MovieChat Forums > Same Time, Next Year (1979) Discussion > Best Line?

Best Line?

posted 20 years ago by mtterry
22 replies | jump to latest

It's been years since I have seen this movie, but I remember it fondly. I remember being just whiplashed in the sequence where Alda shows up as a bitter anti-war type. Burstyn presses and presses him about why he has changed into a cynical bitter bastard, and he puts her off and puts her off. Finally, the dam breaks, and he tells her, "Because Michael is dead!" That one line, delivered by an actor I normally don't like, still gives me the shivers as I write it. Alda delivered that simple declarative sentence with all of the agony, anger, hurt, and rage that I can imagine any man who loses his son would feel.

Your favorite line?

[–] TSMChicago 20 years ago

George: "I'm not a cabdriver, I can't deliver a baby"

[–] cbathomarco 19 years ago

I was only 15 when I saw this movie. It keeps coming in my mind and I feel kind of disturbed ´cause I just can´t remember how it ended although I ´m sure how good it is. I lived in the US at the time. Now, I live in Brazil. I´ve looked for the dvd but I haven~t found it yet. I´d be very thankful if you´d tell me more about.
Chrystianne - [email protected]

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[–] rjwatson-2 17 years ago

I have an original movie poster of this movie framed in my bedroom. I felt that this movie and the scenery around that section of California is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. agree with you the movie had so many great parts and words. think Mulligan the director is a genius!

Bob

[–] duringtheafter 19 years ago

Actual line is "Because Michael was killed!" I agree he gives a fantastic delivery -- it's a great scene.

I love when George's daughter calls and lost her tooth; George starts packing to leave early because he feels so guilty. And Doris says (Edited down by me):

"So you wander around like this open nerve saying, 'I'm cheating but look how guilty I feel so I must be a nice guy"! ... Well that doesn't make you a nice guy. You know what makes you? A horse's ass!"

Ellen Burstyn has a great delivery there too. :)

[–] 80334080 19 years ago

The lines that come to mind are (1)"Doris that counts" and (2)"absolute honesty is the key" according to Father (I forget his name). Great movie especially for us older types. The younger crowd probably likes "When Harry Met Sally" better.

[–] fsdeo11 19 years ago

Having played the part recently I am little biased but the best line is hands down... "I guess what bugs me most about Hellen is... she broke my pecker!"

[–] mickibeth 19 years ago

O'Hurlihy (sic)...the movie was just on tonight. One of my favorite of all time also. When I first met my husband, we lay on the couch and watched it one Sunday afternoon.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] shebledwhite 17 years ago

One of my favorite lines, that I can remember, (there were soo many), was: "I liked you better before you were part of the book of the month club" because it just came out of nowhere, and he had nothing else to respond with, LOL!

[–] diviolet 17 years ago

I love this movie. One of my favorite lines is during the segment when George is impotent and Doris (who is 8 months pregnant) decides they should tell each other a deep dark secret about themselves in lieu of sex. She tells him that she has been having sex dreams about him almost every day, but the strange thing about them is that they all take place in and around water.Then she asks George to tell her his deep, dark, secret. His response? " I can't swim!"

[–] triquetra_74 16 years ago

same here... I am not an alan alda fan at all... but this is the one movie where I can take him.

the way he barks at her and her reaction.

it was like she was the only one that could reach his pain and release it for him. Just like she knew when they first met that Michale had a speical bond with him.

one of the most touching parts of this movie. I just re-watched again last night and I still got teary at that scene.

Life Lesson #72 Merlot and E-Mail don't mix!

[–] niara 15 years ago

It was on HBO over the weekend. I've seen it, but not in a long time.

Two accomplished actors, at the height of their craft. Think of it: the two of them carried the entire film, and for the most part, in the same room/inn.

I loved, loved, LOVED the scene when Doris goes into labor. George panics at first, then begins to mimic contractions, then she says, "George, I'm scared." And he just pulls it together. He goes over to her, takes her hands in his -- and the camera does a close up of just their hands -- and he looks in her face and says, "it's going to be all right." Tears came to my eyes.

And of course, the "morning after", at the beginning of the film, when he asks her why does she have to look so luminous and not blotchy and puffy-eyed like the rest of us, and she said, "well, I guess God thought chubby thighs were enough."

This film would never be made today, as I look back. Thank goodness someone had the forsight and ambition to get in made back in 1977/1978. We are awash in mediocrity these days, and watching Alda and Burstyn, made me long for the day, not that long ago, when movies were truly movies: thoughtful, provoking, insightful, joyous.

[–] MissMillie420 13 years ago

"THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GOD DAMNED TOOTH FAIRY!"

Here's to those who wish me well...

[–] pelscc2000 13 years ago

When Alan Alda's character finds out Ellen Burstyn's vharacter is in labor and she says "This is not the time to be acting like Butterfly McQueen"

[–] Quentin36 13 years ago

Can't remember the exact line but when he says their song is "if I knew you were coming i would have baked a cake'