Arnold Schwarzenegger’s limited dialogue in *Conan the Barbarian*

Arnold Schwarzenegger had relatively little dialogue in *Conan the Barbarian* (1982); his character did far more than he said. Conan.com notes that director John Milius deliberately cast athletes and stunt performers, and that keeping Conan’s dialogue short was both practical, including because of Schwarzenegger’s accent, and part of the character’s design. The accent mattered, but it was not the only explanation: the film emphasized the hero’s physical presence.