The last 10 famous words

Famous last words can be funny, inspirational, prophetic, or just plain memorable. These are the lines of dialogue that seem to click in your mind and become part of your life experience.

Even those students who don’t particularly care about Shakespeare often recall Caesar’s painful final words “Et tu, Brute?” (and you too Brutus) since he died at the hands of assassins. Today these words are still used by people who want to describe a feeling of treacherous betrayal by someone they trusted. This is just one example that shows how well the chosen words can last over time.

How many times have you heard someone describe World War II General McArthur by saying, “I’ll be back”? Although these words were apparently paraphrased, more people are able to recite them and attribute them to this famous general than can actually tell you where or when he supposedly made this statement.

Other people easily remember the scene in “Streetcar Named Desire” where Brando starts yelling the name “Stella! Stella!” They may not even remember the plot of this movie, but many movie fans act out this last scene with incredible passion.

Such is the power of some famous last words. Sometimes they can take on a life and existence of their own.

Sometimes you can read a book or watch a movie and the only thing you really remember about the experience is the last lines said by one of the characters. In many cases, these words have the ability to speak to the heart and soul. This allows you to instantly identify with the actual message being delivered.

Last words can be the final statement that makes a book or movie soar in popularity, but they can also be the unintended undoing of any event. This is why many people will often think of these words more than any other part of a project.

Here is a list of 10 famous last words that moviegoers have enjoyed, memorized and recited over the years:

“Liberty and Union one and inseparable now and forever.”

This is a line seen at the end of the 1915 movie, “The Birth of a Nation.” While this is a very short statement, it is poignantly patriotic and these words resonated with the vast majority of audience members.

“Happiness must be earned.”

This was a statement that was written in the stars as the 1924 silent film “The Thief of Bagdad” drew to a close. Simple words that are easy to remember, and also make people think about what the sentence means.

“The END of Tom Powers is the end of every bully. The Public Enemy is not a man and he is not a character; he is a problem that sooner or later WE, the public, must solve.”

These were the last words written in the 1931 Hollywood classic, “Public Enemy.” The truth behind these words makes this last line as meaningful and thought-provoking today as it was nearly a century ago when this film was first shown to millions of American viewers.

“Yeah… crazy book guy. Do you know the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of all professions?”

These were the famous last words of one of the main characters in a 1930s movie called “Dinner at Eight.” This statement gets a response from another character who assures them that they have nothing to worry about in regards to machines taking over people’s work. At that time, the computer age had not even become a gleam in IBM’s eye, but today these words seem to herald the mechanization and computerization of the modern world.

“Beauty killed the beast.”

When the giant ape died in the movie “King Kong”, these words were spoken by a character during the last scene. It could be said that this statement packs a great deal of truth into just a few short words. Many people have read these words and have considered that “Beauty” could refer to physical appearance, to a woman or to the search for a coveted but unattainable treasure.

“My dear friend, there is a little Don Juan in every man, but since I am Don Juan, there must be more in me.” Famous last words from a scene from the 1949 film “The Adventures of Don Juan.”

These words are just as clever and funny today as they were when they were first heard at the beginning of this movie.

“He made it, Mom! Top of the world… He finally made it to the top of the world. And it blew up in his face.” (“White Heat” 1949)

These famous last words were often recited by avid movie fans during the 1940s and ’50s. The phrase was seen as ironically prophetic at the time.

“I told you, if you love someone deep enough, anything is possible. Even – miracles?” These words are from the 1954 movie “Brigadoon”.

These sweetly sentimental words touched the hearts of men and women.

“Nobody’s Perfect” (“Some Like It Hot”, 1959)

Of course, this is not the first time these words have been spoken, but this scene in the movie turned these last words into a comical phrase.

“But I don’t have peace of mind, and if you don’t have that, you don’t have anything” (Words spoken by Michael Caine in the 1960s hit movie “Alfie”).

This statement has a profound impact when you really take the time to think about its meaning.

There are many other famous last words found in the final climactic scenes, and these words owe much of their popularity to moviegoers. Still, you have to remember that the basic idea is that the words form some sort of personal connection with you. Even some of the funniest words won’t be remembered unless there is a meaning or a reason for you to memorize them.