'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' is a movie released in 2000, directed, produced, and co-edited by the Coen Brothers, Joel, and Ethan.
The movie is a crime comedy-drama set during the Great Recession in the year 1937. The film's satire is a modern-day adaptation of Homer's epic poem Odyssey.
The movie revolves around the story of three prison escapees, Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), Delmar O'Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson), and Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro), and their search for buried treasure. The film was selected as one of the nominations for the Cannes Film Festival in the year 2000.
It has also won a handful of nominations at the Academy Awards in the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography category.
George Clooney received the Gloden Globe Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ulysses Everett McGill in the film. Check out the film's best quotes below.
Best 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' Quotes By Ulysses Everett McGill
Here are some of the best quotes by Ulysses Everett McGill who is played by the renowned actor George Clooney, like 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' bonafide quotes and more.
1. "Well, ain't it a small world, spiritually speaking. Pete and Delmar just been baptized and saved. I guess I'm the only one that remains unaffiliated."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
2. "It's a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
3. "Ulysses Everett McGill: It ain't the law.
Sheriff Cooley: The law? The law is a human institution."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
4. "So you're against me now too? Is that how it is boys? The whole world, God almighty, and now you."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
5. "We're gonna see a brave new world where they run everybody a wire and hook us all up to a grid."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
6. "Well, it didn't look like a two-horse town, but try finding a decent hair jelly."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
7. "Uh, we're adventurers, sir, currently pursuing a certain opportunity, but we're open to others as well."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
8. "Ulysses: Why are you telling our gals that I was hit by a train?
Penny: Lots of respectable people have been hit by trains."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
9. "Ulysses: Tommy, what you ridin' there?
Tommy Johnson: Uh... Roll-top desk!"
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
10. "I was not hit by a train. Damnit, I am the paterfamilias!"
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
11. "Ulysses: Now Penny, stop that!
Penny: No - you stop it! Vernon here's got a job. Vernon's got prospects. He's bona fide! What're you?"
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
12. "Ulysses: What's his name.
Wharvey Gal: Vernon T. Waldrip. Uncle Vernon. Till tomorrow."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
13. "Blind Seer: I have no name.
Ulysses: Well, that right there may be the reason you've had difficulty findin' gainful employment."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
14. "Well, as soon as we get ourselves cleaned up and we get a little smellum in our hair, why, we're gonna feel 100% better about ourselves and about life in general."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
15. "Ulysses: I am the only daddy you got! I'm the damn paterfamilias.
Wharvey: But you ain't bonafide."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
16. "I'll tell you what I am - I'm the damn paterfamilias! You can't marry him!"
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
17. "Damn! We're in a tight spot!"
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
18. "I like the smell of my hair treatment; the pleasing odor is half the point."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
Delmar 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' Quotes
Delmar O'Donnell, part of the leading trio has some of the best things to say. Here are some of the best 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' movie quotes from Delmar.
19. "Makin' money in the service of the Lord."
― Delmar O'Donnell.
20. "Where's the happy little tire swing?"
― Delmar O'Donnell.
21. "Delmar: You work for the railroad, Grampa?
Blind Seer: I work for no man."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
22. "You can have the whole thing. Me and Pete already had one apiece. We ran across a whole... gopher village."
― Delmar O'Donnell.
23. "You ain't no kind of man if you ain't got land."
― Delmar O'Donnell.
24. "Hey mister! I don't mean to be tellin' tales out of school, but there's a feller in there that'll pay you ten dollars if you sing into his can."
― Delmar O'Donnell.
Pete Hogwallop 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' Quotes
Part of the crazy trio, Pete has often been seen as the less craziest member of the band. Here are some of the best quotes from him.
25. "Pete: You ruined my life! [while being choked]
Ulysses: I do apologize about that Pete."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
26. "My pa always said 'Never trust a Hogwallop!'"
― Pete Hogwallop.
27. "Since we been followin' your lead, we ain't got nothing but trouble."
― Pete Hogwallop.
28. "Ulysses: Ain't you gonna introduce us, Pete?
Pete: I don't know their names. I seen 'em first!"
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
29. "Pete: I've always wondered, what's the devil look like?
Tommy: He's white, as white as you folks, with empty eyes and a big hollow voice. He likes to travel around with a mean old hound. That's right."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
30. "Pete Hogwallop: The Preacher said it absolved us.
Ulysses Everett McGill: For him, not for the law. I'm surprised at you, Pete, I gave you credit for more brains than Delmar.
Delmar O'Donnell: But they was witnesses that seen us redeemed."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
31. "Ulysses: Pete's cousin turned us in for the bounty.
Pete: The hell you say! Wash is kin!
Washington: Sorry, Pete, I know we're kin, but they got this depression on. I got to do for me and mine.
Pappy O'Daniel Quotes From 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'
The renowned actor Charles Durning played the role of Pappy O'Daniel in this movie. Some of the best Charles Durning quotes from 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' below will make you laugh.
32. "Wouldn't we look like a bunch of Johnny-come-latelies, bragging on our own midget, doesn't matter how stumpy."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
33. "Pappy: I'm a forgive-and-forgettin' Christian, and I say, if their rambunctiousness, and misdemeanoring, is behind them... It is, ain't it, boys?
Ulysses: Uh, yes sir, it is."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
34. "Pappy: Furthermore, in the second Pappy O'Daniel administration, these boys is gonna be my brain trust.
Delmar: What's that mean?"
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
35. "Moral fibre? I invented moral fibre! Pappy O'Daniel was displaying rectitude and high-mindedness when that egghead you work for was still messing his drawers."
― Pappy O'Daniel.
36. "Looks like Homer Stokes is the kind of fellow who wants to cast the first stone."
― Pappy O'Daniel.
George Nelson 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' Quotes
The wacky bank robber and the baby-faced thief has some of the best moments in the movie! Here are 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' quotes from the character George Nelson that are absolutely amazing.
37. "I'm George Nelson, and I'm feeling ten feet tall!"
― George Nelson.
38. "I'm gonna go off like a Roman candle! Twenty thousand volts chasin' the rabbit through yours truly! Gonna shoot sparks out the top of my head and lightning from my fingertips!"
― George Nelson.
39. "My name is George Nelson, get me? ... George Nelson. Not 'Babyface'. You remember, and you tell your friends. I'm George Nelson. Born to raise hell."
― George Nelson.
40. "Jesus saves, George Nelson withdraws!"
― George Nelson.
41. "Cows! I hate cows worse than coppers!"
― George Nelson.
'O Brother, Where Art Thou' Homer Stokes Quotes
The adversary of Pappy O'Daniel in the competition for the mayor, Homes Stokes is a quirky character with a dark secret.
42. "This band of miscreants, this very evening, interfered with a lynch mob in the performance of its duty."
― Homer Stokes.
43. "Is you is, or is you ain't, my constituency?"
― Homer Stokes.
44. "These boys is not white! These boys is not white! Hell, they ain't even old timey!"
― Homer Stokes.
45. "Those boys desecrated a burning cross!"
― Homer Stokes.
46. "The color guard is colored!"
― Homer Stokes.
Quotes By Other Characters
Read the best quotes by the remarkable side characters from the movie that are amazing.
47. "Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation."
― Blind Seer.
48. "Big Dan: Thank you boys for throwin' in that fricassee. I'm a man of large appetite, and even with lunch under my belt, I was feelin' a mite peckish.
Ulysses: It's our pleasure, Big Dan."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
49. "The only good thing you ever did for the gals was get hit by that train!"
― Penny Wharvey McGill.
50. "You seek a great fortune, you three who are now in chains. You will find a fortune, though it will not be the one you seek."
― Blind Seer.
51. "Aintcha gonna press the flesh, Pappy, do a little politickin'?"
― Junior O'Daniel.
Funny Quotes From 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'
These funniest quotes from 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' cast that will make you laugh out loud.
52. "Ulysses: Well, you lying... unconstant... succubus.
Vernon T. Waldrip: Whoa, whoa, whoa! You can't swear at my fiancé.
Ulysses: Oh, yeah? Well, you can't marry my wife."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
53. "Ulysses: Jesus! Can I count on you people?
Delmar: Sorry, Everett."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
54. "Ulysses: What'd the devil give you for your soul, Tommy?
Tommy Johnson: Well, he taught me to play this here guitar real good.
Delmar: Oh son, for that you sold your everlasting soul?
Tommy Johnson: Well, I wasn't usin' it."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
55. "I had to be up at that crossroad last midnight, to sell my soul to the devil."
― Tommy Johnson.
56. "Ulysses: I'm not sure that's Pete.
Delmar: Of course it's Pete! Look at him... We gotta find some kind of wizard to change him back."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
57. "Never trust a female, Delmar, remember that one simple precept and your time with me will not have been ill-spent."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
58. "Believe me Delmar, woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
59. "Me an' the old lady are gonna pick up the pieces and retie the knot, mixaphorically speaking."
― Ulysses Everett McGill.
60. "Penny: I've spoken my piece and counted to three.
Ulysses: She counted to three. Goddamit! She counted to three."
― 'O Brother, Where Art Thou'.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'O Brother Where Art Thou' quotes then why not take a look at Wes Anderson quotes, or Steven Spielberg quotes.
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Bachelor in Science specializing in Mass Communication
Lydia SamsonBachelor in Science specializing in Mass Communication
A diligent and driven mass communications graduate from Caleb University, Lydia has experience in media and a passion for digital marketing and communications. She is an effective communicator and team-builder with strong analytical, management, and organizational skills. She is a self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude.
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