by Ginger Voight

Created on: April 02, 2008   Last Updated: November 20, 2011

Memorable acting, beautiful scenes and soaring scores aside, true cinematic immortality lies in the power of its words, those quotes that remain on the lips of audiences for generations.

Given that there have been and will be millions of lines spoken, that a certain few can still evoke emotions from any one  film is pretty remarkable. I can only imagine what it would be like to write a line of dialogue and overhear it just casually repeated in the casual conversations of strangers.

How must James Cameron feel when he hears "I'll be back" or "I'm the king of the world!", or George Lucas when he hears, "Luke, I am your father."?

There are those quotes that come from the written material on which the movies are based, such as "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.", "With great power comes great responsibility" or, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

There are the classics: "Here's looking at you, kid."

And the new kids on the block: "I wish I knew how to quit you."

There are those that romance us: "You complete me."

Those that frighten us: "I see dead people."

Those that make us laugh: "Do I make you horny, baby?"

Those that make us cry: "There's no place like home."

We are stirred and inspired; "As God as my witness, I'll never go hungry again!"

We are rallied and invigorated; "I feel the need, the need for speed!"

And sometimes, we're just plain angered. "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

There are those that introduce us to characters we will likely never forget, "You will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow."

If the movie is a sum of its parts, a memorable signature line can threaten to unbalance the delicate equation, often becoming more legendary than the film itself as it permeates popular culture.

A good movie can have one signature line.

A great movie will have many.

That being said: The Princess Bride is probably one of the greatest movies ever made. It is quotable from the start.

"As you wish."

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

"To the pain!"

"He's only mostly dead."

"Have fun storming the castle!"

"Love, twue love..."

"Inconceivable!"

These are some of the many words penned by scribe William Goldman that have seared into the minds and hearts of every person who ever dared to imagine a world where a beautiful princess and a lowly farm hand could find love and adventure - and a few friends along the way.

So the next time you quote a memorable movie line, take pause and reflect on just how miraculous that feat is. Out of millions and millions of words, only a few will make their mark on the screen and in our culture - cementing their legacy and uniting us all.

"May the force be with you."

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