MovieChat Forums > Vice Versa (1988) Discussion > One line wonders: An 80s phenomenon

One line wonders: An 80s phenomenon

posted 20 years ago by phantom_tollbooth
25 replies | jump to latest

There was a phenomenon in 80s films where there would be a member of the cast who had only one line, but it would bring the house down. The character who delivered the line would not be a part of any other scene and would generally just appear only for the amount of time it took to speak the line. Frequently it was a fat guy, although sometimes it would be an old or middle aged person. The line would always have to be devastatingly funny, one of the movies’ biggest laugh.

For example

“Flight of the Navigator”: Joey Cramer stops to make a call and the fat guy stands transfixed by the spaceship, finally uttering “He said he wanted to phone home”.

“Innerspace”: Martin Short stands at a urinal talking to Dennis Quaid who is inside his body. A guy comes up and says “Play with it, Pal. You don’t talk to it”.

Vice Versa: Having swapped bodies with his father, the young Fred Savage orders a limo. He treats the driver with no respect, bluntly telling him to stay put as he leaves the car. A high street Santa leans in the limo window and asks “Is he famous”? The driver replies “He will be, I’m gonna kill him”.

When Harry Met Sally: An extremely famous example. After Meg Ryan loudly fakes an orgasm in a restaurant, an old woman (director Rob Reiner’s mother) says “I’ll have what she’s having”.

Possibly my favourite one line wonder moment is in Tootsie. When filling Dustin Hoffman in drag, the producer says “I’d like to make her a little more attractive. How far can you pull back?” In a classic example of the one line wonder phenomenon, we see a very brief shot of a tubby, middle aged cameraman who replies “How do you feel about Cleveland?

I love these 80s films and the whole one line wonder thing. Can anyone help me compile some more of these examples. There must be tons.

[–] stephen_thanabalan_fans 19 years ago

Never noticed that before!!! Hilarious...thanks for pointing it out. Now that its been mentioned I think that might even have been one of any of these 80s film script's official tools or conventions. Well, it lasted well into the early 90s by which time I reckon the Simpsons' sardonic humour made a broad parody of those...

[–] Krokodilius 19 years ago

Another good example would be the James Bond movies with Roger Moore.

[–] martynfreak 19 years ago

Another one would be in Superman 3. After Clark has pushed Brad into the lift on the food trolley an old woman just stares and says 'No Wonder They Sent It back!'

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] martynfreak 19 years ago

Its right at the end when Clark is showing Lana the ring with the diamond he got out of that lump of coal. Just as Clark is kneeling in front of her, Brad comes in and gets the idea that Clark is proposing to her. In his rush to get to Clark, Brad lands on top of the hostess trolley scattering all the food. Clark pushes the trolley out of the room and into the open doors of the lift, where the old woman is standing and delivers her line.

[–] gnozide 19 years ago

Judge Reinhold doesn't so much play an 11 year old, he comes off more like an adult with severe learning difficulties

[–] dylan1669 18 years ago

LOL, ya I remember when I watched this movie the first time, I was about 9 years old and I remembered thinking, "God, is he really trying to act like an 11 year old, or is he just trying to pretend that he's making fun of an 11 year old?" It almost seemed more like he was trying to imitate a child going through the "Terrible Twos" instead of 11.

[–] CrunchCameron 18 years ago

In Howard The Duck, when Jeffrey Jones's character starts glowing while transorming into the dark Overlord, there is a black chef that observes and delivers the line "he must have ate the chili!"

In Robocop when Robo first walks through the police station, all of the officers look in awe, and there is a prisoner among them that slowly says "what is this sh*t?"

and of course, one that was intended to be a one line wonder as the movie it was in was one big parody, in The Naked Gun when Chubby from Teen Wolf belts out "Hey! It's Enrico Polozzo!"

I'll have to think of some others in the mean time.

[–] Poe31 18 years ago

I work with 11 year olds. Trust me, that is how they act. (5th grade teacher) Imagine having all the unlimited energy of a kid, but the body of an adult. Wouldn't you act freaky?
~“Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable." Wizard of Oz

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] midev 19 years ago

In Superman I when he saves Lois from the helicopter he says "Don't worry I have you." She replies "Yes, but who has you?"

[–] Stickman_Cinema 19 years ago

A slight precursor to the 80's: Superman (1978)

When Clark has just finished changing into Superman and flies away, a nearby pimp says "That is a bad out-FIT!"

Classic!!!

[–] Stickman_Cinema 19 years ago

bump

[–] Crurned 18 years ago

Haha! I noticed that too! I knew he was a pimp.

I'll be watching YOU!-The Police

CRURNED FOREVER!

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] aaacoin2000 18 years ago

Here's a few that spring to mind...

In John Cusack's Better Off Dead, when he jumps off the bridge and inadvertently into a garbage truck, a tree trimmer offers this hilarious bon mot: "Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that. "

He had a few lines, but oh so brief and oh so memorable...Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller "Bueller?...Bueller?...Bueller?"

During the near plane crash in Almost Famous (yeah, I know...it's a 90's film) Ed's only line *beep* it! I'm...I'm gay!"

One of my favorites, from Raising Arizona. William Forsyth and John Goodman have absconded with the baby and stop in to a small store, Forsyth asked the owner if he sells balloons that have funny shapes. Great response: "Well, no...unless round is funny."

The Muppet Movie, Doc Hopper introduces Snake Walker to his henchmen "This is Snake Walker. Tell 'em what you do, Snake." Snake removes his glasses and with all the drama of a cloned Clint Eastwood, responds "Kill frogs."

Another favorite, Stan the Statue of Liberty tour guide, suddenly sying a naked Darryl Hannah in Splash "The Statue is a gift from French citizens and has come to symbolize hope for naked women everywhere... BOCCE BALLS!!!"

Frank Oz in The Blues Brothers as Jake is released and gets his previous belongings "One Timex digital watch, broken. One unused prophylactic. Soiled."

I love these one liners.

[–] bring_back_Pluto 18 years ago

in GHOSTBUSTERS - there's the old, fat guy by the elevator .... as the GB are entering, Ray looks over, smiles, and says "going up!"

-- old guy takes a beat, with no facial expression: "I'll take the next one"

squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988

[–] ash-61 17 years ago

In one of the Pink Panther movies, Inspector Clouseau asks a pedestrian if he knows where a street is located. The pedestrian answers "yes" and keeps going his way.

In Ghostbusters two Cheech Marin says a ghost Titanic has arrived and says: "better late than never"

[–] Zepheus 17 years ago

Here's an example. There are only two funny parts in Doctor Detroit.

1: When Dan Aykroyd says, "Mom, I will rip off your head and *beep* down your neck."

2. When the class is reciting some credo that Aykroyd made them memorize and everybody else finishes and one guy says "and justice for all" with the whole room dead silent. I cracked up so bad.

[–] ScottLovesIsrael 16 years ago

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: a couple is making out on the bus and they notice Steve Martin is watching, so the guy stops kissing his girlfriend and tells Steve "Take a picture, it'll last longer".

[–] pndferpnd 16 years ago

Great thread...

Quick Change: When Grimm and Lumas are in the airport bathroom untaping the money from there bodies and Lumas is moaning in relief because the tape and money was making him itch, some old dude at the sink finishes drying his hands and says, "You people can keep this city!" as he storms out.

Spaceballs: When Dark Helmet orders the soldiers to comb the desert and asks them individually if they have found anything and the black soldier dragging the afro pick exclaims, "Man, we ain't found *beep*

Mannequin: This is a combo of sorts as there were two people and two lines but...When Jonathon takes Emmy out for a spin on his motorcycle and they stop at a red light where an old couple is waiting to cross the street. When she sees the mannequin on the back of Switcher's ride the old woman says, "Look at him with the dummy!" to which the old gentleman replies, "Who are you to criticize!"

Can't Buy Me Love: After Ronald gets outed at the New Year's party, and he's back at school picking at his lunch, a large girl comes up to him and asks, "Didn't you take economics? You could have had me for $39.95."

The Golden Child: It's not necessarily a line but when Chandler is in the shop where they keep the dragonlady and when he gets there and the propreitor introduces him to the old dude on the cot and the old dude just keeps rambling in Chinese I guess. Always cracks me up.

The Golden Child(again...heheh): When Chandler gets grabbed by the bikers and tied up the one biker says, "That oughta hold 'im!" and the drunk biker says all drunk-like, "Yeah! That oughta hold him! *cough cough*" and Chandler says, "Hey man, there's a whole thing of tic-tacs in my pocket. Take as many as you like. Please."

Well..all I can think of off the top of my head.

"How'd ya know my name was Mac?" - Mac

[–] lenfox-446-44532 12 years ago

Two off top of my head-

Predator 2-Danny glover 'don't worry i'm a cop' old woman 'I don't think he gives a *beep*'

Trading Places-When the black butler is given his Christmas bonus from the Mortimers. '$5 maybe i'll go to the movies,by myself!'

[–] Doc110894 11 years ago

Great thread.