A movie with quotation argument and a literal book of quotations [closed]

I only remember a scene of a movie from around 1980s or 1990s, and nothing else. There are a couple of persons arguing by using famous quotations. I believe it was a funny scene and the punch line was that one of them reaches a point in which they can't answer anything using a quotation anymore.

If I'm right the guy who fails in the discussion is the villain of the movie. And the guy trying to help to use another quotation might be Tim Curry. When the villain has no answer he looks back to this henchman (Tim Curry character?) for help and he has a huge open book in his hands and he looks at it while he shakes his head "no".

I tried to research Tim Curry's filmography but it's huge and got lost. Besides that, I saw this film as a kid and don't quite remember if it was actually him, just a hunch.

Language: English
Country of origin: US/UK?
Approximate year of release: 1980s/1990s

identify-this-movie comedy

Best Answer

Yep, Tim Curry's the henchman, and the battle's between Denis Leary and William Shatner, no less! You're looking for Loaded Weapon 1 from 1993 starring Emilio Estevez and Samuel L. Jackson. However, I think the implication is that Tim Curry can't find the final quotation (it's from a Beatles song: We Can Work It Out, 1965) in the quotation book, hence Leary loses the quote battle and is executed.

General Morters: Act in haste, repent in leisure.

Mike McCracken: But he who hesitates is lost.

General Morters: Never judge a book by its cover.

Mike McCracken: What you see is what you get.

General Morters: Loose lips sink ships.

Mike McCracken: Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing or fighting, my friend.

[General Morters looks at Mr. Jigsaw, who consults 'Bartlett's Familiar Quotations' and then shakes his head]

General Morters: Sorry Mike, no good.