Life Is Beautiful (1998) - Quotes

Riddles of Identity and Self-Perception

Riddles: Fat, fat, ugly, ugly, all yellow in reality. If you ask me what I am I answer, Cheap, cheap, cheap. Wailing along I go, Poopoo'. Who am I? Tell me true.

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The Power of Silence in Life

Riddles: * (Silence)

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The Paradox of Names and Existence

Riddles: If you say my name I'm not there anymore. Who am I?

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The Importance of Time in Life

Riddles: * (Seven Seconds!)

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Snow White's Mysterious Meal for Guests

Riddles: The dwarves and Snow White sit down for a bite. How fast can you guess what she serves her guests next?

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The Complexity of Understanding Obscurity

Riddles: * (Obscurity)

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Perception of Size and Visibility

Riddles: The bigger it is, the less you see it

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Train Stop for a Family Reunion

Giosué: Look, they stopped the train to let Mom get on.

Guido: Dora...

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Excitement of Riding a Train Together

Guido: [''being shipped to a concentration camp''] You've never ridden on a train, have you? They're fantastic! Everybody stands up, close together, and there are no seats!

Giosué: There aren't any seats?

Guido: Seats? On a train? It's obvious you've never ridden one before! No, everybody's packed in, standing up. Look at this line to get on! Hey, we've got tickets, save room for us!

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The Humor of Exclusionary Signs

Guido: Oh, that. "Not Allowed" signs are the latest trend! The other day, I was in a shop with my Chinese friend and his pet kangaroo, but their sign said, "No Chinese or Kangaroos Allowed," and I said to my friend, "Well, what can I do? They don't allow kangaroos.

Giosué: We let everyone in our shop, don't we?

Guido: Well, tomorrow, we'll put one up. We won't let in anything we don't like. What don't you like?

Giosué: Spiders.

Guido: Good I don't like Visigoths. Tomorrow, we'll get a sign: "No Spiders or Visigoths Allowed.

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The Art of Serving with Dignity

Guido: (learning how to be a waiter) How far do I bow? I suppose I can even go 180 degrees.

Eliseo: Think of a sunflower, they bow to the sun. But if you see some that are bowed too far down, it means they're dead. You're here serving, you're not a servant. Serving is the supreme art. God is the first of servants. God serves men, but he's not a servant to men.

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Miscommunication During Political Discussion

Guido: What are your political views?

Italian Official: [''speaking to his two sons''] Benito, Adolf! Be good !... Sorry Guido, what did you say?

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Request for a Key from Above

Guido: Mary! Send down the key! (speaking to the woman in the window)

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Understanding the Game's Rules

Guido: Did you play with the other kids?

Joshua: Yes, but they don’t know the rules. They said it isn’t true that the first prize is a tank. They don’t know anything about points.

Guido: Did you fall for that? They’re as sly as foxes. They want to beat you. Are you joking? There’s no tank? Don’t you believe them!

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A Lighthearted Exchange About Prizes

Guido: The prize is... the prize is...

Eliseo: A tank.

Guido: Yes! Yes, the prize is a tank.

Joshua: I already have one.

Guido: No, a real one.

Joshua: A real tank?

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Misunderstandings About Reality and Innocence

Joshua: They turn us into buttons and soap.

Guido: Who told you that?

Joshua: An old man was crying. He said they turn us into buttons and soap.

Guido: You fell for that? Again? I thought you were a sharp boy – cunning, intelligent. Buttons and soap out of people? That’ll be the day!

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A Child's Innocence Amidst Tragedy

Guido (to Giosue): I told you we’re going to have fun.

Joshua: (watching his uncle being sent to the gas chamber) Where is Uncle going?

Guido: Uh... oh, he's playing on a different team. Goodbye, Uncle!

Joshua: Goodbye, Uncle.

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Language Barrier in a Difficult Situation

Bartolomeo: They are looking for someone who speaks German, to translate their instructions.

Guido: (raises his hand)

Bartolomeo: Do you speak German?

Guido: No.

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Unspoken Desires in a Tender Moment

Guido: I forgot to tell you.

Dora: Go ahead.

Guido: You can't imagine how much I feel like making love to you. But I'll never tell anyone, especially not you. They'd have to torture me to make me say it.

Dora: Say what?

Guido: That I want to make love to you - not just once, but over and over again! But I'll never tell you that. I'd have to be crazy to tell you. I'd even make love to you now... right here for the rest of my life.

The Burden of the Unnecessary

Eliseo: [[Necessity|necessary] Nothing is more ] than the unnecessary.

Seeking Answers in Troubling Times

Dr Lessing: Help me, help me. I can’t sleep. What is the answer?

A Signal for Important News

Dr Lessing: I have something important to tell you. Wait for my signal.

The Importance of Timing in Life

Dr Lessing: Seven seconds!

A Morning Greeting to the Princess

Joshua: Good morning, princess!

Celebrating Victory in a Game

Joshua: We got a thousand points and we won the game! Daddy and me came in first and now we won the real tank! We won! We won!

Desire to reunite with family on train

Dora: My husband and son are on that train. I want to get on that train. Did you hear me? I want to get on it.

A Father's Hopeful Words to His Son

Guido: (carrying his son through the camp) You are such a good boy. You sleep now. Dream sweet dreams. Maybe it’s only a dream! We’re dreaming, Joshua. Tomorrow morning, Mommy will wake us up with milk and cookies.

City Behavior vs. Country Behavior

Guido: You can do anything you want in the city. If you want to yell, yell. (His friend yells) Guido: Stop it! What are you, crazy? You can’t act like you do in the country. You’ve been acting like a madman. You can’t yell!

The Game of Survival

Guido: (pretending to translate a German concentration camp guard's instructions to the new prisoners) The game starts now. You have to score one thousand points. If you do that, you take home a tank with a big gun. Each day we will announce the scores from that loudspeaker. The one who has the fewest points will have to wear a sign that says "Jackass" on his back. There are three ways to lose points. One, turning into a big crybaby. Two, telling us you want to see your mommy. Three, saying you're hungry and want something to eat.