The Best Quotes From 'The Imitation Game,' Ranked

Movie and TV Quotes
Updated October 27, 2023 143.7K views 10 items

"The Imitation Game" tells the based-on-a-true story of Alan Turing, the brilliant cryptologist who, while hiding a big secret of his own, helped crack the Nazi Enigma code which helped win World War II. The historical thriller was adapted by Graham Moore from the book "Alan Turing: The Enigma" by Andrew Hodges. Directed by Morten Tyldum, "The Imitation Game" opened on November 26, 2014.

In "The Imitation Game," mathematician and cryptologist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is approached by members of the military (including Mark Strong and Charles Dance) who enlist him to help crack the Nazi Enigma code, a highly sophisticated cipher used by the German military. While many say the code is uncrackable, Alan accepts the task and brings on a team to help him, including Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley).

But Alan isn't strictly interested in cracking the code once, he intends to essentially create the first computer which in just moments can crack a code instantly any time is it called upon. This plan, however, is endangered when the military loses patience for this computer dream and starts to suspect one of his team members is a Soviet spy. To make matters worse, Alan has a secret, his homosexuality, one that if is exposed, surely means criminal charges.

"The Imitation Game" joins theaters already roaring with other great films including "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1," "Dumb and Dumber To," "Foxcatcher," "Beyond the Lights," "The Homesman," "Interstellar," "The Theory of Everything," "Nightcrawler," "Big Hero 6," "Before I Go to Sleep," "Horns," "John Wick," "White Bird in a Blizzard," "Fury," "The Best of Me," "The Book of Life," "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," "The Judge," "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," "St. Vincent," and "Gone Girl."
  • 1
    34 VOTES

    Just a Mathematician

    Just a Mathematician
    Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY

    Alan Turing: "I'm just a mathematician."
    Joan Clarke: "Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine."

    Alan is feeling down about himself but luckily Joan is there to give him a pep talk. Just because no one expects a mathematician to crack the uncrackable code doesn't mean one can't.
    34 votes
  • 2
    10 VOTES

    You Need All the Help You Can Get

    You Need All the Help You Can Get
    Photo: flickr / CC0

    Joan Clarke: "You're going to need all the help you can get and they are not going to help you if they do not like you."

    While Alan has the brains for the operation at hand, as Joan reminds him of, he does need some social skills if he truly wants to be successful.
    10 votes
  • 3
    17 VOTES

    Enigma is Unbreakable

    Enigma is Unbreakable
    Video: YouTube

    Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies: "This war, we're not winning it. If you speak a word of what I'm about to show you, you will be executed for high treason."
    Alan Turing: "It's beautiful… It's the greatest encryption device in history and the Germans use it for all communications."
    Cdr. Alastair Denniston: "Everyone thinks Enigma is unbreakable."
    Alan Turing: "Well, let me try and we'll know for sure."
    Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies: "Mr. Turing, do you know how many die because of it?"
    Alan Turing: "I don't."
    Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies: "Three, while we've been having this conversation."

    Members of the military call upon mathematician and cryptologist Alan Turing to help them crack the uncrackable, the Nazi Enigma. Alan was up for the challenge when he first saw it, a feeling that was only intensified when they told him just what is at stake.
    17 votes
  • 4
    8 VOTES

    Six Minutes to Complete the Task

    Six Minutes to Complete the Task
    Video: YouTube

    Alan Turing: "You have six minutes to complete the task."
    Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies: "Is it even possible?"
    Alan Turing: "No, it takes me eight… You finished?"
    Joan Clarke: "Yes"
    Alan Turing: "Five minutes and 34 seconds…"
    Joan Clarke: "You said to do it in under six."

    When Alan does admit that he needs help, he brings in a bunch of folks to take a test that he himself would fail. Surprisingly, one person passes, Joan Clarke.
    8 votes
  • 5
    5 VOTES

    I'm Designing a Machine

    I'm Designing a Machine
    Video: YouTube

    Hugh Alexander: "You know, to pull off this irascible genius routine, one actually has to be a genius."
    Alan Turing: "I'm designing a machine that will allow us to break every message, everyday, instantly."

    When faced with a near-impossible task, Alan doesn't just stop there. He wants to not just crack the Enigma but also make it so they can decrypt those messages immediately.
    5 votes
  • 6
    5 VOTES

    Our Patience Has Expired

    Our Patience Has Expired
    Photo: Metaweb / GNU Free Documentation License

    Cdr. Alastair Denniston: "Have you decrypted a single German message?"
    Alan Turing: "You will never understand the importance of what I'm creating here!"
    Cdr. Alastair Denniston: "Our patience has expired."
    Hugh Alexander: "If you fire Alan, well then you'll have to fire me."
    Nock: "Me too"
    Peter Hilton: "And me"
    Hugh Alexander: "It better bloody work."

    Instead of going for the quick crack, Alan has created essentially the first computer, which could hypothetically crack any code in seconds. This progress, however, is not what the military wanted and they are not willing to wait around for his grand discovery.
    5 votes
  • 7
    4 VOTES

    We're Going to Break the Unbreakable

    We're Going to Break the Unbreakable
    Photo: Metaweb / CC-BY

    Joan Clarke: "What is it that we're really doing?"
    Alan Turing: "We're going to break an unbreakable Nazi code and win the war."
    Joan Clarke: "Oh"

    Joan knows something is up and asks Alan what their true mission is. He spills it. They are trying to break the Nazi code.
    4 votes
  • 8
    6 VOTES

    You Can't Tell Anyone

    You Can't Tell Anyone
    Video: YouTube

    John Cairncross: “What is the matter?”
    Alan Turing: "What if I don't fancy being with Joan in that way?"
    John Cairncross: “Because you’re a homosexual? I suspected.”
    Alan Turing: “Well, should I tell her?”
    John Cairncross: “You know, in my admittedly limited experience, women tend to be a bit touchy about accidentally marrying homosexuals. Perhaps not spreading this information about might be in your best interest.”
    Alan Turing: “I care for her. I truly do. I just don’t know if I can, um, pretend.”
    John Cairncross: “You can't tell anyone at all. It is illegal."

    Alan admits that he isn't exactly into women. Seeing how at that time, being gay is illegal, John reminds him that he needs to keep it quiet.
    6 votes
  • 9
    3 VOTES

    These Men Will Only Slow Me Down

    These Men Will Only Slow Me Down
    Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY

    Cdr. Alastair Denniston: "Gentlemen, meet Mr. Turing."
    Alan Turing: "We are to work together then? I'm afraid these men will only slow me down."
    Maj. Gen. Stewart Menzies: "Popular at school, were you?"

    The military provides Alan Turing with a team of scholars, mathematicians and other geniuses to help him crack the Enigma. Alan, confident of his skills, declines.
    3 votes
  • 10
    4 VOTES

    One of Us is a Soviet Spy

    One of Us is a Soviet Spy
    Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY

    Alan Turing: "What are you doing? What is going on?"
    Nock: "The Navy thinks that one of us is a Soviet spy."

    Alan and his crew get some scary news. Someone suspects that one of them is a spy and instantly, they are all under suspicion.
    4 votes