Comingsoon.net is taking a look at some of the most memorable lines ever spoken by an actor who changed the game. Check out the picks in the gallery below!
Along with Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern, Peter Fonda co-wrote Easy Rider, a film that will forever be the catapult that helped spring cinema into the counter-culture genre. Last week, Peter Fonda passed away leaving behind a prolific career in film—spanning approximately 116 credited roles. From starring roles to cameo roles in films like Wild Hogs, Ghost Rider, and shows like Californication Fonda has been everywhere. Over the course of his filmography, many lines were spoken in a way that only Peter Fonda could deliver.
A good line can encapsulate a good character and in turn a good film. Early on in his career, Fonda’s indie characters seemed to reflex his sense of rebellion and freedom; his roles revolved around the outcasts, the cast aside, the forgotten. Being the youngest Fonda, in a family of renowned filmmakers, Peter had a lot to live up to. Did he care? Probably not. Knowing who you are means diluting any sort of concern for the opinion of others. This is probably why, straight out the gate, he led the counterculture of the 60s that revolutionized Hollywood. Here’s a look back at some memorable quotes and exchanges delivered by some of his most memorable characters.
Peter Fonda
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Heavenly Blues, The Wild Angels (1966)
Photo: Mondadori Portfolio (Getty Images)
"We wanna be free! We wanna be free to do what we wanna do. We wanna be free to ride. We wanna be free to ride our machines without being hassled by The Man! ... And we wanna get loaded. And we wanna have a good time. And that's what we are gonna do. We are gonna have a good time... We are gonna have a party."
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Paul Groves, The Trip (1967)
[Holding an orange up to the horizon]
"That's the sun in my hands, man! Oh, it gives off an orange cloud of light that just flows right out over the sea! Wow!"
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Wyatt, Easy Rider (1969)
Billy: "We've done it...we're rich, man...you go for the big money, man, and then you're free."
Wyatt: "You know, Billy, we blew it."
Ambiguous, impactful, and everlasting.
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Harry Collings, The Hired Hand (1971)
"Arch, If it gets, you know, the way it can out there... You just turn around."
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Larry, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974)
Larry Rayder:
You know what a man would do right now if he were smart?Deke Sommers:
What?Larry Rayder:
I don't know, I thought you'd know. -
Roger, Race with the Devil (1975)
Hey everybody! Lighten up! It's all over!
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Ulee Jackson, Ulee's Gold (1997)
"The bees and I have an understanding. I take care of them, and they take care of me."
Honorable mention: "There's all kinds of weakness in the world, not all of it is evil. I forget that from time to time."
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Terry Valentine, The Limey (1999)
Did you ever dream about a place you never really recall being to before? A place that maybe only exists in your imagination? Someplace far away, half-remembered when you wake up. When you were there, though, you knew the language. You knew your way around. That. was the sixties.
...
No. It wasn't that either. It was just '66 and early '67. That's all there was.
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Byron McElroy, 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Eary on in the film: "Taking you to the 3:10 to Yuma day after tomorrow."
Later:
Byron McElroy: If you're gonna kill me, just as soon get to it.
Ben Wade: I ain't gonna kill you. Not like this.
Byron McElroy: Won't change a thing, lettin' me live. I'll come for you.
Ben Wade: I'd be disappointed if you didn't.
