"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled..."

[Endymion]

"... was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Did this quote come from The Usual Suspects, or did it pop up somewhere else first?

 

[Showdown]

"... was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Did this quote come from The Usual Suspects, or did it pop up somewhere else first?

From wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyser_Söze
One of the most famous lines from the movie, spoken by Kint, is: "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." This is a paraphrase of a phrase in a story by Charles Baudelaire, as translated from the original French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire (French, April 9, 1821 – August 31, 1867)

 

[Endymion]

Thanks!

 

[Showdown]

Thanks!

No problem.
Its a good quote.

 

[137th Gebirg]

This exact line was also used in the 1999 Schwarzenegger film "End of Days" by the Catholic Cardinal, played by Michael O'Hagan. Interestingly, both films prominently featuring Gabriel Byrne.

 

[Greg Cox]

It's an old line. Van Helsing says something similar in the 1931 Bela Lugosi version of Dracula: "The strength of the vampire is that no one believes in him."

Or something like that. I can't recall the exact phrasing.

 

[Holdfast]

"... was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Did this quote come from The Usual Suspects, or did it pop up somewhere else first?

From wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyser_Söze
One of the most famous lines from the movie, spoken by Kint, is: "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." This is a paraphrase of a phrase in a story by Charles Baudelaire, as translated from the original French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire (French, April 9, 1821 – August 31, 1867)

I just read the short story in question (thanks for pointing it out!) and it has an even better - if less quoted - phrase regarding the relationship of the Devil to God:

"Nous nous saluons quand nous nous rencontrons, mais comme deux vieux gentilshommes, en qui une politesse innée ne saurait éteindre tout à fait le souvenir d'anciennes rancunes."

Approximate translation (I'm a bit rusty, and not particularly poetic, so forgive any errors):

"We greet each other when we meet, but it is the greeting of two old gentlemen whose innate sense of civility cannot quite overcome ancient disagreement."

I just LOVE that.

 

[jorgea]

That is a very thought-provoking quote. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[Tiberius]

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn't exist, and the greatest trick that God ever pulled was convincing the world that he does.

 

[Bisz]

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn't exist, and the greatest trick that God ever pulled was convincing the world that he does.

You realize that your quote is nonsensical, right?

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I think that's the idea

 

[Greg Cox]

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn't exist, and the greatest trick that God ever pulled was convincing the world that he does.

You realize that your quote is nonsensical, right?

But it's pithy! And made me chuckle.

 

[WillsBabe]

I think I remember Mulder quoting this in the X Files.

 

[Bisz]

^ I think that's the idea

Could be, but thats not the impression I got.

But it's pithy! And made me chuckle.

That was my point though, its not pithy, its not cleaver. It tries to be, but falls short.

My problem is with connecting the two "quotes" with an and. It doesn't make a lick of sense. It would have been better to not re-quote the devil part and just make the quote about God alone.

 

[Ethros]

I remember hearing that tagline for The Usual Suspects and knowing nothing else whatsoever about the movie. I watched it (I was only about 14) expecting some kind of End of Days style supernatural thriller, disappointed that Satan never showed up

 

[Tiberius]

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn't exist, and the greatest trick that God ever pulled was convincing the world that he does.

You realize that your quote is nonsensical, right?

lol, you're thinking about it too much!

 

[Bisz]

lol, you're thinking about it too much!

Sorry.

I guess asking that the first half of a sentence not preclude the second half is too much.