Famous Farewells

 
Fictional Farewells
Blaine, Richard "Rick" (actor - Humphrey Bogart)
"Isla, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.  Some day you'll understand that.  Now, now.  Here's looking at you kid."
Movie:  Casablanca, 1942
For more information: 
Casablanca at Greatest Films
Recommended viewing: 
Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart

 
Butler, Rhett (actor - Clark Gable)
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!" - movie
"My dear, I don't give a damn!" - book
Movie:  Gone With the Wind, 1939
For more information: 
Gone With the Wind at Greatest Films
Recommended reading:
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Recommended viewing:
Gone With the Wind starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh

 
Dubois, Blanche
"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." (as she is taken off to an institution)
Drama: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, 1947
Recommended reading:
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Recommended viewing:
A Streetcar Named Desire starring Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Vivian Leigh, and Karl Malden

 
E.T.
"I'll be right here." (after touching Elliot's forehead with his fingertip)
Movie:  E.T., The Extraterrestrial, 1982
For more information: 
E.T., The Extraterrestrial at Greatest Films
Recommended viewing:
E.T. the Extraterrestrial starring Henry Thomas

 
Friday, Johnny (actor - Lee J. Cobb)
"Where are you guys going?"  Wait a minute?  I'll remember this!  I'll remember everyone of ya!  I'll be back; don't you forget that.  I'll be back."
Movie:  On the Waterfront, 1954
For more information: 
On the Waterfront at Greatest Films
Recommended viewing:
On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando

 
Helmer, Nora
"Now that life together between us two could become a marriage.  Goodbye."
Play:  A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, 1879
For more information: 
The Ibsen Center
Recommended reading:
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

 
Joad, Tom (actor - Henry Fonda) 
"I'll be ever'where--wherever you look.  Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there.  Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there.  If Casy knowed, why, I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad an'--I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready.  An' when our folks eat the stuff they raise an' live in the houses they build--why, I'll be there.  See?"  - book
Well, maybe it's like Casy says. A fella ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul - the one big soul that belongs to ever'body. Then...then, it don't matter. I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be ever' where - wherever you can look. Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad - I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready. An' when the people are eatin' the stuff they raise, and livin' in the houses they build - I'll be there, too. - movie
Novel:  The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939
Movie: The Grapes of Wrath, 1940
For more information: 
Steinbeck: The California Novels
Center for Steinbeck Studies
Recommended reading:
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Recommended viewing:
The Grapes of Wrath starring Henry Fonda

 
Lecter, Hannibal "the Cannibal" (actor  - Anthony Hopkins)
Movie: "I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner.  Bye."
Novel:  "I have no plans to call on you Clarice, the world being more interesting with you in it.  Be sure to extend me the same courtesy.  I have windows.  Orion is above the horizon now, and near it Jupiter, brighter than it will ever be again before the year 2000.  (I have no intention of telling you the time and how high it is.)  But I expect you can see it too.  Some of our stars are the same.  Clarice. -- Hannibal Lecter
Novel:  The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, 1988 
Movie:  The Silence of the Lambs, 1991
For more information: 
The Silence of the Lambs at Greatest Movies
Recommended reading:
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (introducing Dr. Lecter)
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Recommended viewing:
The Silence of the Lambs starring Jody Foster and Anthony Hopkins

 
Spade, Sam (actor - Humphrey Bogart)
"Yes, Angel, I'm going to send you over.  The chances are you'll get off with life.  That means if you're a good girl, you'll be out in twenty years.  I'll be waiting for you.  If they hang you, I'll always remember you."  - to Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor) when turning her over to the police
Movie:  The Maltese Falcon from Dashiell Hammet's 1929 novel
For more information:
The Maltese Falcon at Greatest Films
Recommended reading:
The Maltese Falcon by Dasheill Hammet
Recommended viewing:
The Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre

 
Starret, Joey (actor - Brandon de Wilde)
"Pa's got things for you to do, and Mother wants you.  I know she does.  Shane.  Shane.  Come back.  Bye, Shane." - movie
Movie:  Shane, 1953
Book: Shane by Jack Shaefer
For more information: 
Shane at Greatest Movies
Recommended viewing:
Shane starring Alan Ladd

 
The Time Traveler
"Really and truly I do.  I only want half an hour.  I know why you came, and it's awfully good of you.  There's some magazines here.  If you'll stop to lunch I'll prove you this time traveling up to the hilt, specimen and all.  If you'll forgive my leaving you now?"
Novel:  The Time Machine, H.G. Wells, 1895
For more information: 
The Time Machine, e-text version 
H.G. Wells
Recommended readings: 
The Time Machine and the Invisible Man by H. G. Wells 
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
 
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