The most memorable quotes from 'Die Hard'

It’s not the first line of the film, but it’s a fitting way to start. One, it’s an iconic line from John McClane. Two, it really kicks the action up to a new level. The quip comes after McClane has tossed a presumed terrorist out the window to make it clear to the cops that, yes, things are amiss in Nakatomi Plaza.

John McClane was accidentally invited to his estranged wife’s Christmas party in Los Angeles, but he went not knowing that. The next thing he knows, he’s barefoot and bloody and crawling through air vents. Part of what makes McClane such a great action hero is that he is not always on top of things. Sometimes he is left to lament his current state of affairs.

Call this quote a joint effort from McClane and Hans Gruber, the indelible villain of the piece. Gruber says the quote, but he’s reading a sign that McClane left on one of Hans’ henchmen, who is also topped with a Santa hat for good measure.

Holly Gennaro isn’t on the best of terms with her husband when “Die Hard” begins. She knows him quite well, though. When she sees a villain freak out, she assures her compatriot John must still be alive. After all, it takes something like her husband to make somebody that angry.

Takagi, Holly’s boss, is perplexed when all Hans wants is access to the vast amounts of money and wealth in the vault at Nakatomi Plaza. Confused, he asks, “What kind of terrorists are you?” This is Gruber’s self-satisfied reply.

Theo, the hacker on Hans’ crew, is probably the most polarizing character in the movie. He’s supposed to be kind of an annoying motormouth type, but some find him actually annoying. Theo does get a few good lines, though, including this one.

Look, be honest. You probably heard this Alexander line for the first time in “Die Hard.” The quote about Alexander the Great, is often attributed to Plutarch. We attribute it to Hans, and his classical education.

Like Takagi, Holly is surprised to find out the end goal of Hans’ plan. She calls him a “common thief,” and this is Hans’ clever retort. By this point, he’s also figured out Holly is John’s wife, hence the kidnapping for hostage purposes.

The FBI shows up to play out their terrorist handbook at one point in the night, and they are headlined by the duo of Agent Johnson and Special Agent Johnson. Agent Johnson then quickly clarifies, “No relation,” a reference to the racial makeup of the duo for the sake of some levity.

Why does everybody think Hans and company are terrorists? Because that is the part he plays to law enforcement. When asked for his demands, he lists off some members of terrorist organizations he wants released. That includes nine members of the Asian Dawn movement. When his compatriot Karl is baffled, this is how Hans explains his knowledge.

Ah, Ellis. From the moment we see him at the holiday party, we get the sense of the kind of guy he is. Harvey Ellis figures he can talk Hans and company into letting them all go and save the evening. It’s almost like he has an inflated sense of ego and manic energy or something.

Alas, things don’t turn out well for Ellis. He spills the beans on John McClane, but McClane knows what’s up. He tries to implore Ellis to recant, but Ellis just doesn’t see the writing on the wall. When Hans pulls a gun on Ellis, it’s not method acting. It’s also the end of Ellis.

Here is Hans explaining his plan in full. He’s got his money, and he claimed his terrorist organization wants a helicopter to escape. Nope! It’s all part of the ruse. A big part of the reason this quote sticks in our brain is the way Alan Rickman says, “earning twenty percent.”

Agent Johnson, and Special Agent Johnson, are in a helicopter doing their cowboy thing playing the FBI heroes. One of the Johnsons says this to the other one, referencing Vietnam. The retort from Agent Johnson? “I was in junior high, d*ckhead.”

Paul Gleason is a classic ‘80s character actor. He’s Principal Vernon in “The Breakfast Club,” but he also plays Deputy Chief of Police Dwayne T. Robinson in “Die Hard.” This deadpan line occurs after Hans has fallen to his death. So yeah, it wasn’t a hostage. Wish granted, Dwayne.

This is from the opening conversation of the film. McClane is still on the plane, and his seatmate makes this recommendation to him. John does it, but that is also why he ends up barefoot throughout the film. Not great when the ground is covered in broken glass.

McClane stumbles on Hans Gruber in the building, and Hans has to do some quick thinking. He dons an American accent and claims to be one of the hostages. When asked for his name, he remembers the directory of the building and pulls the name of William Clay. His friends call him Bill.

It’s a little surprising there is only one Al Powell quote in this article. Al’s a great character, and a tremendous foil to John. However, he doesn’t necessarily have the best quotes. Reginald VelJohnson delivers this line with gusto, though.

Argyle is in the mix now too! He has a few good lines in his limited time on screen, and he punches out Theo too. This is the last line of the film, a fitting, funny quip that is perfectly within the tone of “Die Hard.”

This is the quintessential line from “Die Hard.” It became McClane’s catchphrase going forward. The first time he says it, Hans is dismissively comparing McClane to movie and TV cowboys, accusing him of American hubris. This is John’s retort, now one of the all-time memorable movie lines.