One of the greatest lines of dialogue I've ever heard in a movie was during the scene on the beach between Ted Danson and William Hurt, when Danson is grilling Hurt about his crumbling alibi. Hurt says something like, "If this is one of those conversations, maybe I should have my lawyer present" and then Danson says, "Buddy, your lawyer is present."
Just great.
My fave was when Oscar told Ned "You've messed up before, and you'll mess up again. It's your nature."
shareI think the best line in the movie was when Teddy(Rourke) lectures Ned(Hurt) about arson:
"I got a serious question for you: What the *beep* are you doing? This is not sh!t for you to be messin' with. Are you ready to hear something? I want you to see if this sounds familiar: any time you try a decent crime, you got 50 ways you're gonna *beep* up. If you think of 25 of them, then you're a genius... and you ain't no genius. You remember who told me that?"
I don't squat about committing arson/blowing up a warehouse but what he said makes a whole lot of sense. It's a smart line. Very realistic.
"You aren't too smart. I like that in a man."
One of the greatest lines...ever.
I totally agree, it's one of the best lines delivered by a sultry actress in any movie in the history of film, especially considering what happens at the end of this particular one. This line is so classic, it's hard to believe it wasn't spoken decades before by the likes of the infamous Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich or Barbara Stanwyck.
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"That's not a joke, that's a severe behavioral disorder!"
"You aren't too smart. I like that in a man."
followed by "You don't look lazy" LOL!
"You're not very smart, are you? I like that in a man."
shareIt is easily Danson's best performance. Then again, everyone does career work in this film...
shareI love the two buddy characters in this film - Oscar and Lowenstein. They are so wonderful! And the little business about Lowenstein being obsessed with Fred Astaire-esque dancing - very funny. Lots of really funny little gems in this movie. In the scene at the Palm Beach firm's offices - when they are in the parking lot. Lowenstein escorts Roz to her car, and Ned escorts Matty. Matty and Ned are ostensibly bidding each other a polite & professional farewell, but having a hushed private conversation. There's lots of dramatic and romantic tension. Way in the background, you see Lowenstein do a huge leap with arms outstretched in one of his dancing moments. It is so funny!
My favorite line is also Ted Danson's. William Hurt says something like "You look terrible Lowenstein. Don't you sleep?" And Lowenstein answers "I had a dream so boring last night - woke me up. I was afraid to go back to sleep."
I love the dialogue in that bar scene.
"Maybe you shouldn't wear that body."
I want to change the system from within the system. - Jodie Foster
Actually my favorite lines were between Stella and Oscar:
Oscar - What kind of pie do you have today, Stella?
Stella - I have cherry, cherry and ..... cherry.
Oscar - Well, what do you recommend?
Stella - I like the cherry.
Oscar - Well, then bring it on.
I love the scene/dialogue between Lowenstein and Ned at the diner where Lowenstein describes the interview with little Heather and her seeing the sex scene between Ned and Maddie. Hilarious. And for those who know south Florida, the "cuban" reference was priceless.
share"And a giant Co-Cola."
sharePerhaps the greatest line where Hurt is so intense near the end of the movie when he is so suspicious and she continues to convince him that she loves him and says to her, "You never quit do you, you just keep on coming?"
Also - the subtle scenes are so amazing and how they can go right over your head unless you watch the movie several times. Like when the phone rings and his secretary says Ms. Walker is on the line "do you want her." and his entire body language is torn as to whether he does but he blindly goes forward and says okay. Amazing acting.
Ned: "Is this gonna be one of those conversations? Maybe I should have my lawyer present.
Lowenstein: "Buddy, your lawyer is present."
I like the one where everyone in the room lights up something to smoke except Ted Danson and when offered a cig he says something like "No thanks. I'll just breathe the air."
That had me cracking up!
"Art is I, Science is we."
-Claude Bernard
Something of a follow on to the opening where Ned goes into the bathroom, with several guys smoking weed, and takes a couple of deep breaths and goes 'Ahhh'.
shareI agree,probably seen this movie 30 times,and I still laugh out loud evry time Dansen says that.
shareI love that Danson line! There's plenty of dark wit in this film, delivered by an excellent supporting cast.
I found it very curious that as soon as Ned finishes jogging, he lights up a ciggie. Sign of the times, I guess. Of course, if this film were made today, the smoking scenes would probably be a no-no.
No-no-no, that movie had to have the smoking in it. By today's standards too. And of course it was meant to be a contradiction in terms that he jogs (?healthy?), and then lights up (not healthy). Ned was a total contradiction in terms. What a role for an actor to have!!!
shareYou are right that Ned was a contradiction in terms, which makes the character more appealing. And I certainly was not advocating that the do away with the smoking if they were to make the movie today (which I'm also not advocating), but it just seems like the times have changed and a lot of behaviors like smoking don't make it past the test audiences today.
shareThat's true about how we people are being weaned away from smoking. But think of the TV hit show, "Mad Men". They smoke all the time because it is representative of the times, but also the stresses that all the characters have. These days, the film/acting industry has tobaccoless cigarettes. They use some type of none toxic leaf in them, and that is what everyone smokes on set. And I find this interesting because there are a lot of actors who still smoke.
So, in our modern times, and the movie "Body Heat" still feels modern to me (kind of 'timeless'), and you want to try to get the feel of "film noir", you almost have to have some important characters smoking. Just my opinion, and I am not a smoker.
This movie is filled with so many great lines. I think that it is second only to The Godfather movies in terms of lines that I remember and use with some frequency. One that often runs through my head is from near the movie's end, when Ned tells Mattie something like "Keep on talking, Mattie. Experience shows I can be convinced of anything." That's one I think about when I'm feeling foolish.
shareYup!!! I love that line too.
shareDanson is superb throughout, but the scene on the pier is excellent. He explains that Oscar is hurting because he likes Ned and can't stand to see him screwing his life up. Lowenstein says something like, "Oscar believes in always doing the right thing. He's the only person I know like that. It's a real pain in the ass -- sometimes even for him."
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"Keep talking Mattie, experience shows that I can be convinced of anything".
That was one of Ned's "A-HA" moments....he's letting her know, you've played me for a fool and now I know it!!!!
This movie is awesome!!!!