Cut to the chase

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To "cut to the chase" is to get to the point without wasting time.

The saying originated from early film studios' silent films. It was a favorite of, and thought to have been coined by, Hal Roach Sr., referring to the repeated trope in silent films to feature a chase scene at the climax.

History

Films, particularly comedies, often climaxed in chase scenes. Some inexperienced screenwriters or directors would pad the film with unnecessary dialogue, which bored the audience and prolonged the time before the exciting chase scene. Cut to the chase was a phrase used by movie studio executives to mean that the audience shouldn't get bored by the extra dialogue, and that the film should get to the interesting scenes without unnecessary delays. The phrase is now widely used, and means "get to the point."

An earlier version of the phrase is found in

External links

Look up cut to the chase in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The Phrase Finder
• The Mavens' Word of the Day