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'I'll be back' is voted favourite sign-off in cinema

Anthony Barnes
Sunday 20 April 2003 19:00 EDT
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The immortal Arnold Schwarzenegger line "I'll be back" has been named by film buffs as the best parting shot in movie history.

The Austrian-born star tops a list compiled by Odeon Cinemas with his pay-off in the 1984 movie The Terminator, which shot him to stardom. And Schwarzenegger scores another top-rated line with his "Hasta la vista, baby" from the sequel, Terminator II.

Although not noted for his convincing deliveries, the former Mr Universeclearly benefited from the skills of writer James Cameron, who also directed both films. Oddly, though, "I'll be back" also featured in a recent poll of the 10 worst lines.

Odeon polled managers of its nearly 100 cinemas for its rundown of verbal sign-offs. Second in the list was Clark Gable's line to Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

The top 10 were: 1. "I'll be back." – The Terminator (1984). 2. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." – Gone with the Wind (1939). 3. "Get busy living, or get busy dying." – The Shawshank Redemption (1994). 4. "Hasta la vista, baby." – Terminator II (1991). 5. "Well, nobody's perfect!" – Some Like it Hot (1959). 6. "Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye." – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). 7. "Goodbye Mr Bond." – Goldfinger (1964). 8. "I've seen things you wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain. Time to die." – Blade Runner (1982). 9. "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" – White Heat (1949) 10. "Forget about it!" – Donnie Brasco (1997).

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