The Ten Commandments Quotes
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Source: The Ten Commandments
Speaker: Nefretiri
"Oh, Moses, Moses, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool."
Nefretiri: Is that what you want, to be a slave? Then why aren't you kneeling at the feet of a princess?
Moses: I am afraid the mud pits have stiffened my knees, Royal One.
Nefretiri: Shall I call back the guards?
Moses: Do you think they could bend them?
Nefretiri: Oh, Moses, Moses, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool.
Context
This line is spoken by Nefretiri, played by Anne Baxter, in the film The Ten Commandments, directed by Cecil B. DeMille (1956).
Little Moses might have grown up in splendor in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh, but his world is pretty rocked when he finds out that he's actually—duh, duh, duh—a Hebrew. You know, those guys that Pharaoh keeps as slaves. Bummer, right?
Now, Moses wants to get to know his people, so he starts working alongside them. Nefretiri, who is desperately in love with Moses, just can't take it. She wants Moses to come back to the palace and fight for her hand in marriage. Otherwise, she's gonna have to marry Pharaoh and that guy is a total jerk. But Moses just isn't having it. Nefretiri is torn. She's totally into Moses, but he's really acting like a dork right now, hence the mixed emotions in her classic line. Oh, Moses, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool!
Where you've heard it
This is a sort of laugh line from a way epic and over-the-top movie. You might hear folks refer to the real Moses that way or just anyone who's being oh so maddening.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
If one of Hollywood's most famous leading ladies has trouble pulling this one off, you're not gonna fare much better. Oh, you stubborn, splendid, adorable fool, you!