Imagine you’re watching a movie for the first time when BOOM—someone has said the movie title! (And then you start grinning like a fool.)
But what if the movie were to suddenly implode at that meta moment, as if the character broke a big rule in the movie universe? 😮
(I’m just being dramatic, of course, but could you imagine?)
So the question is: how far would you make it through these movie classics before a character name-drops the title?
Take a look here, and then maybe challenge yourself to watch your favorite movie as if it's over when the title is said! (It’s actually a lot of fun, I promise!)
1. ”Casablanca” (1942)
- Duration of film: 1 hour and 53 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: 1 minute and 50 seconds into the film.
- The scene: The voiceover narration at the beginning of the movie.
- The line spoken with the movie title: “And so a tortuous, roundabout refugee trail sprang up. Paris to Marseilles...across the Mediterranean to Oran. Then, by train or auto or foot, across the rim of Africa...to Casablanca in French Morocco.” (Spoken by a narrator.)
- Score: You watched 1.67% of “Casablanca."
- Results: No exit visa for you… ☹️
2. ”Titanic” (1997)
- Duration of film: 3 hours and 14 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: 3 minutes and 53 seconds into the film.
- The scene: When Brock Lovett is narrating the journey of the submersible that they sent to recover Cal Hockley’s safe (in search of the "Heart of the Ocean").
- The line spoken with the movie title: In his narration, Lovett says, “Dive six. Here we are again on the deck of Titanic.”
- Score: You watched 2% of “Titanic."
- Results: You’re going down with the ship...and the string quartet. ☹️
3. ”Bonnie and Clyde” (1967)
- Duration of film: 1 hours and 52 minutes
- When the movie title was spoken: 1 hour and 34 minutes into the film.
- The scene: When C.W.’s father not only reprimands C.W. for getting involved with Bonnie and Clyde, but for also getting a tattoo.
- The line spoken with the movie title: C.W.’s father shouts at his son: “You don't ever get your name in the paper. You just get the pictures printed on your skin by Bonnie and Clyde.”
- Score: You watched 83.93% of “Bonnie and Clyde."
- Results: You get your picture in the paper! 📰
4. “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
- Duration of film: 1 hour 42 minutes
- When the movie title was spoken: 31 minutes into the film.
- The scene: After the Wicked Witch of the Witch retreats from Munchkinland, Glinda the Good Witch tells Dorothy that the only person who can help her to return home is the "great and wonderful Wizard of Oz himself!"
- The line spoken with the movie title: Confused, Dorothy says to Glinda: “The Wizard of Oz? Is he good or is he wicked?”
- Score: You watched 30.39% of “The Wizard of Oz."
- Results: You get a heart and a brain, but not courage… ❤️🤔
5. ”Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
- Duration of film: 1 hour and 42 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken (errr...SUNG): Literally 24 seconds into the film...
- The scene: The opening sequence in which Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly, and Donald O’Connor donned yellow raincoats and sang a snippet of the song “Singin’ in the Rain."
- The line spoken with the movie title: Singin' in the rain/Just singin' in the rain/What a glorious feelin'/We're happy again!”
- Score: You watched 0.39% of “Singin’ in the Rain."
- Results: You’re doomed to voice-dub Lina Lamont for all eternity...R.I.P. 😨
6. “The Breakfast Club“ (1985)
- Duration of film: 1 hour and 34 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: 1 hour and 34 minutes into the film! They were literally the last few words spoken—PERIOD!
- The scene: When Brian‘s ending voiceover plays as Assistant Principal Vernon reads their essay.
- The line spoken with the movie title: “Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.”
- Score: You watched 100% of “The Breakfast Club!"
- Results: You’ll never have to go to Saturday detention ever again! 🙌
7. “All About Eve“ (1950)
- Duration of film: 2 hours and 18 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: 2 minutes and 15 seconds into the film.
- The scene: When Addison DeWitt is introducing the story with a voiceover as an awards banquet is going on.
- The line spoken with the movie title: “And no brighter light has ever dazzled the eye than Eve Harrington. Eve...but more of Eve later. All about Eve in fact...”
- Score: You watched 1.63% of “All About Eve."
- Results: You now completely “belong to” Addison DeWitt. ☹️
8. “The Sound of Music“ (1965)
- Duration of film: 2 hours and 54 minutes
- When the movie title was spoken: 2 minutes and 51 seconds into the film.
- The scene: When Maria (Julie Andrews) sings “The Sound of Music” in the film’s opening.
- The line spoken (I mean SUNG) with the movie title: “The hills are alive with the sound of music."
- Score: You watched 1.64% of “The Sound of Music."
- Results: No crisp apple strudel or schnitzel with noodles for you… 😢
9. “The Godfather“ (1972)
- Duration of film: 2 hours and 57 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: 2 hours and 24 minutes into the film.
- The scene: When Michael Corleone and Moe Greene meet in Las Vegas, Corleone presents an offer to buy Greene’s Hotel-Casino—and Greene angrily turns him down.
- The line spoken with the movie title: Greene says to Corleone, “The Godfather is sick. You're getting chased out of New York by the other families and you think you can find easier pickings here.”
- Score: You watched 81.36% of “The Godfather."
- Results: You can leave the gun and take the cannoli... 😋
10. ”Gone With the Wind” (1939)
- Duration of film: 3 hours and 53 minutes.
- When the movie title was spoken: “Gone With the Wind” was not said once in the film! Congratulations—you made it through this four-hour movie in all of its glory! 😫
- Score: You made it through 100% of “Gone with the Wind!"
- Results: You win Ashley Wilkes’s love! ❤️
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article cited the wrong runtime for “Bonnie and Clyde”—thank you to the reader who pointed this out!
How far would you make it through your favorite movie before a character says the title? Give it a try, and tweet me your results @missjulia1207!
