The One-liner

Used often to cover up for lack of a vocabulary, the absence of words with more than two syllables, the lack of ability to manipulate more than five words together, an IQ that is slightly higher than a genius afflicted with an extra X chromosome...

Often employed by purveyors of machismo, coolness, biceps, triceps, abs, leather jackets and extravagant eyeware. Think Arnie.

Bond (Connery) was of course an exception, but then he had little time between the first bullet and the next poison dart, or, as the case may be, between the first kiss and the next champagne

But whatever the reason, they are damn entertaining, to hear and to manufacture.

Close cousins are the wisecracks, and the extravagant simile. One of the best exponents of those was, of course, Philip Marlowe, Chandler's creation. The reason he got them to work so well, was because they originated as a result of strong emotion. As he said, they came from Marlowe's gut, not his brain. He didn't sit at home and polish a few to impress the leggy blondes at the local speakeasy.

All three reinforce the tough guy image, but while the one-liner is obvious to all, the latter two are a little subtle, and little separates the practitioner of these two from appearing like a 30 year old hood with the IQ of an overgrown twelve year old afflicted with Darwinism and fettered with a slightly enlarged ego.

Here is one from The Outlaw Josey Wales

"Don't piss down my back and tell me it is raining"

If you got some that I want to hear, shout 'em out. You will get a grape.