1. The Princess Bride
2. Trust (Hal Hartley)
3. Monty Python's Holy Grail
4. Withnail & I
5. Dr. Strangelove

I just watched Withnail & I again Monday night. It's interesting how thoroughly unknown that movie is in the U.S., even among people who normally like precisely that sort of movie. In the U.K., however, it enjoys the same kind of exalted repeat-viewing cult status that we attach to films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Princess Bride.

In any event, it's an eminently quotable movie, full of brilliant set pieces that soar to perfect climaxes on the wings of impeccably idiosyncratic performances. It's what got me thinking about this list.

I decided from the outset to exclude any movie based directly on a book or play, as I don't imagine making a movie of something would make it any more quotable than it was already. This automatically ruled out otherwise worthy contenders such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (play), Cold Comfort Farm (book), and anything at all by William Shakespeare. Movies based indirectly on literature, such as O Brother, Where Art Thou?, remained in contention but didn't make the list. In another decade, though, I imagine O Brother will be up there.

You'll notice Rocky Horror isn't on the list, and that's because it's my top 5, and I've never liked it as much as the 5 mentioned above.

So, let's look into the top 5 and why I chose them.

The Princess Bride was essentially a no-brainer. Practically everyone loves this movie, and it's no difficulty to see why. Snappy dialogue delivered well by a brilliantly-cast ensemble of veteran stage actors, comedians, unknowns, and Andre the Giant. I, or someone I know, can be heard saying "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means" at least once a week. The story sucks you in, but the dialogue, and more importantly the characterization of that dialogue, keep you coming back. You can find the entire quotable script of the film here.

Hal Hartley's Trust might seem an odd choice for #2, but again, that's what makes this my list. The fact that I consider this movie quotable should tell you a lot about me. Here again, the combination of dialogue and casting makes for a movie worth watching again and again. The marvelous Martin Donovan and Adrienne Shelly play the two leads in this film, delivering darkly comic lines with a note-perfect deadpan acidity. My favorite lines include: "I had a bad day. I had to subvert my principles and kowtow to an idiot. Television makes these daily sacrifices possible. It deadens the inner core of my being." and "A family's like a gun. You point it in the wrong direction, you're gonna kill somebody." No sign of the full screenplay online, but there are some quotes (and a wealth of other Hal Hartley information, too).

Monty Python and the Quest For The Holy Grail is almost too quotable. Most people eventually get sick of it, or at the very least sick of quoting it. Still, for as long as you're able to enjoy it, it's a brilliant comedy film and great fun to know by heart. I'll also vouch for the fact that if you manage to go several years without seeing it, it does regain most of the charm it lost from your overdoing it back in the day. Anyway, knowing every line by heart complete with your best imitation of all the silly accents and line deliveries is pretty much the essence of this film's appeal. You can find the script here, but you'll be missing a whole lot of what makes it quotable if you don't see the movie.

Withnail & I deserves more attention in the States. The movie was director Bruce Robinson's directorial debut, a film about two starving actors living together in London at the tail end of the 60's. Despite unknown actors, a first-time director, a virtually non-existent plot, and mediocre camera work, the film has achieved a well-deserved cult following of loyal fans. Adoration for the film is justified almost entirely by the brilliant dialogue and characterization by the actors, but even the dark amateurish cinematography works out as a positive element, reinforcing the sense of bohemian squalor and despair. There's really not a single wrong moment in the film; it's like a jeweled necklace strung out gem by gem. My favorite lines include "Balls! We want the finest wines available to humanity! We want them here, and we want them now!" and "Evidently country people are no more receptive to strangers than city dwellers." Typo-ridden script here.

And finally, Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb. Have you noticed my predilection for dark comedy yet? This film is chock full of pithy one-liners like "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" and excellent set pieces such as Efrem Zimbalist's "Precious Bodily Fluids" speech. It's also the only one of Kubrick's war/anti-war films which I can watch repeatedly without developing a nasty distaste for all humanity. Somehow the balance between comedy and pointed anti-war sentiment is precariously maintained in this one, in a way that actually allows for repeated viewings and rampant quotability. Peter Sellers is brilliant in multiple roles, and especially as the titular Dr. Strangelove. Script here.

That's all from me! Now post your own Top 5, or let me know what you think of mine!