Authors and writing craft teachers often discuss first lines in books and movies. First lines are mighty important, no doubt about it.
But what about last lines? Not a narrated line, an actual character line that is the last one spoken. IMHO, the last spoken line has the potential of staying with the reader/viewer for a long time.
Aside: We watched a movie the other night. It was good (not great, though) until the last scene. I don’t know what the screenwriters were thinking, but it took the Oscar for the stupidest last scene/lines in sixty-five+ years of my movie-watching career. I’m not even going to dignify it by belaboring the point.
But I will say this. If you’re tempted to watch Air Force One Is Down—don’t! (Not to be confused with Harrison Ford’s Air Force One…)
Enough of that.
Question for the day is what is your favorite-of-all-time last line of dialogue in a book or movie?
Here’s mine…
Your turn, TKZers!
“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”
Good morning, Jim!
Yep, can’t have this discussion without that line. What an actress!
Thanks for the reminder (again!) of movies and stories that grab you by the throat. 🙂
Hmm….unless one comes to me later on, I’m not thinking of examples of any literal last lines from books that were so powerful I can remember them. I do tend to remember lines from TV shows–I’ve always been more of a TV than a movie person, and always found Star Trek the original series to be the most quotable TV show ever.
Funny we’re talking about this because at work yesterday I was frustrated with my computer at work because it was taking so long to process something & a line from Bonanza episode “The Last Trophy” popped into mind: “FIRE!” (a man froze on the trigger while a cougar was running at him and 3-4 other people kept saying “FIRE!”, “FIRE!” (Adam had to save the day). 😎
My movie example of a memorable line comes from my all time favorite movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It isn’t the literal last line but close to the end of the film–“Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most…human.” (referring to my beloved Spock, who gave his life for his friends. Just typing that line makes me cry again for the 12 millionth time).
As to books, the only line from near the end of a novel that has stayed with me forever is from my all time favorite, “Forlorn River” by Zane Grey, when the protag, who similarly has just saved his friends but thankfully not at the cost of his life, rides away to avoid wrongful capture saying “So long, pard. We’re square!”
That line may not sound like much but it’s stuck with me so solidly that it has randomly come back to mind dozens of times over my lifetime.
Curious now if this post will pop any others to mind during the course of the day. Looking forward to what examples others give.
I love that line about Spock as well.
Me, too!
Hi Brenda…I agree.
Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most…human. And not only is it a great line, Shatner does a masterful job of delivering it.
I haven’t read the Zane Grey novel you referenced, but still, I can almost fill in the scene around that line. It gives me a picture of a life well-lived.
Thanks for dropping in, and have a great weekend.
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Hi Dale…
Can’t leave that one out for sure. I gotta watch that again!
Have a great day, my friend…
I could watch that movie every day. I am finishing moving on Monday. I want to name my new bar, ‘Rick’s Cafe Americian’. Child is not on board with this. They will get used to it.
Like it, Alan!
I’d be on board with it… 🙂
“He would be in Jem’s room all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.”
A gem for sure, Kay.
Thanks for sharing that one. It makes the reader wish to still be there in the morning, too, when Jem wakes up. 🙂
Have a wonderful day!
MMy favorite last line is “May it be so, because I’m tired of feeding those damn buzzards.”
It is my favorite only because it is the last line of my first published novel, Feeding Buzzards.
Hi Leon!
“Feeding Buzzards”…intriguing title, I must say. And I like that last line. Sparks a possible scene in my mind, either someone deciding to stay alive–or go ahead and die.
Thanks for stopping by this morning.
I like this last line from the “Great Gatsby.”
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Good morning, Elaine.
How could I have forgotten that one? It’s almost a comment on my life these days. Maybe all of us…
Thanks for adding to the nostalgia this morning!
“Poo-tee-weet?” Literary
“Oh my God. I’m back. I’m home. All the time, it was… We finally really did it. You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!”. Movie
Hi Alan!
Okay, that line piques my interest enough to ask, “What movie was that, and where can I watch it?”
🙂
Planet of the Apes?
Yes. One of the classic movie endings.
“Poo-tee-weet?” Is the end of Slaughterhouse Five.
Ahh…another one I didn’t see in my misspent youth!
🥴
I kind of like the end of the middle book of my Mainstream Literary trilogy:
“If ye are satisfactory–” the grin widened “–ye won’t have to share.”
followed by a promise:
To Be Concluded
The trilogy is a single story in three parts due to Amazon printing size constraints. And will be as long as GWTW when the final volume is published.
Hi Alicia!
“To be concluded…”
Intriguing!
Thanks for stopping by. 👍
Your mention of GWTW made me think of another famous ending line: “After all, tomorrow is another day”. (I assume it’s the last line–I’m depending on Google here).
Yep…see above image.
🥳🥳
One of my favorite endings is “And they all lived happily ever after.” My own version for my fantasy book is, “And a playful sea breeze sent the blessing of Alardin dancing across Teleria.”
Hey Michelle…
That is a tried and true ending for sure. All of life should be just that.
And I like your version, too!
Hope you have a great weekend.