I have recently been thinking of my all time favorite movies, and the criteria for selecting them. I came up with 4 criteria.
First: Obviously, it must be extremely entertaining.
Second: I must have learned something from it.
Third: The movie must stay with me for a few days, either the images, or the story, or the emotion.
Fourth: It must have memorable quotes that after seeing the movie a few times become part of my everyday vocabulary, and are used in the appropriate real life situations.
Here is an example of such a movie: The 1972 movie, Jeremiah Johnson, staring Robert Redford.
first lines]
Narrator: His name was Jeremiah Johnson, and they say he wanted to be a mountain man. The story goes that he was a man of proper wit and adventurous spirit, suited to the mountains. Nobody knows whereabouts he come from and don't seem to matter much. He was a young man and ghosty stories about the tall hills didn't scare him none. He was looking for a Hawken gun, .50 caliber or better. He settled for a .30, but damn, it was a genuine Hawken, and you couldn't go no better. Bought him a good horse, and traps, and other truck that went with being a mountain man, and said good-bye to whatever life was down there below.
Jeremiah Johnson: Just where is it I could find bear, beaver, and other critters worth cash money when skinned?
Robidoux: Ride due west as the sun sets. Turn left at the Rocky Mountains.
Jeremiah Johnson: [Jeremiah and Caleb see a bird flying across the sky] Hawk. Goin' for the Musselshell. Take me a week's ridin', and he'll be there in... hell, he's there already.
[Jerimiah finds the frozen body of Hatchet Jack]
Hatchet Jack: I, Hatchet Jack, being of sound mind and broke legs, do leaveth my rifle to the next thing who finds it, Lord hope he be a white man. It is a good rifle, and kilt the bear that kilt me. Anyway, I am dead. Sincerley, Hatchet Jack.
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: You've come far pilgrim.
Jeremiah Johnson: Feels like far.
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: Can you skin Griz?
Jeremiah Johnson: I can skin' em as fast as you can catch' em.
[Bear Claw runs through the cabin with a huge grizzly bear close behind and jumps out the back window]
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: Skin that one, pilgrim, and I'll get you another!
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: Can't cheat the mountain, Pilgrim, the mountain got its own ways.
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: Didn't put enough dirt down. Saw it right off.
Bear Claw Chris Lapp: Watch your top knot.
Jeremiah Johnson: Yep, watch your'n.
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