Car movies are a flim genre that has a rather flexible definition. Sometimes the cars are the subject matter, like in the animated Pixar movie named after the automobile. Other times the car becomes a star to enthusiasts like us, like a certain green Mustang piloted by a police detective on the mean streets of San Francisco. But the cars often come with famous quotes, because these rolling actors inspire unique dialog from others in the movie.
Or perhaps that’s just my bias as an automotive journalist, but I doubt I am the only person who remembers/recites movie quotes. And when the quotes come with a car, well, let’s just say it becomes a moment in time that anyone with gasoline in their veins is likely to remember.
(Salty Language Warning: Finding the TV edit of this scene was difficult, so I apologize for the naughty word spoken in the video.)
I wasn’t old enough to watch Smokey and the Bandit when it was new, so I first knew it as a movie that aired on TV in the afternoons. When that’s your first exposure to this iconic film, the flair of all the characters is somewhat muted by the dubbed-over dialogue. Salty language is never safe for television, but perhaps that doesn’t detract from the movie?
Hear me out on this one. I’ve since watched the not-safe for TV version more times than I’d like to admit, but my mind always goes back to the edited dialogue of the incomparable Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice. And my favorite phrase from this member of law enforcement is most certainly “scum bum.”
We know the words that Buford T. Justice actually said on the silver screen, but let’s take a moment to praise the phrase “scum bum” as being the perfect act of wordplay by a TV censor. In doing so, they made one of the best car movies into something appealing to even more viewers.
I’d be lying to you if I didn’t admit that the sight of a Malaise Era Pontiac sedan triggers a “scum bum” thought in my brain. But that’s just one obscure example I cherry picked to start the conversation.
So the question remains: What’s Your Favorite Quote From A Car Movie?
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.”
Hit it! One of the best movies anywhere. Great music and I can point to multiple locations that were near me or I have been to.
“What is behind you does not matter” as the rear view mirror is torn off a Ferrari (I think) by the Italian driver dude in Cannonball Run–or Gumball Rally, one of the two.
Franco in Gum Ball Rally
“Life is a highway”
From the song in the Cars movie, by Rascal Flats. It’s just so true, to me at least.
From the not as good as the original version of Vanishing Point: “It takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar
“ It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks”
Blues Brothers
“Junior, when I get home, I’m gonna punch your mama in the mouth.”
Smokey and the Bandit
We need to quote the sheriff properly. We are all adults and lets face it the the censored version always was bad. You do realize down south and parts of the mid west this is still consider a documentary not a comedy.
Jackie was what really made the movie. He adlibbed most of his line and we all know em by heart. His exchanges with JR are classic and the line at the funeral LOL!
To be honest most of the movie was made up as they filmed and that is why the first movie was so go and those that followed never measured up.
I loved the I want a Diablo Sandwich and a Dr Pepper scene.
Then the not politically correct scene with Sherriff Brandford. “Hmm you sounded a bit taller on radio”.
And Jerry Reed telling the Bandit that ain’t never been done before in no rig. Bandit replied well son that is because we never done it before.
Big Enos and little Enos at the start of the movie was a classic scene.
Cannon Ball Run had many good lines.
Burt to Dom asking why two priest were driving a Ferrari. Dom said they are just doing the work of the Lord. In a Ferrari they do it a little faster.
Or Dean Martin as the one priest to Sammy as the other after trying to pick up women at the bar saying “Next time we are Methodist”.
Many other car movies never really held many classic lines. If they did often they were cheesy lines from Vin Diesel.
One that can be considered a car line is “Scrap the Caddy Clyde”. Every Which Way But Loose was great and did have a lot of cars in it and bikes.
Too bad Clint did not make more car movies. Imagine what he would have come up with. Make my Day was made up on the spot in the film. He felt the original line was too wordy.
D-Day, from Animal House: “RAMMING SPEEEED!!”
(Ok, so it’s not a car movie, but it is car related… the “DeathMobile”.)
Classic!
Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen) in Le Mans: “When you’re racing, it’s… It’s life. Anything that happens before or after, it’s just waiting.”
Hey does “Danger to Manifold” count from the Fast and Furious. It’s the silliest thing I ever saw.
An Honorable Mention, if nothing else!
Used Cars:
“ THAT’S TOO F#%@ING HIGH!!”
“What about it dad? Wanna give that doodle bug a workout? I’ll go easy on ya’.”
“Be serious will you.”
(Light turns green, Herbie does a wheelie)
“Made of good time…”
Chevy Chase looks at his watch after launching the “Front wheel drive family sleigh” (a wood paneled Taurus wagon, a replacement for the Wagon Queen Family Truckster) off a snowbank and demolishes the sign at the you cut-it Christmas tree lot in Christmas Vacation.
While the line isn’t hilarious, Chase’s timing is spot on.
“Where we’re going – we don’t need roads” By Doc at the end of Back To The Future Pt 1
Too many lines in Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, but “Keep going, partner, ’cause my top end is unlimited!” works.
But then again
Larry Rayder: You know what a man would do right now if he were smart?
Deke Sommers: What?
Larry Rayder: I don’t know, I thought you’d know.
Mary Coombs: [in car speeding towards opening drawbridge] Hey, wait a minute… why aren’t we slowing down?
Larry Rayder: [laughs] She doesn’t know me very well, does she, Deke?
Deke Sommers: Not likely she ever will, with about one second to live.
Larry Rayder: [re engine tuning] Hey, punky! That’s the best time this turkey’s ever done. What the hell did you do to it?
Deke Sommers: Just hit it with a bigger hammer, that’s all.
