HOLLYWOOD– Movie quotes have become part of our everyday language, with most people automatically recognizing them and the film that they came from.
The thing that some people don’t realize is that many of Hollywood’s most well-known lines were actually changed from what was originally written.
For a plethora of reasons, script lines were rewritten into the quotes that we know of today. Some were altered due to a frustrated actor threatening to quit, while others were changed due to not fitting a particular scene.
The next thirteen examples were chosen from a large list of changed movie scripts, mostly because they were so different from their original lines.
13. Gone With The Wind (1939)
Final line: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
Original line: “Frankly, my dear, I could use a sandwich.”
History: Although the original intent of this famous scene from Gone With The Wind was to have a hungry Clark Gable go out for lunch, controversial producers at the time decided that they wanted to make the movie a bit more risque and opted on using profane language instead.
12. The Godfather (1972)
Final line: “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
Original line: “I’m going to make him a calzone he can’t refuse.”
History: The original script for The Godfather had Marlon Brando playing a kinder and more warmhearted gentleman who would buy off people with his world-famous calzones, but in the end the director decided that the movie would probably be more successful if Don Vito Corleone was a ruthless murdering psychopath.
11. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Final line: “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Original line: “Toto, I’ve got a feeling I should’ve left you in Kansas.”
History: The Wizard of Oz’s first script had a horde of flying monkeys murdering and then chowing down on Dorothy’s favorite pet dog, Toto, hence the wording of the original line. A clause in Toto’s contract stated that the famous canine had to have ample screen time, so the yapping dog was kept until the end of the film.
10. The Terminator (1984)
Final line: “I’ll be back.”
Original line: “I’ll return at a later time.”
History: James Cameron intended for The Terminator to speak in a completely robotic tone with proper English and long, complicated words, similar to Data on Star Trek. But because of Schwarzenegger’s thick Austrian accent, every word almost sounded the same so James let Arnie ad-lib almost the entire script.
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9. Taxi Driver (1976)
Final line: “You talking to me?”
Original line: “You addressing me?”
History: Everyone by now knows that this famous scene where Robert De Niro is speaking to the mirror was ad-libbed by the award-winning actor. What most people don’t know is the fact that De Niro’s first choice of line was a little too formal for the director’s taste. So basically a line was written for a line that wasn’t actually written.
8. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Final line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
Original line: “I love the smell of tofu in the morning.”
History: The famous quote from this movie shows the true grittiness of the film. The original script actually had comedic undertones and was to be a coming of age tale of four men who just happened to be in wartime Vietnam. The “tofu” line spoken by Bill Kilgore was in reference to one of Vietnam’s main ingredients in many of their food dishes.
7. Dr. No (1962)
Final line: “Bond. James Bond.”
Original line: “Bond. Jim Bond.”
History: Early script writers thought it would be a good idea for 007 to go by the nickname of “Jim”, rather than “James”, due to many of the writers being American. After a few takes of the well-known scene, Sean Connery ended up using “James” because he felt “Jim” sounded too much like “gym,” giving him weightlifting withdrawal symptoms while on the set.
6. Sudden Impact (1983)
Final line: “Go ahead, make my day.”
Original line: “Go ahead, make my May.”
History: In the movie, the iconic Clint Eastwood scene takes place in the month of May and writers thought it would have an even bigger impact if the criminal made Dirty Harry’s whole month instead of just his day. It was later changed to “day,” that way Harry could use that line every day of the year instead of just one month.
5. Forrest Gump (1994)
Final line: “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Original line: “Mama always said life was like a box of syringes. You never know when you’re gonna get stuck.”
History: The original line called for Forrest to actually stick his hand into a box of infected hypodermic needles to prove just how serious the scene was to the woman sitting on the bench. But after getting stuck literally hundreds of times, the whole scene was changed to the more G-rated “box of chocolates.”
4. The Sixth Sense (1999)
Final line: “I see dead people.”
Original line: “I see bloody, rotting corpses.”
History: Dead bodies can be gruesome and the writers made the original script reflect that, having Haley Joel Osment actually stare at numerous rotting corpses to get a better feel for the line. It was later changed after it was deemed too graphic and after the scaredy-cat little boy complained of having nightmares while on set.
3. Rocky (1976)
Final line: “Yo, Adrian!”
Original line: “Yo, Mick!”
History: Why would Rocky thank Adrian for winning his title belt when it was Mick that did all the work? At least that’s what the writers thought. The original scene called for Mick to run into the ring and plant a big wet kiss on the lips of Sylvester Stallone’s character. Unfortunately audiences of the 70’s weren’t ready for such a taboo scene so it was later scrapped for the much safer “Yo, Adrian” line.
2. Titanic (1997)
Final line: “I’m king of the world!”
Original line: “I’m bigger than Alexander Graham Bell!”
History: The original line screamed by Leonardo DiCaprio’s character has him shouting out the name of one of the greatest inventors of all time, but due to the line making absolutely no sense whatsoever, James Cameron swiftly nixed the stupid quote and slapped some sense into his two writers just like Moe Howard.
1. Star Wars (1977)
Final line: “May the Force be with you.”
Original line: “May the energy field created by all living things that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together be with you.”
History: One of the most famous movie lines in history actually started out a little more complicated. Script writers went behind George Lucas’ back and changed the short “May the Force be with you” line to an extremely lengthy explanation.
After thousands of takes with each actor because of not being able to remember the complex line, Lucas finally realized that the writers had gone behind his back and changed his words. Once the writers were used as “bantha fodder,” the line was changed back and the rest is history.
