Best Python line ever?

The title of this post was very nearly:

The randomness - it hurts!

I'm not sure if it's the relatively late hour, or the few honey brown ales that have wet my whistle these past couple hours, but I was struck by a line from a Monty Python movie a short while ago and have since been unable to extricate it from where it is firmly ensconced.  (But, just between you, me and the strange fat man from Jalpur who will accidentally stumble upon this link and wonder what the hell's going on, I'm not trying to get rid of it with too much effort, entertained as I am.)

Taken completely out of any context, I'm currently sure that the very best Monty Python line ever uttered was:

"Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!"

It's made me feel childishly giddy for the past couple hours - but again, that could have something to do with the ales.

If you would like to counter my assertion in the comments, by all means, please do.  I pride myself on being an open-minded individual and don't mind being swayed in the presence of a convincing argument.  And truth be told, I'm also uttering (though not quite as frequently) that most searching of questions from The Life of Brian: "How shall we fuck off, O Lord?"  Which certainly trumps my preferred line for sheer shock value, but doesn't have near the staying power, I'm sure you'll agree.

Comments

[Marc]

Well, now I'm going to have to watch The Holy Grail just to see. I mean, how can you really choose?

But that whole Lady of the Lake sequence is hilarious. "Come and see the violence inherent in the system!"

Of course, there's the classic,

"What also floats?" followed by a very confident John Cleese saying,

"A duck!"

That one always make me laugh. I sometimes just say, "A duck!" for no reason. (Which will be followed by, "'Duck,' I says", one of my favourite Gene Hackman lines from Unforgiven.

But I think the key is "out of context", so you're probably right with your choice. Don't forget the rest of it: "Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. "

[Marc]

...and then after the Gene Hackman line, I may move on to, "It's a sweater!", which, as I'm sure you'll know, is a classic from The Three Amigos.

[marian]

this is hilarious. it makes me wish i were fluent in pythonese, which i'm not, so i can't play! damn...

[Monique]

That whole scene is hilarious, and I am giggling uncontrollably just thinking about it. My other favourite of course is "Splunge", but you already knew that.

Oh, one I say ALL of the time is:
"Come see the violence inherent in the system! Help help! I'm being repressed!"

[Mark]

As far as one line goes, that's hard to top. There might be funnier scenes, certainly, but that line is hilarious without anything else.

When I get a small scratch or bruise, I'll say, "It's just a flesh wound," with my horrible British accent.

[Moksha Gren]

I do love to entice folks with sugary treats with the assurance that it is "wafer theen" and often count "one, two, five (three,sir) three" but very rarely quote the phythons much beyond that these days. I quoted myself silly during high school debate trips and still find myself a bit python'd out. However, I can think of no one more quote worthy, so don't let my burnout dampen the joy here.

[Jaquandor]

My favorite is from the Flying Circus skit about Self-Defense Techniques Against Fresh Fruit: "When some homicidal maniac comes after you tonight with a bunch of loganberries, don't come cryin' to me!"

[psychfun]

And yet the Spanish Inquisition one seems to be referenced more in the media...hmmm last I heard it was in the movie Sliding Doors. Being a King Arthur fan I love the one you used!

[Loura]

Good words.