Origin of the Phrase 'Cut to the Chase'

You might be surprised to find out the origin of the phrase "cut to the chase." You have probably heard it being used, but you might not have any idea what it means. Therefore, I will cut to the chase and give you the background of the phrase.

Origin of "Cut to the Chase"

This phrase "cut to the chase" originated in the United States film industry during the time of silent movies in the 1920s. Inexperienced screenwriters or directors often added unnecessary parts to their films to prolong the time before showing the exciting chase scene. Moviegoers favored the car chases that came much later in the film. Whatever came before the chase was long and boring. Viewers wanted to see the exciting chasing scene quicker than it was scheduled to come up in the silent movie.

Silent movies were made to appeal to the young male audience. Therefore, the focus was on things that men enjoyed such as the action chases. Men loved to see chases of any kind. The chases could be between cars, motorcycles, boats, or space crafts. Cutting to the chase in a movie would mean moving directly to the chase scene.

Some people thought of the chasing scene as the best part of the film. Bored and impatient viewers wanted to see the exciting action part. They wanted to get directly to the point by leaving out all of the unnecessary details.

An attendant would be in the balcony operating the silent films. He could speed up the reel, slow it down, or even skip some parts. People attending the movie would yell up to the attendant: "Cut to the chase."

Famous Car Chase

The video above is the white Ford Bronco chase that stunned the nation on June 17, 1994. O. J. Simpson became a fugitive of the law when he was a passenger in a white Bronco that led police on the infamous chase on the Los Angeles freeways while millions of viewers watched in real time.

People were watching the New York Knicks take on the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals. The game was interrupted with breaking news that Simpson was being pursued by more than a dozen police cars and television helicopters.

Before the car chase, the former NFL player and actor was charged with the brutal murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Instead of turning himself over to the police, the legendary football player got into his friend Al Cowlings' car and refused to surrender. Instead, he demanded Cowling to drive him in the getaway car to his estate in Brentwood while holding a gun to his own head.

The police waited for almost an hour before the chase finally ended at Simpson's house and both men were arrested. Simpson was acquitted of all charges on October 3, 1995. The two murders still go unsolved to this day.

Today's Usage of the Phrase

"Cut to the chase" is now widely used today, but it is not about a car chase in a movie or O.J. Simpson in a getaway car. It simply means "get to the point" when a person is telling a long, drawn-out story filled with unnecessary details. A listener might tell the speaker to cut to the chase. In other words: “get to the main part of your story.”

To cut to the chase is to get to the point or to skip to the important part of something without wasting time on boring or unimportant details. It is easy to get to the point when unnecessary details are omitted and only essential parts are stated.

Examples of Using the Phrase in a Sentence

In case you do not know how to use "cut to the chase" in a sentence, here are some examples.

My friend is a detailed person. She goes on and on, but I often wish she would cut to the chase and tell me only the important parts.

When I am in a hurry, I hate for people to detain me by telling me long stories. I might not say it, but I think to myself that I wish they would cut to the chase.

I told my husband, "Stop beating around the bush and cut to the chase about the surprise you have for my birthday."

I don’t have much time to listen right now, so cut to the chase.

Have you ever heard the expression "cut to the chase? Have you ever used that expression yourself?

If you liked what you read, cut to the chase and leave a tip below in any amount for the writer!