10 movies that are better known for a single quote

Yet, there are some quotes and iconic scenes that have us thinking, ‘What’s that from again?’. Even though movies have been flung into the eyesight of the public consciousness, there remains a number of legendary quotes that have surpassed the quality of the movies they are from, resulting in countless frustrated screenwriters and directors across the world who have never received the credit they deserve.

That’s why we’ve dedicated our time to bringing you ten movies that are better known for one single line, giving us the opportunity to shed some light on those films and filmmakers who created movie magic without you even realising.

Take a look at our list below, which includes films from the likes of F. Gary Gray, Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard and Robert Rodriguez.

10 iconic single quotes from movies:

“Bye, Felicia” – Friday (F. Gary Gray, 1995)

Most people will know the phrase “Bye, Felicia” as a popular internet meme, but it actually originated back in the mid-1990s with the release of the beloved F. Gary Gray comedy Friday. Becoming a running gag in the series, the joke helped to create a cult-like feel around the franchise that starred Ice Cube and Chris Tucker as two friends desperate to get rich quick.

Whilst the film is loved, the phrase has come to become even more famous, finding fame as a TikTok phrase, where it has since been given a definition: ‘A slang way of dismissing someone’.

“Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” – Dirty Harry (Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood, 1971)

The iconic western star Clint Eastwood is known for his memorable lines of dialogue, including the very cool quote “dying ain’t much of a living, boy” from the 1976 film The Outlaw Josey Wales. Yet, perhaps his most famous came in 1971 when he uttered, “Do I feel lucky? Well, so ya, punk” in the movie Dirty Harry, a beloved cop drama that doesn’t quite hold the same level of reverence as it once did.

Starring Eastwood as the titular cop ‘Harry’, the violent flick follows the officer as he tries to track down an insane psychopath known as ‘the Scorpio Killer’, but people only really know it for the star’s memorable monologue.

“Do you think God stays in heaven because he too lives in fear of what he’s created?” – Spy Kids 2 (Robert Rodriguez, 2002)

One’s mind doesn’t usually head to the 2002 Robert Rodriguez sequel Spy Kids 2 when it comes to the greatest lines of dialogue in movie history, yet the director and screenwriter crafted some magic with the film. The moment comes when Steve Buscemi’s Romero utters, “Do you think God stays in heaven because he too lives in fear of what he’s created?” stunning the viewer into silence.

Sure, the quote hasn’t quite seeped into the widespread mainstream, but it is known among a strong subsection of movie fans and is certainly far better known than the forgettable 2002 sequel.

“It’s alive! Alive!” – Frankenstein (James Whale, 1931)

Used by dramatists and fathers making bad ‘dad jokes’, “It’s alive! Alive!” refers to the creation of the monster from the 1931 horror classic, as well as Mary Shelley’s gothic novel Frankenstein. One of Universal’s iconic movie monsters, rubbing ghoulish shoulders with Dracula, The Creature From the Black Lagoon and The Wolfman, Frankenstein is a staple of Halloween.

Whilst the movie and story might be utterly influential, some may not know that its famous line is from the film at all.

“Houston, we have a problem” – Apollo 13 (Ron Howard, 1995)

Sure, the iconic line “Houston, we have a problem” might have originated from the real-life Apollo 13 space mission of 1970; it was the film named after the third lunar landing attempt that popularised the phrase. Starring the likes of Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Ed Harris, the movie earned two Academy Awards for ‘Best Sound’ and ‘Best Editing’, whilst also receiving a ‘Best Picture’ nod.

As for the movie itself, whilst it certainly has its fans, modern audiences will turn to the likes of Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, Damien Chazelle’s First Man or Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar if they’re in need of a cosmic flick.

“I’ll have what she’s having” – When Harry Met Sally (Rob Reiner, 1989)

The line “I’ll have what she’s having” is perhaps the most famous line to have ever come out of cinema that no one really knows came out of cinema. Becoming part of the contemporary Western lexicon, the line comes from the Rob Reiner romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally and lands when Meg Ryan’s Sally enacts having an orgasm in a busy American diner.

Thrilled at how much the woman next to her is seemingly enjoying her food, an onlooker states, “I’ll have what she’s having,” prompting an iconic phrase in the process. The movie has since gone on to be recognised as one of the greatest rom-coms of all time.

“I’m walking here!” – Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger, 1969)

“I’m walking here!” is a line ubiquitous with New York and the busy hustle and bustle of its culture, yet few will know that the quote actually comes from cinema. Although it has been popularised by viral videos and TikTok trends, it actually first appeared in the ‘Best Picture’ winner Midnight Cowboy from 1969, a seminal LGBT drama that starred Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight.

Helmed by John Schlesinger, the story follows a hustler who travels from Texas to New York seeking personal financial greatness, only to find an unlikely friend who shows him a different side to life.

“The power of Christ compels you!” – The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)

There’s a reason why the 1973 William Friedkin horror movie is considered to be the scariest film of all time: it’s absolutely terrifying. Based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, who also penned the screenplay, the story follows the life of a young girl who is thrown into turbulence after she becomes possessed by a demonic spirit and is forced to seek the help of two priests who face a crisis of faith.

Its famous line “The power of Christ compels you!” actually comes from the real-life Catholic ‘Rite of Exorcism’, yet there’s no doubt that the film popularised the term, making it a staple of creepy pranks across the world.

“Show me the money” – Jerry Maguire (Cameron Crowe, 1996)

Tom Cruise is known for generating countless iconic lines throughout his time as a Hollywood star, including the time he uttered, “I feel the need…the need for speed” in the 1986 action flick Top Gun. But our choice for his most iconic quotes in one of his most underseen movies is “Show me the money”, a line that he shouts in the 1996 flick Jerry Maguire, directed by Cameron Crowe.

Now barked by sales executives who are feeling the pressure to hit their monthly targets, “show me the money” has become the rallying cry of capitalism; thank you, Jerry Maguire.

“You can’t handle the truth!” – A Few Good Men (Rob Reiner, 1992)

From one Tom Cruise flick to another, this time, the star features as military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, who is tasked with defending Marines accused of murder. During one of the film’s final sequences, he presses Col. Nathan R. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson, for answers demanding “the truth” before the latter snaps back, “You can’t handle the truth” in one of cinema’s most iconic moments.

Yet, whilst the quote is well known, many people would find it difficult to name the film it was from. The four-time Oscar nominee may have once been great, but far more people recognise it today for its iconic quote.