Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard (1950)
“There's nothing else. Just us, and the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark. All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my closeup.”.
◄ IMDb Polls
Poll: Billy Wilder's Classic Closing Lines
Speaking of Billy Wilder, Roger Ebert said: "Who else can field two contenders among the greatest closing lines of all time? From Some Like It Hot (1959) there is “Nobody's perfect.” And from Sunset Boulevard (1950), Norma Desmond's: “There's nothing else. Just us, and the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark. All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my closeup.”.
The late critic was absolutely right about Wilder's talent for concluding movies (as well as making damn good ones) and he could have made his point by mentioning his two other masterpieces: Double Indemnity (1944) and The Apartment (1960). There are many other classic endings but for the sake of this poll, we've narrowed it down to the four black-and-white classics that made it in the two AFI's Top 100 Greatest American Movies.
Which of these four classic Billy Wilder's closing lines is the closest to perfection? (since nobody's perfect)
After voting, Mr. De Mille, shut up and deal... with fellow users here, yeah, closer than that...
Make Your Choice
-
-
Jack Lemmon and Joe E. Brown in Some Like It Hot (1959)
"I'm a MAN!" "Well, nobody's perfect!" -
Edward G. Robinson and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity (1944)
"Know why you couldn't figure this one, Keyes? I'll tell ya. 'Cause the guy you were looking for was too close. Right across the desk from ya." "Closer than that, Walter.""I love you, too." -
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in The Apartment (1960)
"You hear what I said, Miss Kubelik? I absolutely adore you." "Shut up and deal..."
