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The Big Lebowski

1998 film by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 film about an amiable unemployed slacker, The Dude, and his close friends, all fond of their nights at the local bowling alley, who are drawn into a Chandleresque plot involving the missing younger wife of a millionaire namesake. The film has given rise to a non-traditional religious philosophy based on it and Taoism known as Dudeism.

The Dude abides.
Directed by Joel Coen. Written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen.
Her life was in their hands. Now her toe is in the mail. taglines

Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski

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Well, sir, it's this rug I had. It really tied the room together.
 
This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's…
  • Well, sir, it's this rug I had. It really tied the room together.
  • Look, let me explain something to you. I'm not Mr. Lebowski. You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. That, or His Dudeness, Duder or El Duderino, if you're not into the whole brevity thing.
  • This aggression will not stand, man.
  • This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

Walter Sobchak

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  • I'm perfectly calm, Dude.
  • Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
  • You see what happens? You see what happens, Larry? See what happens? This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass, Larry! [smashes car]
  • Eh, fuck it, Dude. Let's go bowling.
  • Life does not start and stop at your convenience, you miserable piece of shit!
  • Language problem here. Little prick stonewalling me.
  • Who am I? I'm a fucking veteran that's who I am!
  • Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and up to Pismo. He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives, and so would Donny: Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince.

Others

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The Stranger: A wiser man than myself once said, "Sometimes you eat the b'ar.… Sometimes the b'ar, well, he eats you."

Dialogue

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Smokey, my friend, you're entering a world of pain.
 
"The Dude abides." I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners.
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 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 Dude: Yeah, man, it really tied the room together.
Walter Sobchak: This was a valued, uh—
The Dude: Yeah.
Donny: What tied the room together, Dude?
The Dude: My rug.
Walter Sobchak: Were you listening to The Dude's story, Donny?
Donny: What?
The Dude: Walter.
Walter Sobchak: Were you listening to The Dude's story?
Donny: I was bowling.
Walter Sobchak: So you have no frame of reference here, Donny. You're like a child who wanders into the middle of a movie and wants to know–
The Dude: Walter, Walter, what's the point, man?
Walter Sobchak: There's no reason. Here's my point, Dude. There's no fucking reason why these two—
Donny: Yeah, Walter, what's your point?
Walter Sobchak: Huh?
The Dude: Walter, what is the point? Look, we all know who is at fault here. What the fuck are you talking about?
Walter Sobchak: Huh? No, what the fuck are you? I'm not. we're talking about unchecked aggression here, Dude.
Donny: What the fuck is he talking about?
The Dude: My rug.
Walter Sobchak: Forget it, Donny. You're out of your element!
The Dude: Look, Walter. Walter, the Chinaman who peed on my rug, I can't go give him a bill, so what the fuck are you talking about?
Walter Sobchak: What the fuck are you talking about? The Chinaman is not the issue here, Dude! I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude. Across this line, you do not— Also, Dude, "Chinaman" is not the preferred nomenclature. "Asian-American," please.
The Dude: Walter, this isn't a guy who built the railroads here. This is a guy—
Walter Sobchak: What the fuck are you—
The Dude: Walter, he peed on my rug!
Donny: He peed on The Dude's rug.
Walter Sobchak: Donny, you're out of your element! Dude, the Chinaman is not the issue here!
The Dude: So, who? Who?
Walter Sobchak: Jeff Lebowski, the other Jeffrey Lebowski. The millionaire!
The Dude: That's fucking interesting, man. That's fucking interesting.
Walter Sobchak: Plus, he has the wealth, obviously, and the resources. So that there's no reason–there's no fucking reason–why his wife should go out and owe money all over town, and then they come, and they pee on your fucking rug! Am I wrong?
The Dude: No.
Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong?
The Dude: Yeah, but–
Walter Sobchak: Okay, then. That rug really tied the room together, did it not?
The Dude: Fuckin' A.
Donny: And this guy peed on it.
Walter Sobchak: Donny. Please.
Brandt: Uh, our guest needs to be going now, Mrs. Lebowski.
The Dude: Oh, you're Bunny.
Bunny Lebowski: I'll suck your cock for a thousand dollars.
Brandt: [laughs] Wonderful woman! We're all, we're all very fond of her. Very free-spirited.
Bunny Lebowski: Brandt can't watch, though, or he has to pay a hundred.
Brandt: Ha ha. That's marvelous.
The Dude: Uh, I'm just gonna go find a cash machine.
Walter Sobchak: Fucking dog has fucking papers— Over the line!
Smokey: Huh?
Walter Sobchak: I'm sorry, Smokey. You were over the line, that's a foul.
Smokey: Bullshit. Mark it 8, Dude.
Walter Sobchak: Uh, excuse me. Mark it zero. Next frame.
Smokey: Bullshit, Walter. Mark it 8, Dude.
Walter Sobchak: Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.
The Dude: Hey, Walter. Come on. it's just– Hey man, it's Smokey. So his toe slipped over a little, you know. It's just a game, man.
Walter Sobchak: This is a league game. This determines who enters the next round robin. Am I wrong?
Smokey: Yeah, but I wasn't—
Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong?
Smokey: Yeah, but I wasn't over. Give me the marker Dude. I'm marking an 8.
Walter Sobchak: Smokey, my friend [pulls out a pistol] you're entering a world of pain.
The Dude: Walter, man.
Walter Sobchak: You mark that frame an 8, you're entering a world of pain.
Smokey: I'm not—
Walter Sobchak: A world of pain.
Smokey: Look, Dude, I– This is your partner.
Walter Sobchak: [shouting] Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it zero!
The Dude: They're calling the cops, man. Put the piece away.
Walter Sobchak: Mark it zero!
The Dude: Walter, put the piece away.
Smokey: Walter?
Walter Sobchak: You think I'm fucking around here? [racks slide] Mark it zero!
Smokey: [marks the card] All right. It's fucking zero. Are you happy, you crazy fuck?
Walter Sobchak: It's a league game, Smokey.
Walter Sobchak: You know, Dude, I myself dabbled in pacifism at one point. Not in 'Nam of course.
The Dude: And, you know, he's got emotional problems, man.
Walter Sobchak: You mean beyond pacifism?
The Dude: Fuckin' Quintana. that creep can roll, man.
Walter Sobchak: Yeah, but he's a pervert, Dude.
The Dude: Yeah.
Walter Sobchak: No! He's a sex offender, with a record. He served 6 months in Chino for exposing himself to an eight year old.
The Dude: Oh!
Walter Sobchak: When he moved to Hollywood, he had to go door to door to tell everyone he was a pederast.
Donny: What's a pederast, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: Shut the fuck up, Donny.
The Dude: She probably kidnapped herself.
Walter Sobchak: Huh?
Donny: What do you mean, Dude?
The Dude: Rug peers did not do this. Look at it! A young trophy wife marries this guy for his money. she figures he isn't given her enough, you know. She owes money all over town.
Walter Sobchak: That fucking bitch.
The Dude: It's all a goddamn fake, man! It's like Lenin said: You look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh, you know—
Donny: "I am the walrus"?
The Dude: You know what I'm trying to say?
Donny: "I am the walrus."
Walter Sobchak: That fucking bitch
The Dude: Oh yeah!
Donny: "I am the walrus."
Walter Sobchak: That's ex— Shut the fuck up, Donny! V.I. Lenin! Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov!
Donny: What the fuck is he talking about?
Walter Sobchak: Fuckin' exactly what happened to those— That makes me fuckin' sick!
The Dude: Well, what do you care, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: Those rich fucks! This whole fuckin' thing! I did not watch my buddies die face-down in the muck so this fuckin' strumpet, this fuckin' whore could waltz around town–
The Dude: Walter, Walter, I don't see any connection to Vietnam, man.
Walter Sobchak: Well there isn't a literal connection, Dude.
The Dude: Walter, face it. There isn't any connection. Your roll.
Walter Sobchak: Have it your way, but my point that—
The Dude: Your roll.
Walter Sobchak: My point is—
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!
The Dude: Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, uh, your opinion, man.
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".
The Dude: Jesus.
Jesus Quintana: You said it, man. Nobody fucks with The Jesus.
Walter Sobchak: Eight year olds, Dude.
[Dude and Walter sit in a diner as Dude shows Walter the severed toe]
Walter Sobchak: That wasn't her toe, Dude.
The Dude: Whose toe was it, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: How the fuck should I know? I do know that nothing about it indicates—
The Dude: The nail polish, Walter!
Walter Sobchak: Fine, Dude. As if it's impossible to take some nail polish, apply it to someone else's toe.
The Dude: Someone else's?
Walter Sobchak: Pinking shears.
The Dude: Where the fuck are they gonna—
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.
The Dude: Yeah, but Walter—
Walter Sobchak: Hell, I can get you a toe by 3:00 this afternoon, with nail polish. These fucking amateurs! They send us a toe, we're supposed to shit ourselves with fear. Jesus Christ!
The Dude: Walter—
Walter Sobchak: Now the point is—
The Dude: They're gonna kill her, Walter, and then they're gonna kill me.
Walter Sobchak: Dude, that's— That's just the stress talkin', man. Now so far, we have, what appears to me, to be a series of victimless crimes.
The Dude: What about the toe?
Walter Sobchak: Forget about the fucking toe!
Waitress at diner: Excuse me, sir. Could you please keep your voices down? This is a family restaurant.
Walter Sobchak: Oh please, dear'? For your information, the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint!
The Dude: Walter, this is not a First Amendment thing, man.
Waitress at diner: Sir, if you don't calm down, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
Walter Sobchak: Lady, I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so that you and I could enjoy this family restaurant!
The Dude: All right. I'm outta here.
Walter Sobchak: Oh come on, Dude. Don't walk away, man! C'mon, this affects all of us, man! Our basic freedoms! I'm stayin'. I'm finishing my coffee.Enjoying my coffee.
[The Dude is riding home in a cab; "Peaceful, Easy Feeling" by the Eagles is playing on the radio]
The Dude: Jesus, man, can you change the channel?
Cab Driver: Fuck you, man! If you don't like my fucking music, get your own fucking cab!
The Dude: I had a really rough—
Cab Driver: I'll pull to the side and kick your ass out.
The Dude: Man, come on. I had a rough night, and I hate the fucking Eagles, man.
Cab Driver: Out of my fucking cab! Out!
Donny: They posted the next round for the tournament!
Walter Sobchak: Donny, shut the f— When do we play?
Donny: This Saturday. Quintana and—
Walter Sobchak: Saturday? Well, they'll have to reschedule.
The Dude: Walter, what am I gonna tell Lebowski?
Walter Sobchak: I told that fuck down at the league office. Who's in charge of scheduling?
The Dude: Walter.
Donny: Burkhalter.
Walter Sobchak: I told that kraut a fucking thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!
The Dude: Walter.
Donny: They already posted it.
Walter Sobchak: Well, they can fucking unpost it!
The Dude: Who gives a shit? They're gonna kill that poor woman, man! What am I gonna tell Lebowski?
Walter Sobchak: Come on, Dude. Eventually she'll get tired of her little game and, you know, wander on back.
Donny: How come you don't roll on Saturday, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: I'm Shomer Shabbos.
Donny: What's that, Walter?
The Dude: Yeah, and in the meantime, what do I tell Lebowski?!
Walter Sobchak: Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't drive a car, I don't fucking ride in a car, I don't handle money, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as shit don't fucking roll!
Donny: Sheesh.
Walter Sobchak: Shomer Shabbos!
The Dude: Walter, how am I going to—
Walter Sobchak: Shomer fucking Shabbos.
The Dude: Oh, fuck! That's it. I'm outta here.
Walter Sobchak: Come on, Dude.
Walter Sobchak: Fucking Germans. Nothing changes. Fucking Nazis.
Donny: They were Nazis, Dude?
Walter Sobchak: Oh, come on, Donny. They were threatening castration! Are we gonna split hairs here? Am I wrong?
Maude Lebowski: What do you do for— for recreation?
The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.
Walter Sobchak: [talking to The Dude] We're gonna see some tank battles. Fighting in desert is very different from fighting in canopy jungle. I mean, that was a foot-soldier's war whereas this thing here should, uh, you know, should be a piece of cake. I mean, I had an M16 Jacko, not an Abrams fucking tank. Me and Charlie, eyeball to eyeball. That's fucking combat. The man in the black pajamas, Dude. Worthy fuckin' adversary.
Donny: Who was in pajamas, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: Shut the fuck up, Donny. Whereas what we have here: Bunch of fig-eaters wearin' towels on their head tryin' to find reverse on a Soviet tank. This is not a worthy fuckin' adversary..
Jesus Quintana: Hey! 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 psych out stuff. Laughable, man. Ha ha! I would have fucked you in the ass Saturday. I fuck you in the ass next Wednesday instead. Woo! You got a date Wednesday, baby!
Walter Sobchak: He's crackin'.
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 shabbos, the sabbath, which I'm allowed to break only if it's a matter of life or death.
The Dude: Will you come off it, Walter? You're not even fucking Jewish, man.
Walter Sobchak: What the fuck are you talkin' about?
The Dude: Man, you're fucking Polish Catholic.
Walter Sobchak: What the fuck are you talking about? I converted when I married Cynthia! Come on, Dude!
The Dude: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Walter Sobchak: And you know this!
The Dude: Yeah, and five fucking years ago you were divorced.
Walter Sobchak: So what are you saying? When you get divorced you turn in your library card? You get a new license? You stop being Jewish? I'm as Jewish as fucking Tevye.
The Dude: It's all a part of your sick Cynthia thing, man. Taking care of her fucking dog. Going to her fucking synagogue. You're living in the fucking past.
Walter Sobchak: Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax. You're goddamn right I'm living in the fucking past! I'm— Jesus. What the hell happened?
The Dude: You thought that Bunny had been kidnapped and you were fuckin' glad, man. You could use it as an excuse to make some money disappear. All you needed was a sap to pin it on! You'd just met me! You f— you human paraquat! You figured "oh, here's a loser", you know? A deadbeat, someone the square community won't give a shit about.
The Big Lebowski: Well, aren't you?
The Dude: Well, yeah!
The Dude: Well, take care, man. Gotta get back.
The Stranger: Sure. Take it easy, Dude.
The Dude: Oh yeah!
The Stranger: I know that you will.
The Dude: Yeah, well, the Dude abides.
The Stranger: "The Dude abides." I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh. I sure hope he makes the finals.
Walter Sobchak: Is this your homework Larry? Is this your homework Larry?
The Dude: Look man, is—
Walter Sobchak: Dude please. Is this your homework Larry?
The Dude: Just ask him about the car man.
Walter Sobchak: Is this yours, Larry? Is this your homework Larry?
The Dude: Is that car out front—
Walter Sobchak: Is this your homework Larry?
The Dude: We know it's his fucking homework! Where's the fucking money you little brat?
Walter Sobchak: Look, Larry. Have you ever heard of Vietnam?
The Dude: Oh, for Christ sake, Walter.
Walter Sobchak: You're entering a world of pain, son. We know that this is your homework. We know you stole the car—
The Dude: And the fucking money!
Walter Sobchak: And the fucking money. And we know this is your homework.
The Dude: They're gonna cut your dick off, Larry!
Walter Sobchak: You're killing your father, Larry!
Walter Sobchak: All right. This is pointless. Okay, time for Plan B.
The Dude: Get out of that car! Get the fuck out of the car, man. Get out of the fu— [Da Fino steps out of the car] Who the fuck are you?!
Da Fino: Easy man. Relax. No physical harm intended.
The Dude: Who the fuck are you, man?
Da Fino: Okay, man. I'm okay.
The Dude: Why are you following me around? Come on fuckhead!
Da Fino: Hey, relax man. I'm a Brother Shamus.
The Dude: Brother Shamus? Like an Irish monk?
Da Fino: What the fuck are you talking about? My name's Da Fino. I'm a private snoop, like you, man.
The Dude: I'm not— Just stay away from my special lady friend.
Da Fino: Hey, hey. I'm not messing with your special lady.
The Dude: She's not my special lady. She's my fucking lady friend. I'm just trying to help her conceive, man.
Da Fino: Hey man, i'm not tryin to—
The Dude: Who're you working for? Lebowski? Jackie Treehorn?
Da Fino: The Knutsens.
The Dude: The— Who the fuck are the Knutsens?
Da Fino: The Knutsens. It's a wandering daughter job. Bunny Lebowski, man. Her real name is Fawn Knutsen. She ran away from home. Her parents want her back. [Shows Dude a picture of Fawn] See. Crazy, huh? Ran away about a year ago. The Knutsens told me I should show her this when I found her. It's the family farm. It's outside of Moorhead, Minnesota. They think it'll make her homesick.
The Dude: Jesus fucking Christ. She's been kidnapped, Da Fino.
Da Fino: That's terrible.
The Dude: Well maybe not, but she's definitely not around.
Da Fino: Hey, uh, phfff, maybe you and me could pool our resources, trade information. A professional courtesy. Compeers. You know what I mean.
The Dude: Yeah yeah, I get it. Fuck off, Da Fino. And stay away from my special— from my fucking lady friend, man.

Taglines

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  • They figured he was a lazy, time-wasting slacker. They were right.
  • Her life was in their hands. Now her toe is in the mail.
  • Times like these call for a Big Lebowski.
  • It takes guys as simple as the Dude and Walter to make a story this complicated … and they'd really rather be bowling.
  • Lebowski: not a man, a way of life.

Quotes about The Big Lebowski

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The Dude is an extreme case, but he provides an ideal which can help you to bring a little more "Dude" into your life, without giving up on the rat race entirely. ~ Oliver Benjamin
Alphabetized by author
 
Everybody knows somebody like the Dude — and so, rumor has it, do the Coen brothers. They based the character on … Jeff Dowd… ~ Roger Ebert

Cast

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