Dan J. Harkey

Educator & Private Money Lending Consultant

Keep The Change You Filthy Animal!

Catchy phrases can be a lot of fun when used in the context of jabbing a friend, just as a form of simple humor. Many fun phrases are derived from past movies or novels, lending them significant cultural history.

by Dan J. Harkey

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Summary

Home alone has some great writers. Where did Keep the change come from?

1.     Top 10 Quotes from Home Alone (1990 & 1992)

·       “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!”
– From the fake gangster movie Angels with Filthy Souls.

·       “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal… and a Happy New Year!”
– From Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

·       “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You’d better come out and stop me!”

·       “Buzz, your girlfriend… Woof!”

·       “Look what you did, you little jerk!”

·       “Fuller, go easy on the Pepsi!”

·       “This is my house, I have to defend it.”

·       “I made my family disappear.”

·       “You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?”

·       “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” (Yes, it’s so iconic it deserves two mentions!)

      2. Angels With Filthy Souls (Home Alone, 1990)

·        Type: Fake movie created for comedic effects.

·        Length: About 1 minute (short clip).

·        Purpose: Kevin uses it to scare off intruders and prank the pizza delivery guy.

·        Style: Black-and-white, mimicking 1930s gangster films.

·        Famous Line: “Keep the change, ya filthy animal.”

·        Characters: Johnny (gangster), Snakes (victim).

·        Tone: Over-the-top, exaggerated violence for humor.

      3. Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)

·        Type: Real Hollywood film.

·        Length: Full-length feature (97 minutes).

·        Plot: Two childhood friends take different paths—one becomes a gangster (James Cagney), the other a priest (Pat O’Brien).

·        Style: Classic Warner Bros. crime drama.

·        Themes: Morality, redemption, influence on youth.

·        Cast: James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Pat O’Brien.

·        Tone: Serious, dramatic, socially conscious.