50 best opening lines in movies

Beginning with a bang

We've already told you how movies should end, so in a Memento-style narrative gimmick, we're going back and telling you how they should begin.

Keeping us all gripped from the very first line of dialogue, here are the 50 greatest cinematic openers ever.

We're not perfect, despite rumours to the contrary, so let us know which quotes we've forgotten about at the bottom.

(Images: All Star, Rex Features)

Goodfellas

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a… More details
Goodfellas

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”

Henry Hill (Ray Liotta)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the… More details
Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold."

Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Departed

“I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want… More details
The Departed

“I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."

Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Reservoir Dogs

"Let me tell you what 'Like a Virgin' is… More details
Reservoir Dogs

"Let me tell you what 'Like a Virgin' is about..."

Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Rebecca

"Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley… More details
Rebecca

"Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

Mrs. De Winter (Joan Fontaine)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Million Dollar Baby

"Only ever met one man I wouldn't wanna… More details
Million Dollar Baby

"Only ever met one man I wouldn't wanna fight."

Scrap (Morgan Freeman)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Black Swan

"I had the craziest dream last night. I was dancing… More details
Black Swan

"I had the craziest dream last night. I was dancing the White Swan."

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Fight Club

“People are always asking me if I know Tyler… More details
Fight Club

“People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden…”

The Narrator (Edward Norton)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Patton

"Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a… More details
Patton

"Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Patton (George C. Scott)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
High Fidelity

"What came first, the music or the misery?" Rob… More details
High Fidelity

"What came first, the music or the misery?"

Rob Gordon (John Cusack)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Gone Baby Gone

"I always believed it was the things you don't choose… More details
Gone Baby Gone

"I always believed it was the things you don't choose that makes you who you are."

Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Big Lebowski

"Way out west there was this fella I wanna tell ya… More details
The Big Lebowski

"Way out west there was this fella I wanna tell ya about. Goes by the name of Jeff Lebowski."

The Stranger (Sam Elliott)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Terminator 2: Judgment Day

"3 billion human lives ended on August 29th, 1997. The… More details
Terminator 2: Judgment Day

"3 billion human lives ended on August 29th, 1997. The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day."

Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Citizen Kane

"Rosebud." Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) More details
Citizen Kane

"Rosebud."

Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Kill Bill Vol. 1

"Do you find me sadistic? You know, I bet I could fry… More details
Kill Bill Vol. 1

"Do you find me sadistic? You know, I bet I could fry an egg on your head right now, if I wanted to."

David Carradine (Bill)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Trainspotting

"Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a… More details
Trainspotting

"Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a f***ing big television."

Renton (Ewan McGregor)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Manhattan

"Chapter One. He adored New York City. He idolized it… More details
Manhattan

"Chapter One. He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion. Eh uh, no, make that he, he romanticized it all out of proportion. Better."

Isaac David (Woody Allen)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Lord Of The Rings: The …

"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel… More details
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air."

Galadriel (Cate Blanchett)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Apocalypse Now

"Saigon. S**t! I'm still only in Saigon. Every time I… More details
Apocalypse Now

"Saigon. S**t! I'm still only in Saigon. Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle..."

Willard (Martin Sheen)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Dead Man's Shoes

"God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and let… More details
Dead Man's Shoes

"God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and let them into heaven. I can't live with that."

Richard (Paddy Considine)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Weather Man

"That was refreshing. I'm refreshed. I'm… More details
The Weather Man

"That was refreshing. I'm refreshed. I'm refreshing."

Dave Spritz (Nicolas Cage)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Field Of Dreams

"I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball,… More details
Field Of Dreams

"I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball, and I'm about to become a farmer. But until I heard the voice, I'd never done a crazy thing in my whole life."

Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Outsiders

"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the… More details
The Outsiders

"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house. I had only two things on my mind; Paul Newman and a ride home."

Ponyboy (C Thomas Howell)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Notes On A Scandal

"People trust me with their secrets. But who do I… More details
Notes On A Scandal

"People trust me with their secrets. But who do I trust with mine? You, only you."

Barbara Covett (Judi Dench)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Raging Bull

"I remember those cheers. They still ring in my… More details
Raging Bull

"I remember those cheers. They still ring in my ears."

Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
In Bruges

"After I killed him, I dropped the gun in the Thames,… More details
In Bruges

"After I killed him, I dropped the gun in the Thames, washed the residue off me hands in the bathroom of a Burger King, and walked home to await instructions."

Ray (Colin Farrell)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Ferris Bueller's Day Off

“The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands.… More details
Ferris Bueller's Day Off

“The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It’s a good non-specific symptom; I’m a big believer in it."

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Rules Of Attraction

"And it's a story that might bore you, but you don't… More details
The Rules Of Attraction

"And it's a story that might bore you, but you don't have to listen, because I always knew it was going to be like that."

Lauren (Shannyn Sossoman)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Zombieland

"Oh, America. I wish I could tell you that this was… More details
Zombieland

"Oh, America. I wish I could tell you that this was still America, but I've come to realize that you can't have a country without people. And there are no people here."

Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Godfather

"I believe in America. America has made my… More details
The Godfather

"I believe in America. America has made my fortune."

Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Spider-Man

"Who am I? You sure you want to know?" Tobey… More details
Spider-Man

"Who am I? You sure you want to know?"

Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Blood Simple

"The world is full o' complainers. An' the fact is,… More details
Blood Simple

"The world is full o' complainers. An' the fact is, nothin' comes with a guarantee."

Private Detective Visser (M. Emmet Walsh)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Kick-Ass

"I always wondered why no-one did it before me. I… More details
Kick-Ass

"I always wondered why no-one did it before me. I mean, all those comic books, movies, TV shows... you think that one eccentric loner would've made himself a costume."

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Forrest Gump

"Hello. My name's Forrest, Forrest Gump. You want a… More details
Forrest Gump

"Hello. My name's Forrest, Forrest Gump. You want a chocolate?"

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Casino

"When you love someone, you've gotta trust them.… More details
Casino

"When you love someone, you've gotta trust them. There's no other way. You've got to give them the key to everything that's yours. Otherwise, what's the point?"

Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Prestige

"Are you watching closely?" Alfred Borden… More details
The Prestige

"Are you watching closely?"

Alfred Borden (Christian Bale)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Deliverance

"You w- you wanna... you wanna talk about the… More details
Deliverance

"You w- you wanna... you wanna talk about the vanishing wilderness?"

Lewis (Burt Reynolds)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Fallen

"I want to tell you about the time I almost… More details
Fallen

"I want to tell you about the time I almost died"

Azazel (Denzel Washington)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
A Clockwork Orange

"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that… More details
A Clockwork Orange

"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening."

Alex (Malcom McDowell)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Talented Mr. Ripley

"If I could just go back... if I could rub everything… More details
The Talented Mr. Ripley

"If I could just go back... if I could rub everything out... starting with myself."

Tom Ripley (Matt Damon)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Full Metal Jacket

"I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill… More details
Full Metal Jacket

"I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill instructor. From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be sir."

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Sin City

"She shivers in the wind like the last leaf on a dying… More details
Sin City

"She shivers in the wind like the last leaf on a dying tree."

The Salesman (Josh Hartnett)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Flatliners

"Today is a good day to die." Nelson Wright… More details
Flatliners

"Today is a good day to die."

Nelson Wright (Kiefer Sutherland)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Oliver

“Please, sir, I want some more.” Oliver Twist (Mark… More details
Oliver

“Please, sir, I want some more.”

Oliver Twist (Mark Lester)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Snatch

"My name is Turkish. Funny name for an… More details
Snatch

"My name is Turkish. Funny name for an Englishman."

Turkish (Jason Statham)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Mallrats

“One time my cousin Walter got this cat stuck up his ass.… More details
Mallrats

“One time my cousin Walter got this cat stuck up his ass. True story."

Brodie (Jason Lee)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
The Social Network

"Did you know there are more people with genius IQs… More details
The Social Network

"Did you know there are more people with genius IQs living in China than there are people of any kind living in the United States?"

Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Chinatown

“All right, Curly, enough's enough. You can't eat the… More details
Chinatown

“All right, Curly, enough's enough. You can't eat the venetian blinds. I just had 'em installed on Wednesday.”

Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Sleepers

"This is a true story about friendship that runs… More details
Sleepers

"This is a true story about friendship that runs deeper than blood. This is my story and that of the only three friends in my life that truly mattered."

Lorenzo (Jason Patric)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious
Rounders

"Listen, here's the thing: If you can't spot the… More details
Rounders

"Listen, here's the thing: If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker."

Mike McDermott (Matt Damon)
Share on

…or email to your friends.
- Tweet
- Facbook
- Digg
- Delicious