MovieChat Forums > Impact (1949) Discussion > Twisted cliche

Twisted cliche

posted 12 years ago by kcdee
6 replies | jump to latest

In a courtroom scene the prosecutor says that Walter wants to 'eat his cake and have it too' but he should've said 'Have your cake and eat it too'.
No?

[–] bluenova19692002 12 years ago

True. Maybe it was intentional, or perhaps the actor flubbed the line.

[–] sonoftony-148-699736 11 years ago

The cliche is correct as stated in the film. If you think about it.

[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 9 years ago

Doubt he flubbed the line. He delivered it too smoothly. I am sure it was written in the script that way. I think it meant that he could enjoy the sweet things in life and have it all.

[–] liscarkat (18541) 5 years ago

It doesn't matter. It works either way.

[–] MariannIAm (22) 4 years ago

Actually the original proverb is "you can't eat your cake and have it, too". That was also one of the lines of the Unabomber's manifesto which stood out as Ted Kaczynski's writings and was key to linking it to him. When you really think about it, it makes a LOT more sense in that context than the one we've been led to believe our entire lives.

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002762.html

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (12139) 6 months ago

It's intentional. It means he wants it ALL. The cliche phrase is you can't eat your cake. He insists on both having it and eating it. Which is pretty rational. I always thought that saying was stooopid to begin with.