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!

[–] lmm318 17 years ago

I absolutely love this movie and have a hard time picking a favorite line...there's just too many! One that makes me laugh every time (that I don't think anyone's mentioned yet) is:

Eleanor (to Geoffrey): "Is it too much? Be sure to squint as you approach, you might be blinded by my beauty." :)

[–] jg67 17 years ago

"Come, stick pins tomorrow. I promise to be more responsive."

"...I'm the biggest female star he's got! Ever had! And he's burying me alive."

[–] donkeylipz 17 years ago

"A king? Because you put you ass on purple cushions?!"

[–] bigdaddy_sammy 17 years ago

Hello,

I was recommended this film by a friend & thought it sounded awful. As i watched I couldn't beleive how the dialogue crackled & sparkled. It is one of my favourites & I'm amazed it's so little known.

I'm also amazed that one of my favourite lines hasn't yet been mentioned.

Prince Richard to Eleanor: "We could tangle spiders in the webs you weave"

I think it drips with brilliance and it sums up the intricate, coniving nature of the film as a grand multi-dimensional back-stabbing where nobody wins because everyone's facing each other & bearing their teeth.

[–] JuliaH-1 17 years ago

This is also one of my all time favorite films. I had to blackmail my parents into letting me watch it on PBS about 25 years ago. They loved it too and now watch it whenever its on television. I had other friends watch it while in Bourgogne France in October. The email quotes still fly back and forth. We wanted to visit the cathedral where Henry and Eleanor's remains reside but it was just too far away.

I loved hearing Peter O'Toole earlier this year talk about Kate as his "beloved Kate" while on the daily show with John stewart.

Folks should check out the original play too which was not a very big success in 1966 on Broadway--starring Rosemary Harris (Spiderman's Aunt Mae) who did win the 1966 Tony Award for Best Actress for the role of Eleanor and Robert Preston (Victor/Victoria's Toddy or The Music Man!)

[–] GusF 17 years ago

I can't remember the line exactly but it's something like

Eleanor: (to Henry) Let's live forever, just to spite them.

Does anyone know the proper quote?

[–] Naneaux 16 years ago

I believe it's Eleanor who says "Let's deny them all and live forever." What a script!

[–] GusF 16 years ago

Thank you. I haven't watched it since I posted that so I haven't had an opportunity to find out for myself! Much obliged. :)

[–] Banny64 17 years ago

my two favorites are:

Philip: Piss on your peace.

and

John: YOU TURD!!!

[–] nimblefin36 17 years ago

Can't remember exactly, but something like:
After Eleanor has spent the night trying to convince her three sons to kill their father (I think entreating them with an encased dagger) - she sees Henry the next morning and he says something like "You look peak-ed this morning, madame" and she replies,
"Likely so. I slept less than well last night, your majesty".

[–] resisobilus 15 years ago

I've seen the stage version and its a favorite of mine. Lines I liked

Richard: Give me a little peace.
Eleanor: A little, why so modest? How about eternal peace now there's a thought!

and

Eleanor: I'd hang you by the nipples but you'd shock the children.

:)

[–] rosaf19 17 years ago

H: Rosamund’s been dead for seven years.
E: Two months and eighteen days. I never liked her much.
H: You count the days?
E: I made the numbers up.

E: Is that menace you’re conveying? Is it to be torture? Will you boil me or stretch me, which? Or am I to be perforated?

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] jackson53h 17 years ago

Henry: How's your crossing? Did the channel part for you?
Eleanor: It went flat when I asked it to, I didn't think to ask for more. How dear of you to let me out of jail.

What an underrated classic.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Hancock_the_Superb 17 years ago

I'M VILIFYING YOU FOR GOD'S SAKE - PAY ATTENTION!

There may be honor among thieves, but there's NONE in politicians!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] andydoty100 17 years ago

Elenor says something derogatory about Henry's first mistress Rosmind (soory, not sure if that name is correct).

Henry: Rosaminds been dead for seven years

Elenor: 2 months and 18 days

Priceless.

This whole movie is amazing!!!!

[–] izy56 17 years ago

My absolute favourite is when Prince Geoffrey says: 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.

Plus these lines:

Geoffrey: You don't think much of me, do you?
Henry: "Much? I don't think of you at all."

Eleanor: You're not an assassin.
Richard: Look again.

Henry: When the king is off his ass, nobody sleeps!

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

[–] Lemondrops777 17 years ago

Henry II: The day those stout hearts band together is the day that pigs get wings.
Eleanor: There'll be pork in the treetops come morning

Eleanor: Henry's bed is Henry's province, he can people it with sheep for all I care... which on occasion he has done.

Henry II: The sky is pocked with stars. What eyes the wise men must have had to see a new one in so many.

The heart has reason which reason knows nothing of- Blaise Pascal

[–] tluisaf 17 years ago

The dialogue between Eleanor and Henry in the cellar is brilliant...
It starts with Eleanor saying "Lost your life's work, have you?" and ends with a line that always makes me shiver " Christ, you don't know what nothing is".

[–] imachar 17 years ago

I have to agree with everyone so far... the dialogue in this film is just unbeatable (along with virtually all the performances - I'm with the John Castle people, I just love Geoffrey and his understated sarcasm)....but my favourite exchange that hasn't been mentioned so far is Phillip and Richard

Phillip - I've spent two years on every street in hell

Richard - That's odd I never saw you there.

A lot of the reason I love it is the delivery.....Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins both being very Welsh (well particularly Hopkins, I know Dalton didn't live in Wales long enough to really sound Welsh)

Actually,that whole exchange between Phillip and Richard is wonderful