Famous Movie Quotes That Are Actually Shakespeare

While there have been many adaptations of William Shakespeare‘s work that have faithfully brought his iconic prose to the big screen, there are also Shakespeare quotes in movies that fans might never have known came from the famous bard. Shakespeare’s impact on English literature and language has been undisputable. Since the advent of cinema, Shakespeare’s presence can be felt in several popular films, with characters either directly quoting his plays or reinterpreting his famous lines.

Despite these lines coming from some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, they have worked themselves into pop culture in a way that caused their origins to get lost by most moviegoers. With the movies giving new context to the quotes, using them in memorable scenes, or parodying them, these quotes took on lives of their own outside the original work. Ranging from popular works like Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet to historical plays such as Julius Caesar and Richard III, the quotes from these classics would excite both film buffs and aficionados of the Bard of Avon’s bibliography.

10 “Double, Double, Toil And Trouble…”

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban / Macbeth

“Double, double toil and trouble” has become something of a clichéd quote in relation to witches. It pops up frequently in cartoons and shows, usually as some incantation during a witch’s spell. Therefore, it feels appropriate that it was used in the Harry Potter franchise as the students of Hogwarts sing a song with these lyrics in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. While the origins of the quote do indeed harken back to witches, it is actually from Macbeth with the Harry Potter song being a word-to-word version of a portion of the Three Witches’ ill-fated prophecy.

Lines like “Double, double, toil and trouble, something wicked this way comes” can be applied to the film as it foreshadows the dark secrets that lay ahead with Voldemort’s arrival in the next film. As for the original spell, the Shakespearean lines are also a darkly ominous warning from the witches that predict the dark reign of Macbeth and his eventual downfall.

9 “A Horse, A Horse! My Kingdom For A Horse!”

Robin Hood: Men In Tights / Richard III

Mel Brooks’ satirical retelling of Robin Hood’s folklore is filled with references to classical literature, particularly that of Shakespeare. For instance, people throw their ears at Robin Hood, after he delivers the famous Julius Caesar‘s line, “Lend me your ear”. A more dramatic moment occurs when the vigilante swims to England all the way from Jerusalem. Without offering any context, he exclaims “My kingdom for a horse!”

The randomness makes the scene funny but avid readers of the Bard would know that this dialogue is actually taken from Act 5, Scene 4 of Richard III. In the play, the titular protagonist desperately searches for his horse on a battlefield when he loses the creature. The line is meant to be an exaggeration by the hero that he would give anything to have a horse in that moment. However, it makes for a funny setup in Robin Hood: Men in Tights as, shortly after saying this, Robin discovers his kingdom has been taken away.

8 “These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends…”

The Twilight Saga: New Moon / Romeo & Juliet

Like many other romantic films, TheTwilight Saga: New Moon also uses quotes from Romeo & Juliet to depict the tumultuous romance shared between the ancient Edward Cullen and young human Bella Swan. In fact, the film opens with this monologue from the classic tragedy. It is unsurprising as countless stories of forbidden romance have taken inspiration and paid homage to Shakespeare’s famous doomed love story.

In the original source, Friar Lawrence says these lines to Romeo warning him of the dangers of loving a girl from a rival family. Romeo, however, believes that he would still get joy even if he could meet Juliet for just one moment. In the case of Twilight, the rival families can be replaced by vampires and humans and the unconventional romance that blooms between a couple like Edward and Bella.

7 “To Be Or Not To Be.”

Last Action Hero / Hamlet

In Last Action Hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a Hollywood star in films that parody the action genre as a whole. In a daydream sequence, his character Jack Slater even acts in a violent and satirical version of Hamlet. It is a hilarious moment that also comments on how Hollywood might adopt some of Shakespeare’s stories for their movies without really understanding them.

Naturally, the hero goes on to utter Hamlet’s classic line “To be or not to be”. He then holds a skull just like how Hamlet is depicted with Yorick’s skull. The line is capped off with a wonderful moment of Slater walking away from an explosion while puffing on a cigar and finishing the quote with “not to be”. Apart from being one of Schwarzenegger’s best one-liners, it is a hilarious way of reimagining the Prince of Denmark as a typical action hero rather than a conflicted man whose revenge leads him down a disastrous path.

6 “Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow.”

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory / Romeo & Juliet

Some of the best uses of Shakespeare’s quotes are ones that use them ironically, juxtaposing how they were originally featured in these famous plays. One such quote that is used comes from Romeo & Juliet following the famous scene of the two young romantics speaking outside Juliet’s room. When they have to say goodbye to each other, Juliet says to Romeo, “Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow.”

However, some movie fans might know the quote better as said by Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. When Mike Teavee is reduced to a height of three inches, his mother faints on the spot. Wonka orders his Oompa Loompas to take the woman away as he gleefully remarks, “Adieu, adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow.” While Juliet delivers his as a lovelorn regret that she has to say goodnight to her love, Wonka delivers it as a sarcastic farewell to the child and parent he couldn’t care less about.

5 “Screw Your Courage In The Sticking Place!”

Beauty And The Beast / Macbeth

Gaston is the brawny Disney villain in Beauty and the Beast but even he seems to cultivate a taste in Shakespeare. When the ignorant and violent hunter learns about the Beast in the castle, he decides to lead a mob to go kill it, less to save Belle and more for his own glory. Gathering the townsfolk for the fight, Gaston urges them to “screw their courage in the sticking place.”

The phrase originated from Macbeth as Lady Macbeth urges her husband to gather all his courage for the misdeeds ahead. The “screw” in this case most probably alludes to the screw of a crossbow that tightens the string. The weapon is ready to fire once the screw is turned to its fullest extent (“in the sticking place”). Given Gaston’s penchant for weapons, it is not surprising he understands the line.

4 “Et Tu Brute.”

Aladdin / Julius Caesar

Apart from Lion King‘s allusions to Hamlet, several other 90s Disney animated films reference the Bard through minor scenes like Aladdin‘s Julius Caesar moment. Robin Williams’ Genie delivers rapid-fire references throughout the movie so it is not hard to miss some of them. When the film’s titular protagonist encounters Genie for the first time and decides his wishes, Genie takes out a book of spells. As he says, “et tu Brute” (“you too, Brutus”), a hand pops out of nowhere and stabs him.

The famous line refers to the final words of Caesar as he is stabbed to death by his former ally Brutus and several other defectors. Adding to the Roman theme of the play, Genie even sports a toga while saying the quote. Though not used in this context in Aladdin, the line has become well-known as a reaction by a character who has just been betrayed by a supposed ally.

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3 “Good Night, Sweet Prince.”

The Big Lebowski / Hamlet

The death of Donny in The Big Lebowski brings a sense of sadness to the otherwise hilarious movie. Donny was a somewhat oblivious man who was constantly on the receiving end of Walter’s angry outbursts. However, when he finally dies, even Walter’s soft side comes out. His death quickly turns from sad to hilarious with Walter’s rambling eulogy that includes references to the Vietnam War before he concludes with “Good night, sweet prince” as he scatters the ashes which end up all over The Dude.

While these final words could seem like the typical indulgent and overly dramatic things Walter is known for saying, they actually come from another key death scene. These are the same words that were uttered by Horatio as his companion Hamlet lay dying in his arms, with Hamlet being a literal prince.

2 “Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow.”

Birdman / Macbeth

As Birdman deals with an actor known for superhero movies trying to make a comeback as a serious actor of the theater, Shakespeare’s influence is bound to seep into the screenplay. When protagonist Riggan hopelessly walks on a street at night with his ambitious project meeting one issue after another, a jobless actor screams one of Macbeth’s most famous soliloquies (popularly known as “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow“.

Even though the monologue is being delivered by a random character, the quote is relatable to Riggan’s case to an extent. In the Bard’s work, these lines are written to show Malcolm and Macduff’s siege of Macbeth’s castle. Even though Macbeth is confident of his victory, the audience can predict the impending doom by this point. Similarly, in Birdman, Riggan confidently starts off his comeback journey only to test his limits later.

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1 “There Are More Things In Heaven And Earth…”

King Kong Vs. Godzilla / Hamlet

Long before their various faceoffs and team-ups within the blockbuster Monsterverse movies, the first-ever collaboration between the monsters Godzilla and King Kong was a Japanese film. With an English dub that is equally iconic, the film opens with a narrator reading out the line, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” While it is a rather thought-provoking quote to begin a monster movie, it holds special significance.

This is a direct quote from Hamlet as the prince talks to his best friend Horatio right after seeing the “Ghost” of his father. While Horatio dismisses the spirit as superstition, Hamlet tries to convince him that there are things that exist beyond the real world. In King Kong Vs. Godzilla, the quote is used to denote the larger-than-life creatures that the film features.