” certainly have.
Still, for our number one pick, we’ve gone for the John Huston classic, The Maltese Falcon, a noir flick that tells the story of a young woman who hires the services of a private detective and is quickly caught up in the mystery of the Maltese Falcon. The titular item is a statuette that is the figure of everyone’s desires, much like the briefcase of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction or the Ark of the Covenant from Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Symbolic of greed, desire and human infatuation, the statuette is eventually proven to be fake, revealing the folly of the obsessive characters of the movie. Submitting the statute as evidence, the private investigator utters at the end of the movie that the Maltese Falcon was “the stuff that dreams are made of,” giving cinema a line of dialogue that has since become truly iconic due to the fact that it reflects the boundless imaginative nature of filmmaking itself.