The Pursuit of Happyness Movie Quotes
Christopher Gardner
[after playing basket ball]
Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?
Christopher
All right.
Christopher Gardner
You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.
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Christopher
[while walking past a bus and to sell a bone density scanner]
Hey dad, you wanna hear something funny? There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said "Do you need help?" and the man said "God will save me". Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said "God will save me", then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, "God, why didn't you save me?" and God said "I sent you two boats, you dummy!"
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Christopher Gardner
[narrating, at a payphone, raining, after learning Linda is taking Christopher away from him]
It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?
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Martin Frohm
[during the interview room, with Twistle, Frakesh, and Frohm present]
What would you say if man walked in here with no shirt, and I hired him? What would you say?
Christopher Gardner
He must have had on some really nice pants.
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[last narration lines, while walking in the crowd and crying]
Christopher Gardner
[voice-over]
This part of my life... this part right here? This is called "happyness."
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[last lines]
Christopher Gardner
How many planets are there?
Christopher
Um... 7?
Christopher Gardner
Seven? Nine! OK, who's the king of the jungle?
Christopher
The gorilla?
Christopher Gardner
Gorilla? Nope. Lion.
Christopher
Yeah, lion, lion. You wanna hear something funny?
Christopher
Knock knock.
Christopher Gardner
Who's there?
Christopher Gardner
Shelby who?
Christopher
Shelby comin' round the mountain when she comes, Shelby comin' round the mountain when she comes!
Christopher Gardner
Hey, that's good.
Christopher
Knock knock.
Christopher Gardner
Who's there?
Christopher
Nobody.
Christopher Gardner
Nobody who?
[Christopher doesn't respond]
Christopher Gardner
Nobody who?
[Christopher still doesn't respond]
Christopher Gardner
A-ha-ha, that's a good one, I like that!
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Christopher Gardner
[voice-over]
This part of my life... this part right here? This part is called "being stupid."
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Christopher Gardner
[walking to Walter Ribbon's home]
Probably means there's a good chance. Possibly means we might or we might not.
Christopher
Okay.
Christopher Gardner
So, what does probably mean?
Christopher
It means we have a good chance.
Christopher Gardner
And what does possibly mean?
Christopher
I know what it means! It means we're *not* going to the game.
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Christopher Gardner
[while bringing Christopher to daycare, about the spelling mistakes in the graffiti of a building]
It's not H-A-P-P-Y-N-E-S-S Happiness is spelled with an "I" instead of a "Y"
Christopher
Oh, okay. Is "Fuck" spelled right?
Christopher Gardner
Um, yes. "Fuck" is spelled right but you shouldn't use that word.
Christopher
Why? What's it mean?
Christopher Gardner
[going inside the daycare]
It's, um, an adult word used to express anger and, uh, other things. But it's an adult word. It's spelled right, but don't use it.
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Christopher Gardner
[narrating]
I met my father for the first time when I was 28 years old. I made up my mind that when I had children, my children were going to know who their father was.
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Christopher Gardner
Paying a parking ticket.
Christopher
...But we don't have a car anymore.
Christopher Gardner
Yeah, I know...
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Christopher
I trust you.
Christopher Gardner
'Cause I'm getting a better job
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[after he hits Chris in the middle of the street while other onlookers help Christopher Sr. find his shoe]
Driver Who Hits Chris
Hey, asshole! Are you all right, asshole?
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Reverend Williams
The important thing about that freedom train, is it's got to climb mountains. We ALL have to climb mountains, you know. Mountains that go way up high, and mountains that go deep and low. Yes, we know what those mountains are here at Glide. We sing about them.
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Christopher Gardner
[during the interview for the internship position]
I've been sitting out here for the last half-hour trying to come up with a story that would explain my being here dressed like this. And I wanted to come up with a story that would demonstrate qualities that I'm sure you all admire here like earnestness, diligence, team-playing. And I couldn't think of anything. So the truth is, I was arrested for failure to pay parking tickets.
Jay Twistle
Parking tickets?
[employers laugh]
Christopher Gardner
I ran all the way here from the police station.
Martin Frohm
What were you doing before you were arrested?
Christopher Gardner
I was, uh, painting my apartment.
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Shoe-Spotting Intern
[upon entering the classroom for the interns]
Hey, you're missing a shoe.
Christopher Gardner
Oh, hey, thanks!
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[repeated line to his father Christopher Sr]
Christopher
Where are we going?
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Christopher Gardner
[voice over, chasing after the hippie girl carrying his bone density scanner]
This part of my life is called running.
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[repeated line to Linda]
Christopher Gardner
Christopher is staying with me.
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Jay Twistle
No.
Christopher Gardner
I was not aware of that. My circumstances have changed some.
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[about Chris' bone-density scanner]
Homeless Guy #1
It's a time machine... I know it's a time machine...
Christopher Gardner
[voice-over, while sitting on a bus]
This machine in my lap? It is not a time machine.
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Christopher Gardner
[the first day of the internship program]
This part of my life is called "internship."
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Christopher Gardner
The next day, after work, we just went to the beach. Far away from anything, everything. Just Christopher and me. Far away from busses and noise and a constant disappointment in my 10-gallon head... in myself. Because when I was young and I'd get an A on a history test or whatever... I'd get this good feeling about all the things I could be. And then I never became any of them.
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2026, Australia / USA, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Detective, Sci-Fi, Horror, Drama
