I like The Devil Wears Prada, not only because I’ve always enjoyed makeover stories (like The Princess Diaries and She’s All That), but also because there are lots of memorable lines from that movie. The lines are bitingly sarcastic, of course, but they are partly amusing in a way. (I’m sure if these lines are said to me though, I would cease to be amused.)

NIGEL LINES

These are the lines by Nigel, Miranda’s fashion assistant. The character was played by Stanley Tucci, who was also in America’s Sweethearts, Maid in Manhattan and Shall We Dance, where I thought he was particularly brilliant and hilarious.

NIGEL: (upon seeing Andy for the first time) Who is that sad little person? Are we doing a before-and-after piece I don’t know about?

ANDY: She hates me, Nigel.
NIGEL: And that’s my problem because… Oh, wait. No, it’s not my problem.

EMILY LINES

These are the lines by Emily, Miranda’s first assistant, played by Emily Blunt.

ANDY: (before heading off to do another impossible task for Miranda) Wish me luck!
EMILY: No. Shan’t.

EMILY: (after Andy hesitated) I’m sorry, do you have some prior commitment? Some hideous skirt convention you have to go to?

ANDY: (after gabbing about her own plans for the weekend) Do you have anything fun planned for this weekend?
EMILY: Yes. (walks away)

EMILY: (after learning that Andy was going to Paris instead of her) I don’t care if she was going to fire you or beat you with a red hot poker, you should’ve said no!

MIRANDA LINES

And of course, the meanest lines are reserved for the devil who wears Prada, Miranda Priestly herself. Meryl Streep was fantastic in this role! I first saw her in The River Wild as a child and couldn’t get the image of her huge biceps out of my mind. But she was incredibly striking as the quintessential scary boss. She doesn’t even have to raise her voice at you, but her tone and facial expressions would send shivers down your spine. I’d quit on the first day if I had my boss like that!

MIRANDA: (to Andy, on her first job interview) You have no sense of fashion.
ANDY: (about to defend herself) I think that depends on…
MIRANDA: No, no, that wasn’t a question.

MIRANDA: I need 10 or 15 skirts from Calvin Klein…
ANDY: What kind of skirts?
MIRANDA: Please bore someone else with your… questions.

MIRANDA: (to Andy, who was trying to explain herself) Details of your incompetence do not interest me.

ANDY: I thought only the first assistant went to the benefit.
MIRANDA: Only when the first assistant hasn’t decided to become an incubus of viral plague.

JOCELYN: (during a board meeting over the April issue of Runway, thinking of a theme) Well… They’re showing a lot of florals right now, so I was thinking…
MIRANDA: Florals? For spring? Ground breaking.

MIRANDA: (looking at a sample of the Winter issue) And this layout for the Winter Wonderland spread. Not wonderful yet.

ANDY: (talking about Miranda’s husband) Oh. So I don’t need to fetch Stephen from the airport tomorrow?
MIRANDA: Well, if you speak to him and he decides to rethink the divorce, then yes, fetch away. You are very fetching. So, go fetch.

MIRANDA: (while waiting for Andy to hand over the dinner plan to her) By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.

ANDY: (after Miranda opened up about her worries over the divorce) Is there anything else I can do to help?
MIRANDA: Yes. Your job.