MovieChat Forums > The Lion in Winter (1968) Discussion > WHich is your FAVORITE line?

WHich is your FAVORITE line?

posted 19 years ago by irot13
185 replies | jump to latest

Every sentence of this masterpiece is either wity, funny, sarcasitic, poetic, dramatic, or just plane awesome. Anyway - their all top notch! Thank god they got actors worthy of them! Post your favorites. This might help: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063227/quotes

My favorite are:

Prince Geoffrey: I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it.
[smiles]
We're a knowledgeable family.

[Upon seeing his wife after she arrives for Christmas Court]
Henry II: HA! What shall we hang... the holly, or each other?

Eleanor: In a world where carpenters get resurrected, everything is possible.

[first lines]
Henry II: Come for me!

[–] Miles_Gloriosus 18 years ago

'His body was full of scars, I could feel his arms around me!'

'Catherine!'

'I feel his arms! I feel them! I feel them!'

'NOOOOO!!!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!'

[–] rrb 18 years ago

It's Eleanor, not Catherine, you moron.

[–] craig-woods1 18 years ago

Prince Richard: [the sons - in the dungeon - think they hear Henry approach] He's here. He'll get no satisfaction out of me. He isn't going to see me beg.
Prince Geoffrey: My you chivalric fool... as if the way one fell down mattered.
Prince Richard: When the fall is all there is, it matters a great deal.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alan Swann From The Movies?

[–] mopar-11 18 years ago

One of my favorites is from the play, but was edited out of the film.

Henry(To Elinore):Not since Ceasar said "You too, Brutus?" has there been a dumber question.

Otherwise,

Henry:....to these aged eyes, boy, that's what winning is all about. Dore me bien.

As to people hitting this film's accuracy, well, the whole thing is anacronistic. The expresions that they use; the fact that they're speaking English(they would be speaking French since English in the form we know and speak didn't exsist yet, and most of these people were more French or Norman than English) and the dynamic between them all is not truly historically accurate. Elinore did start wars against Henry and the four sons(including the King Regent, Henry, who died the summer of 1183_, were coniving for the crown. But Goldman wrote this play and the characters to suite the plot, not historical accuracy. So, have some more brandywine, plant your ass on a purple cushion and enjoy.

"Ah, Christmas. The hot wine steams, the Yule log roars and we're the fat that's in the fire...."

[–] rrb 18 years ago

Hello? It's "Dormez bien," as in French for "Sleep well." What exactly do you think "Dore me bien" means?

[–] YGoodwriter 18 years ago

My two favorite lines;

"I'm 50, alive and king, all at the same time."

"When the fall is all that's left, it matters a great deal."

[–] rolotomasi2001 18 years ago

"I could have conquered the Earth, all of it, but I had women in my life."

[–] lionheart2004 18 years ago

My favorite was Henry saying, "I'm vilifying you! Pay attention!"

I don't have too much to add to what is already posted, besides Eleanor saying,

"Spare the rod and you'll spoil those boys."

[–] androphile 18 years ago

"I could have conquered the Earth, all of it, but I had women in my life."

I think Henry actually said Europe, not the Earth. In 1183 even conquering all of Europe would have seemed like hyperbole.

[–] spamweez 16 years ago

I love Henry's line above with a touch more set-up:

"I've snapped and plotted all my life. There's no other way to be alive, king, and fifty all at once."

[–] savageternity-1 18 years ago

Hello? It's "Dormez bien," as in French for "Sleep well." What exactly do you think "Dore me bien" means?

Ok rrb - you need to pop a chill pill b4 you pop a vessel and ruin the good nature of this board. Peace!!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] scscott45 9 years ago

Yours is the best post in this thread!!

[–] savageternity-1 18 years ago

It's Eleanor, not Catherine, you moron.

rrb - No need to be rude, dude

[–] daphnechen93 17 years ago

That was pretty moronic, though.

Anyway, I laughed at the part when (I'm sorry, it's probably completely paraphrased but I can't remember the exact words) Henry was examining the present Eleanor got for him and said something like "What did you get me? It's heavy.... Eleanor, my tombstone! You spoil me!"

Henry II: My finest angle. It's on all the coins.

Prince Geoffrey: I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it. We're a knowledgeable family.

And I don't think anybody's mentioned this one yet...
Henry II: We're off to Rome to see the Pope.
Princess Alais: [immediately] He's excommunicated you again.

Oh, and the "There'll be pork in the treetops come morning." LMAO

The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense. --Tom Clancy

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Hairy_Lime 18 years ago

I have a weakness for:

Eleanor: You don't dare go!
Henry II: Say that again at noon, you'll say it to my horse's ass!

Also, for the moment when Eleanor notes, "Well, all families have their ups and downs."

The invention of color photography is a mistake from which the movies have never wholly recovered.

[–] fem_istential 18 years ago

People often forget this one:

E: Good, good Louis, simon pure and simon simple. If I had managed sons for him instead of all those little girls, I would still be stuck being Queen of France and we would not have known each other. Such, my lambs, is the role of sex in history.

[–] SincerelyJane 18 years ago

Sadly, people forget this great little line:

Eleanor (to Alais): "You'll make a lovely bride, I wonder if I'll cry...".

[–] susannah-5 18 years ago

In a film where every word is gold, my favourite by far is, "We all have knives. It's 1183 and we're barbarians . . . "

[–] NRiviera 18 years ago

It's such an obvious choice, but it pains me that it hasn't been mentioned yet:

Henry II: I hope we never die.
Eleanor: So do I.
Henry II: Do you think there's any chance of it?

[–] CooperNRG 18 years ago

Prince Richard: When the fall is all that is, it matters.
----------------------------------------------------------
King Philip: I am a king, I am no man's boy.

King Henry: Because you rest your ass on purple cushins?
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Prince Richard: I never heard a corpse ask how it got so cold.
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King Henry: (Refering to how his sons plot against him) There's no way to be alive, king, and fifty all at once.
-------------------------------------
King Henry: (Refering to Prince John) He's only fifteen, he can't help the pimples.

It is better to be feared than loved.

[–] KimB2000 18 years ago

Stunning, fabulous film... Can't quote because every time I try, I just want the whole thing ;)

[–] ArmandFancypants 18 years ago

One I quote in daily conversation for no good reason is

"I am next in line!"

"To NOTHING!"

Just...fantastic. Unless I've misquoted it. Which is highly possible.

__
"Tahiti is not in Europe! I'm going to be sick!"

[–] sausagefactory2010 18 years ago

John: You turd

[–] jg67 18 years ago

"Well...that's how deals are made."

Whip up your hate in some tottering state. But not here dear. Is that clear dear?

[–] the sphynx 18 years ago

Basically you could insert the entire script here. It's all brilliant. But a few more, not yet mentioned:

Eleanor: Have you found some way of selling everyone to everybody?
Geoffrey: Not yet, Mommy, but I'm working on it.

Alais: I talk people and you answer back in provinces.
Henry: I get them mixed up.

Henry: I adore you.
Eleanor: Oh, save your aching arches. That road is closed.

John: I've come to gloat a little.
Eleanor: (sighs) Mother's tired. Come stick pins tomorrow morning, I'll be more responsive.

Eleanor to Richard: I've suffered more defeats than you have teeth. I know one when it happens to me. Take your wormwood like a good boy, swallow it, and go to bed.

Henry: I don't doubt John loves me.
Geoffrey: Like a glutton loves his lunch.

Henry to Eleanor: God, I could listen to you lie for hours.

[–] crash_sublime-1 12 years ago

quote: King Henry: (Refering to Prince John) He's only fifteen, he can't help the pimples.

And the followup from Alais: "He could bathe!"

"Zed's dead, baby, Zed's dead."

[–] xavierPoulain 18 years ago

" I've lived and lost all I hold dear and you loved another woman through it all and *I* am cruel?! I could peel you like a pear and G-d Himself would call it justice!"

[–] ProfessorFate 17 years ago

The whole middle-of-the-night-marriage scene is great, but my favorite exchange:

Richard - "You're getting old. You'll have me once too often."

Henry - "When? I'm fifty now. Good God boy, I'm the oldest man I know. I've got a decade on the Pope. What's it to be, the broadswords when I'm 85?"

Then there's the initial sparring with Philip, who starts to walk out until Henry calls after him:

Henry - "Philip! You haven't got the feel of this at all, lad. Use all your voices. When I bellow, bellow back."

Love the way O'Toole draws out that "Philip!"

"Push the button, Max!"

[–] ceallaig-1 17 years ago

I'm sure someone has mentioned this line, but I haven't read all the replies. This is hands down one of my fave lines in ANY movie:

Henry: When pigs fly, madam!

Eleanor: There'll be pork in the trees come morning!

[–] hachmom-1 17 years ago

2 of my favorites involve Richard

Richard: he isnt going to get any satisfaction out of me, he isnt going to see me beg

Geoff: Why you chivalric fool as if the way one fell down mattered

Ricahrd: when the fall is all there is, it matters

and

Henry: whats the matter, youre richard arent you?

Richard: yes, but youre Henry

I think both lines capture something of Richards charecter....He knew how to die well, and also we forget that although he was the great hero everyone wanted to be like, he too had a legend to live up to, his fathers
It is not our abilities that make us who we are...it is our choices

[–] xavierPoulain 17 years ago

Eleanor:"You lived through everything I lost these past years and loved another woman through it all, and I am cruel? I could peel you like a pear and God Himself would call it justice!"

[–] mward7389 17 years ago

Eleanor: What would you have me do? Give out, give up, give in?

Henry: How about giving me a little peace?

Eleanor: A little? Why be so modest? Why not eternal peace? Now there's a thought.

John: By God, if i were on fire, no one would piss on me to put out the flame.

Richard: Let's spark a flint and find out.

[–] docdespicable 17 years ago

"Hush, dear - Mother's fighting..."

[–] bing148 17 years ago

I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet, not so much for the line but the delivery is BRILLIANT and it was my favorite moment in the movie.

Just paraphrasing, don't remember exactly.

Alais "I don't believe you."

Henry "Wait ten minutes"

[–] MidniteRambler 17 years ago

I, Henry, by grace of God king of the English, lord of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Count of Anjou, Brittany, Poitou and Normandy, Maine, Gascony and Aquitaine, do sentence you to death. Done, this Christmas Day, at Chinon, in God's year 1183.

It's going to be a jungle of a day. If I start growling now I'll never last.

When? Good God boy I'm fifty now. I'm the oldest man I know. I've even got a decade on the pope!

Bluff away!

I never heard a corpse ask how it got so cold.

I have two thousand men at Poitiers!
Can they hear you? Call them and see who answers. You're a king's son so I treat you with respect: you have the freedom of the castle.

I hope all your children breach and die!

Geoffrey: he's not a man, he's a device - he's wheels and gears.

Am I ever anywhere except somewhere else?

I want something's flesh!