Top 20 Greatest Closing Lines in Movies
#20: “I Get to Live the Rest of My Life Like a Schnook.”
“Goodfellas” (1990) Arguably Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece, “Goodfellas” subverts the glamorous lifestyle that is often depicted in mafia movies. While Henry Hill initially enjoys the pleasures of mob life, he quickly learns that it is a devious and grim business filled with violence and backstabbing. Eventually, he commits the ultimate betrayal by turning informant and placing both Paulie and Jimmy behind bars. He is subsequently placed into witness protection, where he is forced to live a boring life as an “average nobody.” The closing line is a great way to summarize the story’s primary theme of lifestyle disappointment and effectively puts an end to the glitz and glamour of the story.
#19: “I’ll Be Right Here.”
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“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) Few directors can capture the innocent magic of childhood quite like Steven Spielberg. In many ways, “E.T.” is the story of a brief but unforgettable childhood friendship, only with scary government scientists and aliens. When it comes time for E.T. to return home, the alien tells Elliott that their bond is still strong. The quote is a perfect and beautiful summation of the movie’s themes. Loving personal relationships have a tendency to dissolve, yet they remain firmly ingrained in our memories and hearts. And that’s the magic of Spielberg’s movie. While the story is exciting and unique in its inclusion of a telekinetic alien, it speaks to universal truths around friendship, love, and memory.
#18: “We Don’t Need Roads.”
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“Back to the Future” (1985) After accidentally using Doc’s DeLorean to travel back in time to 1955, Marty McFly should’ve known to expect the unexpected when it comes to his old scientist friend. But that still didn’t stop the young time traveler from being surprised one last time before the credits rolled. After Marty returns to 1985, Doc urgently arrives in the Delorean wearing futuristic gear. The two immediately need to speed off to the future to solve a new crisis. When Marty gets worried they don’t have enough road to get the Delorean up to speed, Doc reassures him with an iconic line. It was an awesome way to close the movie and set up the sequel.
#17: “Now, Where Was I?”
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“Memento” (2000) This Christopher Nolan film challenges viewers not only through its complex and labyrinthine plot, but through its characterization of protagonist Leonard Shelby. Throughout much of the film, Shelby is portrayed as a sympathetic character. However, the ending throws our perceptions into question. He’s depicted as little more than a violent criminal who will intentionally deceive himself in order to eliminate people who have wronged him. The final line indicates that Leonard will continue in his cyclical nature of forgetting and harming people for no good reason. He’ll also receive the tattoo that will eventually lead to Teddy’s demise. With one last line, Leonard is placed in a whole new light and viewers must re-evaluate their sympathies for the character.
#16: “It Was Beauty Killed the Beast.”
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“King Kong” (1933) Perhaps the most legendary Hollywood monster movie of all time, “King Kong” is more complex than the typical monster fare. Its depiction of Kong is quite ambiguous. On one hand, he’s a violent animal with fatally destructive tendencies. But he also loves Ann Darrow and grows panicked once taken out of his natural habitat. After Kong falls to his demise in the famous climax, a policeman literally states that the airplanes took him down. However, Carl Denham waxes more poetic and suggests it was Kong’s love for Ann that led to his untimely end. And thus ends a rather morose action film, leaving viewers with unique feelings of sympathy and pity for its titular monster.
#15: “There’s No Place Like Home.”
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“The Wizard of Oz” (1939) It’s telling that one of the most colorful and inventive movies ever made ends in a sepia-toned, ramshackle home in Kansas. After her dangerous and otherworldly adventures in Oz, Dorothy says goodbye to her new friends and returns to her comfortable home world by tapping her heels. Dorothy’s family insists that Oz was nothing but a dream, but she knows different and is happy to be home—where the dangers of green-faced witches and flying monkeys are not a concern. While the journey taught Dorothy some valuable lessons and provided her with memories she will never forget, home is where the heart is. The film ends with a comforting and reassuring line that speaks to the value of family.
#14: “A Watchful Protector. A Dark Knight.”
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“The Dark Knight” (2008) Once you’ve seen an edge-of-your-seat tale for the soul of Gotham in one of the greatest superhero movies of modern times, you’re treated to an epic ending. After Harvey Dent goes on a crime spree, he dies during the final showdown. Batman volunteers to take the blame for all of Dent’s crimes to preserve the deceased man’s legacy. When Jim Gordon’s son asks why the dark knight is running away, the Commissioner gives us an incredible closing speech. Gary Oldman’s pitch perfect and emotional delivery still sticks with us today. We’ll always remember what Batman sacrificed for Gotham.
#13: “I’m the Boss.”
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“Raging Bull” (1980) Martin Scorsese is great at subverting popular genres with more realistic stories, and in this case, he turns the sports genre on its head. Rather than telling an uplifting underdog story, “Raging Bull” is a brutal film that depicts the collapse of Jake LaMotta’s life under the weight of his temper and ambition. In the end, an aged and washed up Jake is left without a family and practicing comedy rather than boxing. Right before he goes on stage, Jake repeatedly tells himself that (insert sb “im the boss…) which is an ironically tragic line given the pitiful state of his life. Jake LaMotta is not a sympathetic character, but the ending is the closest he will get to being one.
#12: “...It Blew Right Up In His Face.”
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“White Heat” (1949) A gangster classic, “White Heat” stars James Cagney as ruthless criminal Cody Jarrett. Cody has lofty ambitions, but like many gangsters, he meets a bad end while trying to rob a chemical plant. Cody eventually climbs atop a spherical gas tank, shoots it, and yells, (insert sb“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”) It’s followed by a huge explosion and the movie's final line. This ending is a great bit of irony. Earlier in the movie, Cody uttered the top of the world line to convey his aspirations. But in the end, the only “world” he could conquer was far from a planet. He just managed to reach the top of a gas tank. Both Cody and the gangster dream end in a massive fireball.
#11: “Jesus, Does Anyone?”
“Stand by Me” (1986) Coming from one of Stephen King’s more grounded and touching stories, “Stand by Me” is a classic movie that speaks on the virtues of childhood friendship. Following their adventure, the characters mature and part ways, which is an all too familiar occurrence when growing up. Gordie slowly loses touch with Teddy and Vern. And Chris later dies in a bar fight, leaving a nostalgic and rather sullen Gordie reminiscing about the time he shared with his boyhood buddies. The closing lines of the film that are written by Gordie on his computer are great for sparking nostalgia in the hearts of viewers. Sharing experiences with close friends is one of the greatest aspects of growing up, and this movie knows it.
#10: “I Hope.”
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“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) A rare prison movie with a happy ending, “The Shawshank Redemption” concludes with Red and Andy reuniting on the beach of Zihuatanejo. The moment, and the speech that precedes it, are both monumental for Red. Not only because he’s finally free after decades in prison, but because he finally has a chance to feel good about the future. It’s telling that the final line of the movie is (broll: “I hope.”) Red hopes for a list of specific things, like meeting Andy and seeing the Pacific, but in the end, he’s left hoping in a general manner after suffering years of despair. It’s a deeply touching bit of character development and an affirmation of the joys of life.
#9: “You Met Me At a Very Strange Time in My Life.”
“Fight Club” (1999) The Narrator in “Fight Club” went through a lot in a short time. He learned he had a twisted alternate personality named Tyler, endured lots of pain and had to witness an explosive plan. After finding a way to keep his alternate personality at bay, he’s joined by his love interest Marla. The Narrator’s closing line to her sums up his hectic life in one of the most hilarious understatements of all time. Accompanied by the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?”, this closing line perfectly wraps up the offbeat nature of “Fight Club”. The statement also leaves us with a little hope that the Narrator and Marla make it through the explosive end.
#8: “Dr. Lecter?”
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“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) If there’s one turn of phrase that you don’t want to hear from a villain who has a history of seeing humans like literal snacks, it’s this one. Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling has spent this entire movie waging a psychological battle against Hannibal Lecter. But in the end, the villain claims the upper hand. Lecter calls Clarice to catch her up on what he’s up to with a legendary piece of dialogue. Perhaps the doctor really is going to wine and dine an old friend or associate of his in a traditional way. But given Lecter’s reputation, we sincerely doubt this dinner is going to end well for everyone. Clarice can only close the film by repeating the villain’s name as he makes his move.
#7: “It’s Too Bad She Won’t Live. But Then Again, Who Does?”
“Blade Runner” (1982) A science fiction classic with themes of humanity, “Blade Runner” ends with a fantastic question. Throughout the film, Rick Deckard must battle with himself regarding the potential humanity of the replicants he has been hired to eliminate. The movie forces the viewer to ask the same questions and challenges them to sympathize with robots. One of the film’s primary themes is the end of life and the conundrum of death. Whether robot or human, everything eventually dies, whether they were hunted down and killed or whether they perished of natural causes. Officer Gaff, who was familiar with Deckard’s journey, leaves the films with words that are harsh, poetic and truthful.
#6: “Get off the street.”
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“Chinatown” (1974) Dropping the title of your movie into dialogue doesn’t always sound the most natural. However, the classic film “Chinatown” pulls it off in an incredible way. During the film, the private investigator Jake really gets put through the mill. The wild events of the movie culminate in a sobering and emotional climactic scene. Although it seems like Jake wants to confront the chaos one last time, he’s told (broll: “Forget it Jake it’’s chinatown”) This line became an iconic way to signal the ending of his bittersweet journey. The movie subsequently closes with calls for any witnesses and the audience to leave this sad tale behind.
#5: “Damn You All to Hell!”
“Planet of the Apes” (1968) After George Taylor crash lands his spaceship and on a planet full of sentient primates over 2,000 years after he left Earth, he becomes desperate to escape the clutches of this oppressive society. He goes through many trials while trying to stay alive in this strange world. Despite everything George endures during the movie, he still has some hope left in the movie’s closing scene. However, everything changes when he makes a discovery on a peaceful looking beach. It turns out the ruins of the Statue of Liberty are present on this planet. This confirms that George has been on Earth the entire time. This fantastic twist is complemented by an unforgettable line and performance from the lead as he faces the sad truth.
#4: “The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship.”
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“Casablanca” (1942) “Casablanca” is a romantic drama from the 1940s that is still well regarded today. This classic is rounded off with one of the most quotable closing lines in cinema history. In the movie, World War II has spread across Europe and no one can sleep safely at night. So, when Rick Blaine’s old flame Ilsa Lund turns up in his Moroccan bar, he decides to help her. But he can’t do it alone. Rick finds aid with an unlikely ally, a lawman named Captain Louis Renault. Although they should be enemies, the two men become close throughout the film. Rick cements their bond with a fantastic statement that ends the drama on a light and optimistic note.
#3: “I’m Ready for My Closeup.”
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“Sunset Boulevard” (1950) A picture that could’ve just been about the movies turned out to be about so much more. It’s fitting that its closing line is the final piece that makes this fim an absolute marvel. After spending a bulk of the movie in the past, the last scene very regrettably takes place in the present. It's here that we realize how far once-great film star Norma Desmond has fallen. After committing a terrible crime, the police prepare to take her in. Since she honestly believes the news cameras are part of a new film she is about to star in, she gives one last grand performance. We don’t see if Norma is brought back to reality. But we do hear how her final performance ends.
#2: “Like that, He’s Gone.”
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“The Usual Suspects” (1995) There are so many turns in this legendary thriller that the ending completely caught us by surprise. Most of the mystery of the movie revolves around the mysterious crime boss Keyser Soze. Just when we thought we’d end the film without meeting him, it’s revealed that we already have. It turns out that Roger “Verbal” Kint was Keyser Soze all along. Unfortunately, the authorities realize this fact way too late to stop the villain from getting away. After Kint drops his facade and becomes Soze once more, he delivers final words that leave us absolutely stunned. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Horror. The Horror.”, “Apocalypse Now” (1979) A Haunting Summation of War and One of the Greatest Lines in American Cinema “It’s a Strange World, Isn’t It?”, “Blue Velvet” (1986) Pretty Much Encapsulates the Entirety of David Lynch’s Work “Long Live the New Flesh.”, “Videodrome” (1983) A Revolting and Tragic Final Line for One of the Best Body Horror Movies Ever Made “The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of.”, “The Maltese Falcon” (1941) An Ironic Final Line, Considering the Tragic Events of the Story “So Long, Partner.”, “Toy Story 3” (2010) Perhaps the Most Heartbreaking Line Ever Uttered in an Animated Movie
#1: “Why She Wouldn’t Even Harm a Fly.”
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“Psycho” (1960) We’ve given you uplifting closing lines, ambiguous dialogue and iconic statements, but there’s one deranged closing that stands above them all. “Psycho’s” a thrilling Alfred Hitchcock picture that slowly reveals what exactly is going on with Norman Bates at his motel. We’re initially led to suspect that his mother is behind the vicious crimes we witness. However, it’s revealed that Norman was the real crook all along. He eventually gets caught and taken away from his motel. We hear his mother’s voice as it plays in Normans’s head for the last time before the credits roll. Hitchcock’s masterful direction, the excellent voice over and Anthony Perkins’ perfect performance all build up to the closing line to end all others!
