Yesterday, I watched the Jerk in between football games. When the crazy murderer guy was shooting the cans and Steve Martin said, “He hates these cans!” it got me thinking. If I had the option to meet a screenwriter, I would ask them this question: “When you write a movie, do you know when there’s a line in it that’s going to become interwoven into American culture?” For example:
Did Sidney Howard or Victor Fleming know Rhett’s line, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” would become so widely recognizable?
Did Rob Reiner, Aaron Sorkin, or Jack Nicholson know the line, “You can’t handle the truth!!” would become so frequently quoted or referenced?
Did Richard Linklater or Matthew McConaughey know Wooderson saying, “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age,” would be so widely quoted and laughed about in the social lives of twenty-somethings?
Did Michael Curtiz, Julius & Phillip Epstein, or Humphrey Bogart know, “Here’s looking at you, kid!” would become one of the most notable movie quotes of all time?
I suspect these directors, writers and actors would tell you sometimes they knew, sometimes they didn’t. I just imagine it being such an interesting conversation – much like the conversation between Iris and Arthur in The Holiday about the very same topic.
Predictably Unoriginal 