Any
21st-century list of quotations has got to include at least
one item from the world of cinema. It is a world in which we
are spoilt for choice, because everyone has a set of linguistic
memories deriving from their favourite films. I have chosen
this remark of Woody Allen from the other film nominations received,
first because it is humorous - a property which is conspicuously
absent from most quotations which tend to be very serious in
tone. At the same time, it is not humour for humour's sake.
There is a level of meaning behind the joke which can make us
reflect. And in its rhythm, balanced structure, and vocabulary
counterpoint, it is an excellent illustration of what makes
a quotation memorable.
