MOTW: Five Quotes From "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

Movie Description(Click Here To Hide)
Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead. Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Geoffrey Rush.
Photo Credit: Buena Vista Pictures
January 22nd, 2014

"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" is a hit movie that is full of action, humor and even a bit of scary tension. Quotes are scattered throughout the movie that give insight into characters and the context of the show while giving the audience a laugh here and there. Here are five of the best quotes from this Johnny Depp smash hit.

"But you have heard of me."

The first line of this quote is said by James Norrington to Captain Jack Sparrow. Norrington is fingering his way through Captain Jack's belongings with disdain and commenting on the uselessness of various items. For example, Norrington comments on only one shot in a pistol and a compass that does not point north. True to his cocky, easy-going nature, Captain Jack's only response is to note that however bad a pirate he may be, Norrington has still heard of him. This is a key point in Captain Jack's characterization as it shows his lack of concern when it comes to what other people think of him as long as they recognize his name.

"Why is the rum gone?"

After being left on an island alone together, Captain Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann spend time together getting drunk on the rum Captain Jack finds on the island. Upon waking, Captain Jack sees Elizabeth has taken it upon herself to start a signal fire, using the rum as fuel. A true pirate, Captain Jack is understandably shocked about this fact and speaks this quote, one of the most memorable in the whole movie. The quote provides great insight into Captain Jack's priorities and somewhat shallow sense of priorities. Fans liked it as well. It quickly became a bit of a viral quote with videos and remixes of it flooding the Internet.

"You like pain? Try wearing a corset."

This Elizabeth Swann quote is the culmination of many comments about and references to corsets throughout the movie. Early on, her father gifts her a dress from England that requires a tightly tied corset, which makes it difficult for her to breathe. There are a few other references to it throughout the movie, such as her passing out due to how hard it is for her to breathe. This particular quote comes into play during a fight scene. When one of the enemies mentions "the meaning of pain," Elizabeth responds with this quote, which begins off-scene. Naturally, she manages to defeat the enemy during his momentary distraction at her question before she delivers the second half of the quote.


Much of the movie attempts to cast Captain Jack as a mythical or legendary figure of sorts. One of the most memorable and amusing examples of this is Mr. Gibbs telling Will Turner about Captain Jack's escape from an island where he had once been left alone. The story is later proven false by Captain Jack's own words. However, the story is an amusing one of a man left alone, making friends with sea creatures and tying sea turtles together with his back hair to flee to safety and civilization. Captain Jack's addition about the role of human hair in the building of the rafts shows his role in encouraging and perpetuating this mythical image of himself.

"Whose side is Jack on?"

This question is a common theme throughout the movie. Captain Jack is shown as an egotistical, selfish man who works to help only himself, but also flirts with Elizabeth and works with various characters over the course of the story. This quote in the movie echoes the thoughts of the audience as they watch the movie, making it one of the most important quotes listed. Elizabeth poses this question to Will, who responds with "At the moment?" This is the perfect response considering Captain Jack's ever-changing loyalties. Of course, by the end of the movie, he proves himself on the side of good, finally answering the question in this key quote.

These quotes from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" show the humor of the movie well. The quotes also contribute to the characterization of Captain Jack, how people view him and the trials of a woman wearing a corset. Additionally, they tie together overarching subplots and references threaded throughout the film, such as Captain Jack's questionable morality and Elizabeth's fight with fashion. These memorable quotes are ones to watch for during any viewing of this fun family film.