Now, we all know that the quality of a movie largely relies on the talents possessed by the screenplay writers. However, there are times when we can thank the actor for coming up with genius lines instead! The reality is that many of the most legendary scenes in the history of film had been delivered off-the-cuff. Find out if your favorite scene was the result of improvisation!
The Fugitive
You probably remember this nerve-wracking scene from The Fugitive. As Harrison Ford has a gun pointed at Tommy Lee Jones at the end of a thrilling chase, he claims he did not murder his wife. Jones only responded with, “I don’t care.” Apparently, he was meant to say “That isn’t my problem”, but Jones changed it for more impact.
The Fugitive
Midnight Cowboy
We enjoyed watching Midnight Cowboy and we bet you did too. However, you probably did not know that a taxi driver almost crashed into Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight on set! This is actually why Hoffman smacked the taxi and yelled at the cabbie, “I’m walking here!”
Midnight Cowboy
Ghost
Whoopi Goldberg was so great in Ghost that she took home an Academy Award for her performance. Apparently, she has a talent for improvisation as well. You would not find “Molly, you in danger, girl!” in the script. Yup, that bit was all Whoopi.
Ghost
A Few Good Men
One way to tell if a movie was good is if people continue to talk about it decades after it was released. There were many solid lines in A Few Good Men, though nothing can ever beat, “You can’t handle the truth!” Apparently, Jack Nicholson improvised the one-liner. What a legend!
A Few Good Men
When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally is full of adorable banter and we all laughed when Billy Crystal said, “I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie”. Apparently, that was off the cuff! Watch it again and you will notice how much Meg Ryan was laughing after his delivery. She even looked at the director to see what she should do!
When Harry Met Sally
The Dark Knight
Man, we miss Heath Ledger. He was a great Joker in The Dark Knight, maybe even the best one in cinematic history. Aside from the acting in the franchise, the writing was also superb. However, there was one scene for which Ledger deserves extra credit. In particular, we are talking about the moment the Joker starts clapping in an effort to join the policemen’s celebration of Gordon’s promotion.
The Dark Knight
Deliverance
Now, Deliverance definitely terrified many people who were planning on going for a trip in the woods. It was a scary movie, especially when you look back at the “squeal like a pig” bit. Apparently, the actor was not supposed to actually do it, though it ended up working so well for the atmosphere. However, many actors take credit for the scene so we don’t really know whose idea it was!
Deliverance
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting ended on a funny and heartwarming note, with Robin Williams saying, “Son of a bitch! He stole my line!” Apparently, the actor delivered it off the cuff. We sure miss the legend, though we are glad we can still watch him in his old films.
Good Will Hunting
Being John Malkovich
Being John Malkovich certainly did a lot of unusual filmmaking things, to say the least. Learning that a huge chunk of it was improvised comes as no surprise. In particular, we would like to direct your attention to the scene when an extra throws a can at the title character right after saying, “Hey Malkovich! Think fast!” That bit was improvised by a drunk extra, apparently.
Being John Malkovich
The Usual Suspects
Can you believe the lineup bit in The Usual Suspects was improvised? You would be even more surprised and entertained if you learned why. Apparently, the actors could not stop laughing after Benicio Del Toro kept releasing gas. When the star was told off by the director, the others had a harder time keeping a straight face. The director simply resigned and embraced the change in tone instead!
The Usual Suspects
Goodfellas
The Godfather must be the most popular gangster movie, though Goodfellas is also a strong contender. There is no denying the writing was excellent, though you might not know the film used some improvisation as well. Just think of the “Do I amuse you?” line. Uh-huh, Joe Pesci came up with it on his own!
Goodfellas
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs was a superb film with strong performances and excellent writing. However, the writers do not deserve all the credit for the great lines! “Fava beans and a nice chianti” was in the screenplay, though the scary hissing noise Anthony Hopkins lets out was not.
The Silence Of The Lambs
Taxi Driver
“You talkin’ to me?” might just be the most famous line in cinematic history! This is probably why it is rather surprising to learn it was not in the original Taxi Driver screenplay. Luckily, Scorsese encouraged freedom on set and that was how this made it to the final cut.
Taxi Driver
The Warriors
“Warriors, come out to play!” was one of the iconic lines in The Warriors. It was, apparently, completely improvised! David Patrick Kelly has a gift for both acting and adlibbing. Good for him!
The Warriors
Apocalypse Now
The handsome Marlon Brando had a ‘bad boy’ rep, though apparently this applied to his work ethic on set as well. The Apocalyspe actor was prone to throwing fits and he wanted to change many of his lines. It probably annoyed Francis Ford Coppola, the director, though they had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.
Apocalypse Now
Blade Runner
Man, the ‘tears in rain’ monologue is definitely high up in our favorite scenes in cinema history. The Blade Runner closing scene was apparently improvised by Rutger Hauer himself!
Blade Runner
Jaws
Jaws had a great soundtrack, excellent performances, and strong writing. However, Roy Scheider invented this line: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”. Learning this makes the scene even more chilling than it already was!
Jaws
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Harrison Ford is excellent at improvisation, apparently. When they were set to film the fight scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, he was apparently sick with a stomach bug. Initially, he was supposed to perform the fight choreography, though he only wanted to shoot at the enemy and end the scene then and there. Well, we all know that was just what happened!
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
We will always remember Gene Wilder and his excellent Willy Wonka performance. When we were introduced to the strange character, we saw him limping before he launched into a somersault. It wasn’t in the script and Wilder himself apparently came up with the idea. Good move, we daresay.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
RoboCop
Sometimes, the director is in on the secret. This applies to the “Give me my f*ckin’ phone call” line in the movie. Apparently, Kurtwood Smith invented the line but he wanted the approval of the director first. Paul Verhoeven liked it but they decided to keep it a secret from the others in order to elicit genuine reactions. It worked!
RoboCop
A Clockwork Orange
We are sure you remember the “Singing in the Rain” bit in A Clockwork Orange. Apparently, Stanley Kubrick could not get the scene right so he eventually resigned and told the actors to do whatever they wanted. Malcolm McDowell started singing the song and that was all the inspiration Kubrick needed.
A Clockwork Orange
Full Metal Jacket
Another Kubrick masterpiece on our list is Full Metal Jacket. Even though he penned the screenplay, he was open to suggestions. Apparently, this was especially true for the drill sergeant’s lines. Actor R. Lee Ermey was once a military drill instructor so he probably knew how to make it more realistic.
Full Metal Jacket
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan was fantastic with its storytelling, though the credit extends to the actors just as much as the writers. The bit in which Matt Damon talks about catching his eldest brother with a girl was apparently the result of his own brilliance. It was genuine, somber, and fully off the cuff!
Saving Private Ryan
This is Spinal Tap
This is Spinal Tap was a legendary film, though improvisation played a huge role in its success. The comedy classic relied a lot on adlibbed lines courtesy of the cast members. They eventually contributed so much the execs decided to credit them as writers!
This Is Spinal Tap
Dr. Strangelove
Well, what do you know, we have another Stanley Kubrick production on the list. True, Dr. Strangelove was a rather eccentric project. This might be the result of the lack of a regular script as they opted for a ‘retro-script’ instead. The cast members needed to come up with their own lines there and then. It was a brilliant decision and this was how iconic scenes came to exist. The Nazi salute, for example, was all Sellers.
Dr. Strangelove
Zoolander
Zoolander had many hilarious scenes, though we want you to take a look at the scene where David Duchovny tells Ben Stiller why models would be good assassins. Stiller messed up his lines by asking him, “Why male models?” right after the explanation. Duchovny rode with it and it was a great fit for the movie!
Zoolander
The Shining
Can you believe the iconic “Here’s Johnny!” bit was improvised? The Shining would not have been the same without it. Jack Nicholson apparently invented it as a tribute to The Tonight Show with Jonny Carson.
The Shining
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
We are all familiar with the way Hans Solo responded to Princess Leia’s confession of love. However, the “I know” line was apparently his invention. It was delivered off the cuff, though we think it definitely suited our favorite intergalactic smuggler.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Young Frankenstein
Mel Brooks is also open to adlibbed lines in his films. This was how the “What hump?” line founds its way to Young Frankenstein. Marty Feldman delivered it off the cuff and it worked well for the film!
Young Frankenstein
Animal House
It is no secret that Animal House was full of amazingly talented people. Almost all the cast members had experience with improv and they used it to their advantage. This was true for the main character himself. The entire “I’m a zit” cafeteria scene was all John Belushi.
Animal House
Dumb and Dumber
Well, this would be an incomplete list if we failed to add Jim Carrey and the ‘most annoying sound in the world’ bit from Dumb and Dumber! This happened when the pair took in a hitchhiker but played tag on the road. Jim Carrey was a genius for coming up with that scene!
Dumb And Dumber
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
In The Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn let out a heart-wrenching scream when he was under the impression that Merry and Pippin died. Apparently, the most emotional moment in The Lord of the Rings was more genuine than we all thought. Viggo Mortensen was not only acting when he let out that wail of pain – he was actually suffering because he broke his toe when he kicked the helmet!
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Up next, we have another fantasy classic. Think back to the scene when Mr. Weasley raised this great question in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: “What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” It was unrehearsed and the line did not exist in the screenplay.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Ghostbusters
Even when they are given a complete script, improv actors probably could not help it. Rick Moranis had a background in this craft and this was how he helped bring Ghostbusters to its level of comedic brilliance. Just take the speech his character delivered at the party. Director Ivan Reitman said, “Rick just made all of it up as he was doing it.”
Ghostbusters
Caddyshack
It is true that Bill Murray is one talented man. However, we bet you did not know he was legendary at the art of improvisation! In the movie Caddyshack, he delivered many iconic lines off the cuff. The Cinderella moment and the Dalai Lama speech were nowhere in the script! Man, we sure are glad he did not quit acting after he resigned from SNL.
Caddyshack
Knocked Up
Seth Rogen has been in the entertainment industry for quite some time now, though his big break came with the 2007 comedy film Knocked Up. Judd Apatow liked to encourage the cast members to improvise their lines if they wished. That must be why the film was so good! The Munich; reference is only one such line.
Knocked Up
Aliens
Aliens must have been under loads of pressure to lie up to the expectations set by the first film. Luckily, it managed to deliver on that end. The cast members were all great and newcomer Bill Paxton even helped out. “Game over, man,” was delivered off the cuff!
Aliens
Tootsie
If you have Billy Murray on your cast, you can expect great things to come. The director of Tootsie was aware of his talents and used it to his advantage. This was how the superb party monologue came into existence. What made it even better was the fact that the other cast members delivered genuine emotion since they were not aware of what was happening.
Tootsie
The Third Man
Orson Welles is truly a one-of-a-kind cinematic genius. Can you believe this man delivered many of his lines off the cuff? In The Third Man, we were particularly impressed when we found out this entire bit was improvised: “In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. They produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace. And what did they produce? The cuckoo clock.”
The Third Man
The Devil Wears Prada
When we watched The Devil Wears Prada, we all kind of hated Meryl Streep for making the protagonist miserable. We like to think this is a compliment to the actress’s legendary acting skills! Apparently, she also came up with several lines and the list includes this: “Everybody wants to be us”.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Godfather
The Godfather is chock-full of iconic lines but we want you to focus on this line: “Leave the gun— take the cannoli.” Man, that was a legendary one-liner if we have ever heard of one! True, the first bit was in the script, though Richard Castellano made it brilliant by tacking on the latter half.
The Godfather
Casablanca
Casablanca is a classic and we are all familiar with this famous line: “Here’s looking at you, kid.” While you can say it was improvised, the writers officially added it to the screenplay. They first came up with the idea when they heard Bogart Humphrey say it to Ingrid Bergman when the pair played poker during breaks.
Casablanca
Titanic
It might seem like a little error, but it made a major difference. Do you remember when Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) tells Rose (Kate Winslet) to lie down? He was supposed to tell her to lie down on the couch, but instead he said, “Go lie on the bed… I mean the couch.” The director loved the mistake and decided to keep it.
Titanic
Lost In Translation
If you have seen the movie, you probably remember the way Lost in Translation ends. Many fans were frustrated because they never found out what Bill Murray whispers to Scarlett Johansson. Apparently, the screenplay only involved an embrace, though the stars thought it was appropriate to end it with a kiss and then the whisper.
Lost In Translation
40 Year Old Virgin
The 40 Year Old Virgin is yet another comedy classic! We want you to remember the waxing bit. Apparently, Steve Carrell really did get his chest hair removed and his screams were real! Well, that certainly explains the genuine laughter from the other actors.
40 Year Old Virgin