The Home Alone franchise, a John Hughes favorite among fans, especially during the holiday season, has long been a hit. Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) frequently outwits two bumbling crooks, Harry and Marv (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), and has plenty of pain and torture in store for them.
Harry is a bit wiser than Marv, but definitely has more of a temper. Marv, meanwhile, is more dim-witted. The two together are funny in their interactions with both Kevin and amongst themselves, and they have a laundry list of hilarious quotes, to boot.
Harry: "Oh! He Busted Me Right In My Mouth, Marv!"
Harry, more so than Marv, has learned a lesson or two since his last encounter with Kevin in the second film. He feigns racing up the stairs to get Kevin and fakes being hit by one of the paint cans Kevin releases with the above quote.
In a turn of events, the robbers are tricking Kevin, and that's a rare occurrence. It was funny to see the roles switched, however, it didn't last long, as even after Kevin had let go of the two paint cans, he had more in store for the bumbling duo that they did not see coming.
Marv: "It's Fish."
Upon arriving in New York City, Harry declares that he smells freedom, but Marv is more literal and disagrees, smelling the fish that surrounds them. The two get into a brief argument over whether it's fish or freedom, but Marv hilariously waits until Harry is out of earshot to utter the above quote. Marv definitely had to have the last word. Perhaps freedom means the smell of fish, at least in Marv's case.
Harry: "Merry Christmas, Little Fella. We Know That You're In There And That You're All Alone."
Harry's teasing, yet threatening tone prior to enduring Kevin's traps is pretty funny because neither he nor Marv had no idea what was coming to them in the first film. Harry wasn't in such a lighthearted mood when all was said and done.
The criminal duo definitely underestimated what Kevin was capable of and they paid dearly for it. They got the karma that they had coming to them and Harry even loses his gold tooth, much to his horror.
Marv: "Why The Hell Are You Dressed Like A Chicken?"
In the first movie, when Marv and Harry finally manage to each get into the house and see one another, Harry asks why Marv's taken his shoes off, but that's not the most pressing question. Instead, Marv responds with the quote above, and admittedly, it's a good question.
The trap that made Harry look like a chicken was actually one of the most harmless that Kevin ever pulled. Harry was annoyed, Marv was confused, and it made for an unforgettably humorous moment.
Harry: "May I Do The Thinking, Please?"
Marv is ready to go inside, guns blazing, to get to Kevin in the second movie, but Harry holds him back, wanting to be a little more prepared. The thing is, no matter how much preparation Harry and Marv may have done prior to chasing Kevin, they still would be no match for the mastermind that Kevin has proven to be.
Harry frequently gives Marv a hard time, and this is one of the more memorable instances. Even with Harry doing the thinking, he and Marv still failed to beat Kevin and had one heck of a Christmas Eve, filled with plenty of pain.
Marv: "How Did My Hair Look?"
Instead of being concerned by the fact that Kevin took a picture of him and Harry robbing the toy store in Home Alone 2, Marv's worried about his appearance and it's absolutely hysterical. Audiences can certainly relate to being concerned with their appearance whenever their picture is taken, lest they suffer an embarrassing snapshot of themselves.
But Marv may not have his priorities straight here, and the line just further shows how he might not be the sharpest tool in the shed.
Harry: "All Kids, No Parents. Probably A Fancy Orphanage."
In the first movie, Harry's observation, at least at first glance, doesn't seem to be too far from the truth. The kids do outnumber the parents in the household. It's actually a funny observation: he's in the McCallister house for quite some time before any adult takes notice of him.
It's probably a good thing Harry and Marv didn't try to rob the house when all the kids were present - Kevin alone was too much for them to handle!
Marv: "Wow. What A Hole!"
Marv thinks he's successfully entered the house, but he fails to look for more traps and takes a confident step forward upon opening the front door. Subsequently, he takes a nasty swan dive from the front door into the basement, landing right on his face.
It was a pretty bad fall, but Marv lightens up the situation when he stands, cracks his back, and says the above quote. He actually sounds more impressed by the size of the hole than horrified by his fall and quickly sets off into the next trap, the poor guy.
Harry: "Nobody Throws Bricks At Me And Gets Away With It!"
The funniest aspect of this quote of Harry's is the fact that he's totally offended by Kevin throwing bricks at him, when really, all the bricks hit Marv directly and he's struggling to get out a sentence while he lies on the ground. Even funnier, Harry kicks Marv afterward and tells him to get up, and then goes off to look for a way into the house.
Harry hardly acknowledged his wounded partner, which is pretty brutal. Still, his reaction to the entire incident is definitely true to character, and uproarious by extension.
Marv: "Harry, I've Reached The Top!"
Marv is triumphant, especially after enduring one of Kevin's traps just trying to get into the house in New York City. His triumph and happiness are immediately cut short when, the next second, Marv finds himself in the basement, courtesy of a huge hole.
That's what makes this quote so funny: the irony and the comedy are perfectly timed, and only Daniel Stern could've made it the iconic moment (and line) that it is.