Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is in theaters, and it’s safe to say audiences unanimously agree that they love the way Bruce Lee is depicted in the film. *Ducks for cover* Joking aside, what most people can agree on is that the film has some classic Tarantino one-liners.
Admittedly, this is probably the quietest Tarantino joint so far. But, who are we kidding? We're talking about one of the best screenwriters of all time, people. The man can’t help but write amazing dialogue. It’s in his blood. Check out the list to see the ten best quotes from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood!
Updated by Colin McCormick on January 22, 2020: Even though the film was released in the middle of the summer season, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is still one of the most talked-about films thanks to its presence during the award season. With the Oscars on the way, Brad Pitt looks ready to take home a trophy for his role as stuntman Cliff Booth while some think the film itself still has a shot at Best Picture. The popularity of the film still strong, so it seems like a good time to add a few more quotes from this incredibly quotable movie.
"You Want Me To Look Like A Hippie?"
If we learn one thing about Rick Dalton in this movie, it's that he hates hippies. Even before the Manson gang storm his house and try to murder him, he cannot abide their flower power ways.
Given his immense prejudices, it probably came as a terrible shock that the director of his new show Lancer wanted Rick to be stylized like a hippie cowboy for his role. Watching the confused and hungover Rick struggle with the realization that he'll have to become what he hates the most is hilarious as well as a good example of how Hollywood is leaving Rick Dalton in the past.
"Nah, It Was Dumber Than That."
Tarantino sure knows how to please an audience by inflicting violence on some of history's most despicable people. The same way he brutally killed Hitler in Inglourious Basterds, he gives the same treatment to the Manson family killers who make the mistake of breaking into Rick Dalton's house while also making them look foolish.
When Tex and the other killers come in the house, a very high Cliff Booth immediately recognizes them from Spahn Ranch and tries to remember their names. Tex coldly says "I'm the devil, and I'm here to do the devil's work", Cliff simply responds, "Nah, it was dumber than that".
"George Isn't Blind, You're Blind!"
The sequence at Spahn Ranch is one of the most memorable in the film. As Cliff Booth arrives with Pussycat (Margaret Qualley), he begins to fear for what this band of hippies has done with the ranch's owner, George Spahn (Bruce Dern). After checking on George, Cliff decides to leave, having angered the band of hippies.
As he walks to his car, Pussycat yells this hilarious line at him. Qualley delivers it with so much earnest which makes it even funnier. It's a great turn that shows, even though Cliff is laidback and has a problem with authority, he does not fit in with the hippie crowd.
"I Love That Stuff, All The Killing."
Al Pacino is having a great year with his excellent performance as Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman as well as a fun supporting role in this film. Pacino plays Marvin Schwarz, a Hollywood agent who gives Rick Dalton some career advice.
In a great scene, Marvin and Rick meet to discuss the actor's career and Marvin reviews some of Rick's films. When discussing a war movie Rick was in, Marvin gushes his love over the violence in the film. It's safe to say this is a little wink to the audience from Tarantino regarding his reputation for violent films.
"Fair Enough."
Cliff is a bit of a man of mystery throughout the film, but we get a glimpse into his past and why he's an outsider in Hollywood during one extended flashback. The sequence finds Cliff trying to get work as rick's stunt double on the set of The Green Hornet when he has a run-in with the series' star Bruce Lee.
After Cliff questions how much of a badass Lee really is, the two men square off in a friendly fight in which they exchange blows until the fight is broken up and Cliff is thrown from the set. In a great moment of how cool Cliff is, after he looks back on this incident he simply shrugs and says to himself "Fair enough".
“I’m as real as a donut.”
The character who says this line, Tex, is played by American heartthrob Austin Butler. We’d like to clear the air for all the fangirls out there. No, Austin Butler is not an actual donut. Rather, he’s as real as a donut. This is a big win for Austin’s fans fretting that he may have not been real, but a huge loss for those hoping that he was a donut.
No one wants to say that a character based on a real-life killer has one of the best lines in the movie. However, the reason why the line works is due to the fact that it opens up an opportunity for Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff, to have a great comedic moment. The scene begins with Cliff smoking an acid dipped cigarette. Tex breaks into the home and Cliff asks, “Are you real?” Tex says, “I’m as real as a donut.” Cliff laughs hysterically. This specific beat works so well because it’s one of the first indications that the scene is going to go in an unexpected direction. Violence mixed with jet black humor.
“My hands are registered as lethal weapons.”
Bruce Lee’s hands are lethal weapons, huh? He should name one hand Murtaugh and name the other hand Riggs.
Obviously, anyone saying a line like this sounds hilarious. However, there’s just a certain joy that comes from hearing Bruce Lee recite such distinctly Tarantino dialogue. For this is not the Bruce Lee the world remembers. It is an ironic take on Bruce Lee that fits within the Tarantino universe. What really sells this line is that actor Mike Moh does a spot-on impersonation of Bruce Lee’s mannerisms and voice.
“Anybody Order Fried Sauerkraut?!”
Fried Sauerkraut sounds like something that someone can legitimately find at a county fair. Is it wrong that we want feature-length versions of all the fake films in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood? It’s no secret that Tarantino has already dabbled in making grindhouse tributes with movies like Death Proof. However, the notion of watching Leonardo DiCaprio play a nazi hunter that shouts out ridiculous one-liners elevates this niche grindhouse concept to the next level. This is truly one of the movie’s funniest lines.
“No, I’m a stuntman.”
Imagine if all stuntmen actually looked like Brad Pitt. Everybody would want to be a stuntman or hang out with stuntmen. Brad Pitt is such a hunk. Wow.
Cliff picks up a hitchhiker named Pussycat. She asks Cliff, “Are you an actor?” Cliff says, “No, I’m a stuntman.” What’s interesting about this particular line is that it distinguishes the difference between Cliff and Rick’s personalities. Rick’s occupation as an actor really has a hold of his ego. Cliff, on the other hand, is a stuntman and has no desire to be in the spotlight. The two guys balance each other out.
“Is everything okay?” “Well...the [expletive] hippies aren’t!”
One wonders how Tarantino secured financing to produce Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Perhaps he told producers “there’s a scene where DiCaprio kills a hippie with a flame thrower.” They’d be crazy not to fund the film at that point.
There’s an undeniable crassness to the way Rick Dalton talks about everyone around him. But, audiences can’t help but laugh every time the word “hippie” is used as a punchline in the movie. The “hippies” in the film are also straight-up murderers, so, whenever Rick loosely talks about them, it immediately alleviates the tension. Someone should do a drinking game revolving around all of the hippie jokes said in the movie. People would probably get drunk rather quickly.
“Anybody accidentally kills anybody in a fight, they go to jail. It’s called manslaughter.”
How insane would it have been if Bruce Lee did, in fact, accidentally kill Cliff during their fight? The rest of the movie would’ve been about Rick exacting his revenge on Bruce. Tarantino, if you’re reading this, that’s our pitch for your next movie. You’re welcome. It’s free of charge.
This particular line feels like it was specifically written with Brad Pitt in mind. Both the line itself and Brad Pitt’s delivery sounds like it could have easily been said by Aldo Rain in Inglorious Basterds. Is it also too much to ask that we’d love to see an entire team-up movie with Cliff and Bruce? Never mind, that’s our pitch for Tarantino’s next movie!
“I hired you to be an actor, Rick, not a TV cowboy. You’re better than that."
It wouldn’t be a 21st-century film article unless we used the word meta at least once, right? Well, what’s great about this particular line is that it shows Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is aware of how the landscape of television has changed since the 1960s.
Television during the 1960s had been considered a lesser medium than movies. However, the difference between movies and television has become increasingly blurred over the last few years. Actors and actresses who were once strictly labeled as movie stars are more willing to do shows as long as the scripts are top-notch. If Rick were on a television show nowadays, would he be having the same existential crisis as seen in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood?
“You’re Rick [Expletive] Dalton!”
It’d be nice if we all had a friend to remind us of who we are. Like, literally remember who we are. There are just so many names to remember between people’s work and personal lives. So many names in fact that it may be hard to remember our own name sometimes. Is this joke old yet?
Anyway, what’s great about this line is that it really encapsulates Rick and Cliff’s bromance. These are two guys that encourage and have each other’s backs no matter what. There’s an idea in Hollywood that everyone on a movie set kind of acts as a therapist for one another (another great word for this is something called “family”). Rick and Cliff’s chemistry is one of the best on-screen friendships in recent memory.
“John Wilkes Booth?”
One of the most compelling scenes in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is when the film rewrites history and Cliff beats up John Wilkes Booth. That doesn’t happen. In reality, one of the funniest parts of the film is a blink-and-you’ll miss it line.
It happens during the scene when Cliff visits Spahn Ranch. While Cliff is there he runs into the ranch’s owner, George, played by Bruce Dern. George is hard of hearing and clearly exhibits signs of dementia. Cliff says to George, “It’s Cliff Booth.” George exclaims, “Who?! John Wilkes Booth?” The line is said with such subtlety and realism that one can’t help but wonder if it was improvised.
“That was the best acting I’ve ever seen in my whole life.”
Wouldn’t it be nice if people were complimented for all kinds of occupations? “That was the best burger-flipping I’ve ever seen in my whole life.” “That was the best accounting I’ve ever seen in my whole life.” “That Top 10 Quotes From Once Upon a Time In Hollywood piece was the best article I’ve ever read in my whole life.”
What’s great about this particular line is that it’s without a doubt one of the most earnest moments ever put into a Tarantino movie. Audiences already know that the man can write witty and snappy dialogue. This particular quote shows that Tarantino can create sentimental moments that don’t quite verge into schmaltz. It’s incredibly cathartic to finally see another person appreciate Rick Dalton’s acting ability.