Movies · 1930
One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know.
— Captain Spaulding · Animal Crackers
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Spaulding’s boast changes meaning halfway through. The first sentence suggests what he was wearing; the second treats the clothes as the elephant’s, turning a grand adventure into a neatly timed piece of nonsense.
- AFI100 Movie Quotes, number53; selected film wording and same-film synopsis.Reference checked
Context reviewed