Django Unchained is built around an incredibly important subject in world history: racism in the USA, a subject which has been brought to the public consciousness even more in recent days, following the murder of George Floyd.
Tarantino’s revisionist depiction of slavery in his well-loved film approaches the subject with an artistic license that isn’t supposed to be spot on, but it still raises some meaningful points, which are often presented with incredible power. Here are some of the most long-lasting and impressive quotations in the film to look out for the next time you check it out.
“Unshackle Yourselves ...”
“You could unshackle yourselves, take that rifle, put a bullet in his head, bury the two of them deep, and then make your way to a more enlightened area of this country. The choice is yours. Oh, and on the off chance there are any astronomy aficionados amongst you, the North Star is that one”.
This powerful statement that Dr. King Schultz makes at the very start of the film encourages the freedom of the slaves and illustrates the importance of his character.
“Kill White Folks ...”
The issue of racism and justice is at the forefront of Django Unchained, so when Django explains his desire for revenge against those who held him captive for so long, the audience feels it.
“How do you like the bounty hunting business? asks Schultz. “Kill white folks and they pay you for it? What’s not to like?” He has a point: after a life spent under the control of his slave masters, it must be pretty satisfying to get revenge.
“The D Is Silent ...”
After being asked if he knows how to spell his name, Django explains: “D-J-A-N-G-O. The D is silent.” Much of the power from this quote is attached to the man who originally asked it.
It was said by Franco Nero, the star of the film Django (1966), one of Tarantino’s biggest inspirations. Nero originally wanted to play an important character in Django Unchained, but Tarantino only gave him a cameo in this scene.
“Auf Wiedersehen ...”
“Normally, Monsieur Candie, I would say "Auf wiedersehen." But since what "auf wiedersehen" actually means is 'till I see you again', and since I never wish to see you again, to you sir, I say: 'goodbye'.”
The pure sass and anger radiating off of Schultz as he bids farewell to the evil slaver owner Candie is one of the highlights of the film. And everyone who has seen the film knows what happens next ...
“Alexander Dumas ...”
At first, Schultz’s quote about Alexander Dumas seems to be a ing comment about literature: “Alexander Dumas. He wrote The Three Musketeers. I figured you must be an irer. You named your slave after his novel's lead character. If Alexander Dumas had been there today, I wonder what he would have made of it?”
His reveal afterward that Dumas was black shuts Candie up immediately.
“I Like The Way You Die, Boy”
In a flashback, we see John Brittle say to Django, “I like the way you beg boy.” After Django is freed and becomes an impressively skilled bounty hunter, he kills Brittle himself.
The victory and power in his quip, “I like the way you die, boy,” is perfect. These words alone are enough to prove just how much power Django now has.
“Your Freedom ...”
“Frankly, I’ve never given anybody their freedom before. And now that I have, I feel vaguely responsible for you. Plus, when a German meets a real-life Siegfried, that’s kind of a big deal. As a German, I’m obliged to help you on your quest to rescue your beloved Broomhilda.”
Christoph Waltz made it known to Tarantino that in order for him to take on this role, his character needed to be kind-hearted through and through.
“You Better Listen To Your Boss, White Boy”
The issue of racism presented throughout Django Unchained means that the character of Django is a huge contrast to almost every other black person in the film, who are still enslaved.
As such, the power that Django holds as he tells Billy Crash that he "better listen to [his] boss, white boy” has particularly dramatic meaning.
“I’m Sorry, I Couldn’t Resist”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist” are the final words we hear Dr. King Schultz speak. The entire film, all we have seen is a character who is disgusted by racism and willing to risk himself by protecting a black man, someone who everyone else in the film sees as a possession.
Schultz is so outraged by Candie’s attitude and behavior that he decides he needs to put an end to him, and he does it basically knowing that it’s going to kill him, too. He makes the decision that his life is worth giving up in order to kill Candie.
“It Would Be My Pleasure To Speak With You In German”
The line “It would be my pleasure to speak with you in German” is actually spoken in German in the film and it is spoken by Broomhilda in conversation with Schultz.
It’s powerful on many levels, because not only does it prove to Schultz that this is, indeed, Django’s wife, but it also suggests that she is quite likely to be far more intelligent than those keeping her captive.
