Memorable quotes for
Terms of Endearment (1983) More at IMDbPro »

[Lying in the surf after being thrown from the car]
Garrett Breedlove: If you wanted to get me on my back, all you had to do was ask me.

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Garrett Breedlove: I like the lights on.
Aurora Greenway: Then go home and turn them on.

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Aurora Greenway: I just didn't want you to think I was like one of your other girls.
Garrett Breedlove: Not much danger in that unless you curtsy on my face real soon.

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[upon hearing of her daughter's pregnancy]
Aurora Greenway: Why should I be happy about being a GRANDMOTHER?
Flap Horton: Does this mean you won't be knitting the baby any booties?

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Aurora Greenway: Do you have any reaction at all to my telling you I love you?
Garrett Breedlove: I was just inches from a clean getaway.

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Garrett Breedlove: You're gonna need a lot of drinks.
Aurora Greenway: To break the ice?
Garrett Breedlove: To kill the bug you have up your ass.

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Aurora Greenway: Would you like to come in?
Garrett Breedlove: I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.

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Aurora Greenway: [to a toddler] Gorgeous isn't everything.

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Aurora Greenway: This is my moment.

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Aurora Greenway: It's past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don't understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT'S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!

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Aurora Greenway: Don't worship me until I've earned it.

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Aurora Greenway: He can't even do the simple things, like fail locally.

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Emma Horton: You don't know how lucky you are, you know. Everybody wants to go to Des Moines. People come from all over the world just to get one look at Des Moines before they die.

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Garrett Breedlove: A hundred and six astronauts in the whole fucking world and I'm one of 'em!

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Patsy Clark: You're my touchstone, Emma!

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Aurora Greenway: I just don't want to fight anymore.
Emma Horton: What do you mean? When do we fight?
Aurora Greenway: WHEN do we FIGHT? I always think of us as fighting!
Emma Horton: That's because you're never satisfied with me.

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Emma Horton: You both of you have beautiful eyes and your hair is too long. I mean, I don't care how long it gets in the back, but keep your bangs cut, OK, it's too long.
Tommy Horton: That's a matter of opinion.
Emma Horton: Just keep it short, alright?
Tommy Horton: Are you getting well?
Emma Horton: Look, I'm sorry about this but I can't help it, and I can't talk to you for too long or I'll get real upset. I want you to make a lot of friends. And I want you to be real nice to the girls 'cause they're gonna be real important to you, I swear.
Tommy Horton: I'm not afraid of girls. What makes you think that?
Emma Horton: Well, you may be later on.
Tommy Horton: I doubt it.
Teddy Horton: Why don't you shut up? Shut up!
Tommy Horton: You shut up!
Emma Horton: Ted, give me a kiss, come on. Tommy, you be sweet. Be sweet. And stop tryin' to pretend like you hate me. I mean, it's silly.
Tommy Horton: I like you.
Emma Horton: OK then, will you listen especially close?
Tommy Horton: What?
Emma Horton: Listen real hard?
Tommy Horton: I said 'what'?
Emma Horton: I know you like me. I know it. For the last year or two, you've been pretending like you hate me. I love you very much. I love you as much as I love anybody, as much as I love myself. And in a few years when I haven't been around to be on your tail about something or irritating you, you could... remember that time that I bought you the baseball glove when you thought we were too broke. You know? Or when I read you those stories? Or when I let you goof off instead of mowing the lawn? Lots of things like that. And you're gonna realize that you love me. And maybe you're gonna feel badly, because you never told me. But don't - I know that you love me. So don't ever do that to yourself, all right?

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Sam Burns: You're a very rude young woman. I know Douglas from the Rotary and I can't believe he'd want you treating customers so badly.
Checkout Girl: I don't think I was treating her badly.
Sam Burns: Then you must be from New York.

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Aurora Greenway: Not that it's any of your business... Oh, let's just leave it at that.

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Emma Horton: No, forget it, I'm not gonna make you feel better, I'm too mad.
[slamming on the kitchen table and yelling to the kids]
Emma Horton: DINNER!

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Aurora Greenway: You are not special enough to overcome a bad marriage.

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Dr. Maise: We do more and more on an outpatient basis. We shouldn't need to take her back, unless the illness escalates.
Aurora Greenway: But you're not telling me anything.
Dr. Maise: What are you confused about?
Aurora Greenway: How is she?
Dr. Maise: I tell people to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Aurora Greenway: And they let you get away with that?

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Garrett Breedlove: Wind in the hair! Lead in the pencil!

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Garrett Breedlove: I'll tell ya, Aurora, I don't know what it is about you, but you do bring out the devil in me.

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Emma Horton: [to her son] OK, you're allowed to say one mean thing to me a year. That'll do until you're 10.

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Garrett Breedlove: [on their first date] Aurora...
Aurora Greenway: Yes?
Garrett Breedlove: You're not *fun*, by any chance, are you?
Aurora Greenway: I don't really think we should think about that right now.
[pause]
Aurora Greenway: Impatient boys sometimes miss dessert!

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Aurora Greenway: [to workmen hanging her paintings] Careful there. Those are worth more than you'll ever make in your lifetime.
[everyone stares at her]
Emma Horton: [sighs] I grew up with it my whole life. You can take it for a couple of minutes.

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Aurora Greenway: [to Flap] Raising three children, working full-time *and* chasing women requires a lot more energy than you have. You know, one of the nicest qualities about you has always been that you recognized your weaknesses. *Don't* lose that quality now just when you need it the most!

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Flap Horton: I'm thinking about my identity, and not having one anymore. I mean, who am I, if I'm not the man who's failing Emma?

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Aurora Greenway: [watching Garret with a toddler] She's too old for him.

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Aurora Greenway: Grown women are prepared for life's little emergencies.

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Emma Horton: Some people say Des Moines is the best city in Iowa.

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Emma Horton: Momma, that's the first time I stopped hugging first. I like that.

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