Spartacus (1960), screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, novel by Howard Fast. "I'm Spartacus!" http://movieclips.com/ZJhts-spartacus-movie-im-spartacus/ A slap in the face of Commander Crassus with this great act of defiance and show of solidarity from Spartacus' fellow slaves. Two words with enormous impact.

From The Bourne Supremacy (2004), screenplay by Tony Gilroy, from the novel by Robert Ludnum. (Thanks to Jason Bourne, CIA officer Pamela Landy has found the traitor in her department: Ward Abbott, whose crimes include killing his own aide, Danny. Confronting Abbott in his hotel room, she finds herself at the wrong end of his gun...) Ward Abbott: I'm a patriot. I served my country. Pamela Landy: And Danny Zorn? What was he? Ward Abbott: Unlucky. Collateral damage. Pamela Landy: So, what do we do now? Ward Abbott: I'm not sorry. Abbott shoots himself. In the earlier draft of the script available on imsbd.com, Abbott attempts to excuse his actions; they talk about money, about the desire to prove how clever you are, about hubris and losing your way... This simpler version has twice the impact, and ten times the shock value.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), screenplay by Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman, uncredited; written by Pierre Boulie (novel). Major Clifton: "Madness. Madness." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRBrmxE4i-M Trivia from IMdB: Screenwriters Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman were on the blacklist of people with accused Communist ties at the time the film was made, and went uncredited. The sole writing credit, and therefore the Oscar for best adapted screenplay, went to Pierre Boulle, who wrote the original French novel but did not speak English. Clearly Pierre had not written the English script and this became a long-running controversy between the Academy and the actual authors to achieve recognition for their work. In 1984 the Academy retrospectively awarded the Oscar to Wilson and Foreman. Sadly Wilson did not live to see this; Foreman died the day after it was announced. When the film was restored, their names were added to the credits.

1. The big revelation of "Chinatown"'s complex plot - what all the shenanigans have ultimately been about - is achieved in the final line of dialogue in this script excerpt. The following clip continues beyond this line. GITTES I found these in your backyard -- in your fish pond. They belonged to your husband, didn't they?... didn't they? EVELYN I don't know. I mean yes, probably. GITTES -- yes positively. That's where he was drowned... EVELYN What are you saying? GITTES There's no time for you to be shocked by the truth, Mrs. Mulwray. The coroner's report proves he was killed in salt water. Just take my word for it. Now I want to know how it happened and why. I want to know before Escobar gets here because I want to hang onto my license. EVELYN -- I don't know what you're talking about. This is the most insane... the craziest thing I ever... Gittes has been in a state of near frenzy himself. gets up, shakes her. GITTES Stop it! - I'll make it easy. -- You were jealous, you fought, he fell, hit his head -- it was an accident -- but his girl is a witness. You've had to pay her off. You don't have the stomach to harm her, but you've got the money to shut her up. Yes or no? EVELYN ... no... GITTES Who is she? And don't give me that crap about it being your sister. You don't have a sister. Evelyn is trembling. EVELYN I'll tell you the truth... Gittes smiles. GITTES That's good. Now what's her name? EVELYN -- Katherine. GITTES Katherine?... Katherine who? EVELYN -- she's my daughter. Gittes stares at her. He's been charged with anger and when Evelyn says this it explodes. He hits her full in the face. Evelyn stares back at him. The blow has forced tears from her eyes, but she makes no move, not even to defend herself. GITTES I said the truth! EVELYN -- she's my sister -- Gittes slaps her again. EVELYN (continuing) -- she's my daughter. Gittes slaps her again. EVELYN (continuing) -- my sister. He hits her again. EVELYN (continuing) My daughter, my sister -- He belts her finally, knocking her into a cheap Chinese vase which shatters and she collapses on the sofa, sobbing. GITTES I said I want the truth. EVELYN (almost screaming it) She's my sister and my daughter! http://movieclips.com/CJV5F-chinatown-movie-my-sister-my-daughter/ 2. Defining a movie's most interesting character and providing the engine for the entire rest of the movie in two lines of dialogue? That'll be "The Fugitive". I don't have this script so I can only include the clip. http://youtu.be/ZQ11Ws3tqP0 3. No dialogue, but if we want to talk about economy of storytelling how about the biggest jump-cut in movie history? Millions of years of mankind's evolution in a few seconds of film. http://youtu.be/mI3s5fA7Zhk

The World is Not Enough (1999), screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Bruce Feirstien, based on characters created by Ian Flemming. (Bond has been betrayed by a woman he loves and in the final confrontation must chose between duty and his own desire.) "I never miss." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7J48gT_z_A&feature=player_detailpage#t=69 Say what you want about Pierce Brosnan as Bond, but with one line he summarizes 50 years of being a playboy spy.