Summary
From an incredible Cinderella story to the notorious burn “This man has no d***,”Bill Murrayhas brought plenty of hilarious, quotable lines to all his classic movies. Murray first broke out when he was cast to replace Chevy Chase onSaturday Night Livein 1977. After a couple of years on the show, he quickly transitioned to the big screen with starring roles inMeatballs,Caddyshack, andStripes. Murray promptly became one of the most beloved comedy movie stars in the world.
He busted ghosts inGhostbusters, he invaded Richard Dreyfuss’ life inWhat About Bob?, and he repeated the same day over and over again for decades inGroundhog Day. When he started collaborating with indie auteurs like Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola, and Jim Jarmusch, Murray won over the arthouse crowd, too. Murray is a master of deadpan line delivery, whether he’s interpreting the words of a great writer like Harold Ramis or ad-libbing a sardonic one-liner on the spot.
Bill Murray’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked
Bill Murray’s best movies showcase his signature style of deadpan comedy, but he has also proven to be a capable dramatic actor over the years.
10"Don’t Cry In My Office."
Arthur Howitzer, Jr. in The French Dispatch (2021)
No one knows how to write for Murray like Wes Anderson. Murray has been in all of Anderson’s movies except forBottle RocketandAsteroid City, with roles ranging from the title character (Steve Zissou) to a memorable cameo (a passenger who misses the train inThe Darjeeling Limited). InThe French Dispatch,Anderson’s affectionate cinematic ode to the passionate work of journalists,Murray plays Arthur Howitzer, Jr., the editor of the eponymous publication. Arthur is a classic Murray curmudgeon.
Murray’s curmudgeonly characters have gotten even more hilariously bitter with age
In one of his earliest scenes, he callously fires his copy boy. As the fired copy boy begins to tear up, Arthur sternly reminds him not to cry in his office and points him to a sign above the door that simply reads, “No crying.” Murray’s curmudgeonly characters have gotten even more hilariously bitter with age.
9"That’s Life In The Fast-Paced, Slam-Bang, Live-On-The-Razor’s-Edge, Laugh-In-The-Face-Of-Death World Of Junior League Soccer."
“Tripper” Harrison in Meatballs (1979)
Murray first introduced the moviegoing public to his razor-sharp wit and biting sense of humor with his breakout role as“Trapper” Harrison in the cult classic summer camp comedyMeatballs.Trapper is the epitome of Murray’s sardonic sensibility. He doesn’t take anything seriously and he insults everyone who happens to cross his path. Whatever happens at his anarchic summer camp, he always has a sarcastic quip up his sleeve.
It’s easy to see why this is the role that made Murray a star; he steals every single scene he’s in. When the campers and the counselors are taking things too seriously, Trapper swoops in to turn it into a joke. He reminds them that there’s no use getting worked up or panicking about anything, because nothing really matters – especially the cutthroat world of junior league soccer.
8"You Want More Mysterious? I’ll Just Try And Think, ‘Where The Hell’s The Whisky?'"
Bob Harris in Lost in Translation (2003)
Murray first demonstrated his ability to give a soulful, understated dramatic performance with his turn as fading movie star Bob Harris in Sofia Coppola’sLost in Translation. Scarlett Johansson stars as the neglected wife of a celebrity photographer. Like Bob, she’s experiencing culture shock and melancholy during a lengthy stay in Tokyo. These two souls find each other and make a powerful connection.Lost in Translationis a really sad movie, but it also has some hilarious moments.
The role of Bob combines two of Murray’s strongest suits: star power and cynicism.Bob is in Tokyo to shoot a commercial for Suntory’s Hibiki whisky, and he’d rather be doing anything else. He’s being given direction to be more mysterious, but he points out that there’s only so much mystique he can bring to a glass of whisky.
7"You Can’t Go! All The Plants Are Gonna Die!"
John Winger in Stripes (1981)
Murray’s military farceStripesbegins with his character John Winger, a Louisville taxi driver, suffering through the worst day of his life. He loses his job, his car, his apartment, and his girlfriend Anita all in the space of 24 hours. Anita leaves John because she’s grown fed up with his immaturity. As she leaves, he begs her to stay because if she goes, “All the plants are gonna die!”
This is a great line because it exemplifies why Anita is leaving John in the first place. She’s leaving him because he’s immature, and he immediately admits that he can’t take care of his own plants and she’s the only one who waters them, proving her point that she’s the only grown-up in the relationship. This prompts John to seek some discipline and responsibility by joining the military.
6"What Would Be The Scientific Purpose Of Killing It?" “Revenge.”
Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Although it wasn’t appreciated in its time,The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissouis a uniquely wonderful, deeply affecting movie – and one of Wes Anderson’s very best. It’s a fun, whimsical, absurdist comedy and a quiet, touching drama all at once. Steve is the ultimate Bill Murray role: he’s a zany, deadpan comic personality like Peter Venkman and a soulful, melancholic dramatic character like Bob Harris rolled into one.
Steve has some of the driest one-liners of Murray’s career. In the opening scene, he attends the festival of his latest documentary, about the “jaguar shark” that ate his best friend Esteban. At a Q&A after the film, when the festival director asks what he’ll do next, Steve says he’s going to hunt down the jaguar shark and kill it. The festival director earnestly asks what would be the scientific purpose of killing an endangered species andSteve replies, equally earnestly, “Revenge.”
The 10 Best Life Aquatic Quotes
Although largely not appreciated on its initial release, Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic has since become a cult classic. Here are its best quotes.
5"That Is One Nutty Hospital."
Jeff Slater in Tootsie (1982)
Murray isn’t the star ofTootsie(the star of the film is Dustin Hoffman, playing a struggling actor who disguises himself as a woman to land a part in a soap opera), so Murray’s character isn’t burdened with a transformative journey to become a better person. As Hoffman’s roommate who gets swept up in the hijinks, Murraycan just stand on the sidelines and make sarcastic remarks– in other words, what Murray does best. And he has some of the best lines in the movie.
As Murray watches the broadcast, he has the perfect response: “That is one nutty hospital.”
After “Dorothy” is offered another year on the hospital-set soapSouthwest General, Michael is done pretending and improvises a gender reveal twist live on air. As Murray watches the broadcast, he has the perfect response: “That is one nutty hospital.” The great thing about this line is that it could apply to pretty much any TV show: the Enterprise is one nutty starship.
4"Phil? Phil Connors!"
Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day (1993)
The funniest line inGroundhog Dayisn’t actually spoken byMurray’s character Phil Connors; it’s spoken to him by Stephen Tobolowsky’s pesky insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson. Murray has plenty of hilarious lines inGroundhog Day, but Tobolowsky steals the show as everyone’s worst nightmare. Ned went to high school with Phil and has fond memories of their supposed friendship, but Phil doesn’t even recognize him.
Phil is doomed to repeat this awkward run-in every single day for an eternity. Every single day, when he steps outside his hotel, he hears Ned shout, “Phil? Phil Connors!” and has to go through the whole interminable catch-up all over again. Phil’s conversations with Ned encapsulate the existential hell in which he’s trapped.Tobolowsky gives a pitch-perfect portrayalof an annoying hanger-on who continues to pester someone who just wants to be left alone.
Herman Blume in Rushmore (1998)
Murray’s long-standing collaboration with Wes Andersonbegan when he played miserable industrialist Herman Blume in the cult coming-of-age comedyRushmore.Rushmoregave Murray’s career a second life as he went from a leading man in studio comedies to a respected thespian in indie cinema. Blume is introduced at the beginning of the film giving a commencement speech at the titular prep school. Rather than giving the usual inspirational pep talk, Blume airs his resentment for all the kids who grew up with a silver spoon in hand.
Blume is a millionaire now, but he didn’t grow up rich, and he hates anyone who did. So,he tells the students who got into Rushmore on merit alone,like Max Fischer, to “take dead aim on the rich boys.” “Remember, they can buy anything, but they can’t buy backbone.”
2"What An Incredible Cinderella Story."
Carl Spackler in Caddyshack (1980)
Murray’s whole “Cinderella story” monologue from his introductory scene inCaddyshackis pure 24-carat comedy gold. He delivers the monologue in a spot-on impression of a sports commentator detailing the inspirational tale of how a lowly greenskeeper rose through the ranks to become a champion golfer competing against the world’s finest at the Masters Tournament. This speech is then hilariously undermined when Murray swings the club and smashes up a beautifully tended flowerbed. He’s not a Masters champion at all; he’s just a simple-minded greenskeeper killing time.
What makes this hilarious monologue even more impressive is thatMurray famously improvised the whole thing. Any other comic actor would be lucky to delivera performance this electric with scripted dialoguethey’d been rehearsing for months. It’s one of the best examples of Murray’s unparalleled comedic genius.
1"Yes, It’s True… This Man Has No D***."
Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters (1984)
Murray was perfectly placed inthe cast ofGhostbusters. Whereas Dan Aykroyd’s Ray Stantz is the passionate team leader and Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler has an unironic obsession with spores, molds, and fungus, Murray’s Peter Venkman is a happy-go-lucky quipster who doesn’t take anything seriously. Venkman’s sardonic one-liners provided the movie with some of its funniest moments – like the Ghostbusters’ showdown with meddling bureaucrat Walter Peck at the mayor’s office.
Ray tells the mayor they would’ve contained the ghosts if the grid hadn’t been shut off by “dless over there,” referring to Peck. The mayor asks if this is true and a beautifully deadpan Venkman says, “Yes, it’s true… this man has no d.” This might beBill Murray’s funniest movie quote, because the punchline is crass and juvenile, but the construction of the joke is smart, because it plays on context.
