Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Film ·345 of 348
"You dirty rat."
They never said that.
What people say
"You dirty rat."
What was actually said
"James Cagney never said it in any film." James Cagney — James Cagney (attributed)
Why it stuck
Cagney played so many hoods that impressionists invented a catchphrase for him. He spent decades denying he'd ever said it.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.