The Big Lebowski is an American comedy crime movie that was written and directed by the Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan). In this article, we bring you the best and funniest The Big Lebowski quotes that we all still cite to this very day.
The movie saw light in 1998 and stars Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Tara Reid, Peter Stormare, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and even Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist.
The film follows Jeffrey Lebowski (played by Bridges), also known as “The Dude”, an avid bowler and a slacker who due to mistaken identity is assaulted, only to learn that a millionaire (played by David Huddleston) with the same name was the real target. “The Dude” then tries to help the millionaire get his daughter back (who was kidnapped for ransom money) with the help of his bowler friends (Goodman and Buscemi).
After the release of the movie, it got mixed reviews, with a budget of $15 million and earning $46.7 million in movie theatres. However, as time passed, reviews to the movie got better since its release, the movie has become a cult classic, known and loved worldwide.
The Big Lebowski was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2014 by the Library of Congress, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Now, let’s have some fun and good laughs with memorable The Big Lebowski quotes.
Here is a sneak peek at the quotes in this article:
Table of Contents
- The Dude Quotes from The Big Lebowski
- Walter Sobchak Quotes from The Big Lebowski
- Donny Quotes from The Big Lebowski
- Jesus Quintana Quotes from The Big Lebowski
- Interesting Facts about The Big Lebowski
The Dude Quotes from The Big Lebowski
The Dude: Come on, man. I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin’ Eagles, man!
The Dude: The Dude abides.
The Dude: I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.
The Dude: Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you are going to have to face the fact that you’re a goddamn moron.
The Dude: Ha hey, this is a private residence man.
Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong?
The Dude: No you’re not wrong.
Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong?
The Dude: You’re not wrong Walter. You’re just an asshole.
Walter Sobchak: Okay then.
The Dude: That rug really tied the room together.
The Dude: Hey, I know that guy, he’s a nihilist.
The Dude: Smokey, this is not Vietnam, this is bowling. There are rules.
The Dude: Obviously, you are not a golfer.
The Dude: Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.
The Dude: Careful, man, there’s a beverage here.
The Dude: I do mind, the Dude minds. This aggression will not stand, man.
The Big Lebowski: You don’t go out looking for a job dressed like that? On a weekday?
The Dude: Is this a… what day is this?
The Dude: At least I’m housebroken.
The Dude: She’s not my special lady, she’s my fucking lady friend. I’m just helping her conceive, man!
The Dude: I can’t be worrying about that shit. Life goes on, man.
The Dude: We dropped off the damn money…
The Big Lebowski: We?
The Dude: I! The Royal “we”! You know, the editorial…
The Dude: Ow! Fucking fascist!
The Dude: Hey, nice marmot.
The Dude: Mind if I do a J?
The Dude: This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder’s head.
The Dude: God damn you Walter! You fuckin’ asshole! Everything’s a fuckin’ travesty with you, man! And what was all that shit about Vietnam? What the fuck, has anything got to do with Vietnam? What the fuck are you talking about?
The Dude: Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man.
Maude Lebowski: What do you do for recreation?
The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.
The Dude: Fuck sympathy! I don’t need your fuckin’ sympathy, man, I need my fucking Johnson!
Walter Sobchak: That rug really tied the room together, did it not?
The Dude: Fuckin’ A.
The Dude: Nobody calls me Lebowski. You got the wrong guy. I’m the Dude, man.
Blond Treehorn Thug: Your name’s Lebowski, Lebowski. Your wife is Bunny.
The Dude: My… my wi-, my wife, Bunny? Do you see a wedding ring on my finger? Does this place look like I’m fucking married? The toilet seat’s up, man!
The Big Lebowski: What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski? Is it being prepared to do the right thing, whatever the cost? Isn’t that what makes a man?
The Dude: Hmmm… sure, that and a pair of testicles.
Da Fino, Private Snoop: I’m a brother shamus!
The Dude: Brother Seamus? Like an Irish monk?
The Dude: Who the fuck are the Knutsens?
Jackie Treehorn: Interactive erotic software. The wave of the future, Dude. One hundred percent electronic!
The Dude: Yeah well, I still jerk off manually.
Walter Sobchak: Now that is just ridiculous, Dude. Nobody is going to cut your dick off. Not if I have anything to say about it.
The Dude: Thank you Walter, that makes me feel very secure, it makes me feel very warm inside.
The Dude: Yes, Walter, you’re right. There is an unspoken message here. It’s “FUCK YOU, LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” Yeah, I’ll be at practice.
The Dude: Fuckin’ Quintana… that creep can roll, man.
The Dude: You want me to blow on your toes?
Bunny Lebowski: I can’t blow that far.
The Dude: Are you sure he won’t mind?
The Dude: I could be just sitting at home with pee stains on my rug.
The Dude: Walter, would you just shut the fuck… don’t say a peep while I’m doing business here, man!
The Dude: Ahh fuckin’-A, man. I got a rash, man. Fuckin’-A.
Bunny Lebowski: Uli doesn’t care about anything. He’s a Nihilist.
The Dude: Ah, that must be exhausting.
The Dude: My only hope is that the big Lebowski kills me before the Germans can cut my dick off.
The Dude: Who the fuck are you, man?
Knox Harrington: Oh, just a friend of Maudie’s.
The Dude: Yeah, a friend with a cleft asshole?
Jackie Treehorn: People forget that the brain is the biggest erogenous zone.
The Dude: On you maybe.
Jackie Treehorn: Refill?
The Dude: Does the Pope shit in the woods?
The Dude: I’m sorry your stepmother is a nympho.
Brandt: Well, enjoy. And perhaps we’ll see you again some time, Dude.
The Dude: Yeah, sure, if I’m… in the neighbourhood and I, uh… gotta use the john.
The Dude: Your money is being held by a kid named Larry Sellers. Real fucking brat, but I’m sure your goons can get it off him. I mean, he’s fifteen. Flunking social studies.
The Dude: So if you could just write me my check for ten percent of a half a million… five grand… I’ll go out and mingle.
The Dude: Far out, man. Far fucking out!
Walter Sobchak Quotes from The Big Lebowski
Walter Sobchak: Shut the fuck up, Donny.
Walter Sobchak: Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.
Walter Sobchak: This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass!
Walter Sobchak: I’m saying, I see what you’re getting at, Dude, he kept the money. My point is, here we are, it’s shabbas, the sabbath, which I’m allowed to break only if it’s a matter of life or death…
Walter Sobchak: Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax…
Walter Sobchak: Smokey, my friend, you are entering a world of pain.
Walter Sobchak: Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it zero!
Walter Sobchak: Fuck it, Dude, let’s go bowling.
Walter Sobchak: Forget it, Donny, you’re out of your element!
Walter Sobchak: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don’t wanna know about it, believe me. Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon… with nail polish. These fucking amateurs…
Walter Sobchak: Lady, I got buddies who died face down in the muck so that you and I could enjoy this family restaurant!
Walter Sobchak: No, without a hostage, there is no ransom. That’s what ransom is. Those are the fucking rules.
Walter Sobchak: This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps!
Walter Sobchak: Shomer shabbos! Shomer fucking Shabbos!
Donny: How come you don’t roll on Saturday, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: I’m shomer shabbos.
Walter Sobchak: You’re entering a world of pain, son. We know that this is your homework. We know that you stole a car.
Walter Sobchak: Look at our current situation with that camel fucker over in Iraq. Pacifism is not something to hide behind.
Walter Sobchak: When he moved to Hollywood he had to go door to door to tell everyone he was a pederast.
The Dude: And, you know, he’s got emotional problems, man.
Walter Sobchak: You mean… beyond pacifism?
Walter Sobchak: Life does not stop and start at your convenience, you miserable piece of shit.
Walter Sobchak: Who am I? Who am I? I’m the guy who’s gonna kick your phony goldbricking ass, that’s who I am!
Walter Sobchak: Fucking dipshit with a nine toed woman.
Walter Sobchak: I’m more Jewish than Tevye!
Walter Sobchak: The little prick is stonewalling me.
Walter Sobchak: You’re being very undude.
Walter Sobchak: I told that Kraut a fuckin’ thousand times, I don’t roll on shabbos!
Brandt: Who is this gentleman, Dude?
Walter Sobchak: Who am I? I’m a fucking Veteran, that’s who I am!
Donny Quotes from The Big Lebowski
Donny: I am the walrus.
Donny: He peed on the Dude’s rug.
Donny: What’s a… pederast, Walter?
Donny: Who’s got your undies, Walter?
Donny: I’m throwing rocks tonight. Mark it, Dude.
Donny: His name’s Lebowski? That’s your name, Dude!
Jesus Quintana Quotes from The Big Lebowski
Jesus Quintana: Are you ready to be fucked, man? I see you rolled your way into the semis. Dios mio, man. Liam and me, we’re gonna fuck you up.
Jesus Quintana: Let me tell you something, pendejo. You pull any of your crazy shit with us, you flash a piece out on the lanes, I’ll take it away from you, and stick it up your ass and pull the fucking trigger ’til it goes click.
Jesus Quintana: Nobody fucks with the Jesus!
Jesus Quintana: What’s this day of rest shit? What’s this bullshit? I don’t fuckin’ care! It don’t matter to Jesus. But you’re not foolin’ me, man. You might fool the fucks in the league office, but you don’t fool Jesus. This bush league psyche-out stuff. Laughable, man – ha ha! I would have fucked you in the ass Saturday. I fuck you in the ass next Wednesday instead. Wooo! You got a date Wednesday, baby!
Interesting Facts about The Big Lebowski
After we had some fun and pretty good laughs, it’s time to learn some interesting facts about The Big Lebowski movie. Enjoy.
- The Coen Brothers Don’t Like the Movie So Much – It’s a cult classic and it seem that everybody worldwide loves this movie, but The Big Lebowski is not a favorite among the directors. In an interview that Joel Coen did in 2009, he said that this movie fascinates some people a lot more than it fascinates them. Well, like it or not, we thank them for this brilliant and hilarious movie.
- The Dude is in Every Scene in the Movie – It sounds strange, but it’s true. The character played by Jeff Bridges, The Dude, is present in every scene in the movie, including the one where the Nihilists order food in the diner. Where you ask? Well, the van of The Dude and Walter can be seen in the background through the diner window. So, next time you watch the movie, check it out.
- The Big Lebowski in the Title is Not The Dude – The movie is titled The Big Lebowski, however, it is not a reference to The Dude, but to the millionaire Lebowski. Throughout the script, Jeffrey Lebowski is referred to as the “Big Lebowski”, while the character of Jeff Bridges is known as The Dude.
- Many Names Were Suggested for the Role of the Big Lebowski – The decision for who will play the role of Jeffrey Lebowski was one of the last decisions production made. A lot of names came to mind and were suggested, among them were: Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, and Anthony Hopkins. Duvall didn’t like the script, Hopkins wasn’t interested, and Hackman was taking a break at that time. So, production came up with a second list of actors that included: Jerry Falwell, Andy Griffith, Norman Mailer, Gore Vidal, Ernest Borgnine, William F. Buckley, and George C. Scott. Eventually, the role of Jeffrey Lebowski went to David Huddleston, who made a fine job as the Big Lebowski if you ask me.
- John Turturro was Embarrassed – One of the most remembered characters in the movie is without a doubt the one of Jesus Quintana. Even though the part is small, Turturro plays it to perfection, and there’s not a single person who can forget who Jesus Quintana is. However, John Turturro was embarrassed as first with his scenes and said that he didn’t even get the movie when it came out. Only after he watched it from beginning to end, he realized it was a great movie.
- There’s a TV Version of the Movie Too – I’m not sure that you know that, but there’s a TV version of the movie. Due to profanity, it is edited, of course. The word “fuck” is used 260 times throughout the movie, so even TV can’t edit it all, but there’s a famous edited scene that became a classic of its own. In the movie, there’s the scene where Walter goes nuts, destroying a car and screaming, “This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass!” However, in the TV version, this line was edited to “Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?” and this new line became a classic as well.
- Almost a Happy Ending for The Dude – You can say that the rug was an important element in the movie, from beginning to end, as was a real driving force. In a DVD extra, director Ethan Coen shared that Joel Silver, who was the producer of the movie, suggest that the movie will end happily for The Dude, with him getting his rug back. Coen brothers thought differently, I guess.
- You’ve Already Seen Jeffrey Lebowski’s Mansion – In the movie, Jeffrey Lebowski lives in a huge mansion. In real life, this mansion is known as Greystone Mansion, and if it looks familiar, then you’ve probably also seen it in Rush Hour, The Dirty Dozen, The Prestige, The Social Network, and even The Muppets and Meat Loaf’s clip for the song “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).”
For more quotes from the funniest movies in the world, please check our posts dedicated to Airplane! quotes, Captain Jack Sparrow quotes, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off quotes, and Monty Python quotes.