What is "cut to the chase"

Chase \Chase\, n. [Cf. F. chasse, fr. chasser. See Chase, v.]

1. Vehement pursuit for the purpose of killing or capturing, as of an enemy, or game; an earnest seeking after any object greatly desired; the act or habit of hunting; a hunt. ``This mad chase of fame.''
   --Dryden.

   You see this chase is hotly followed.
   --Shak.

2. That which is pursued or hunted.

   Nay, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase, For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
   --Shak.

3. An open hunting ground to which game resorts, and which is private properly, thus differing from a forest, which is not private property, and from a park, which is inclosed. Sometimes written chace. [Eng.]

4. (Court Tennis) A division of the floor of a gallery, marked by a figure or otherwise; the spot where a ball falls, and between which and the dedans the adversary must drive his ball in order to gain a point.

   Chase gun (Naut.), a cannon placed at the bow or stern of an armed vessel, and used when pursuing an enemy, or in defending the vessel when pursued.

   Chase port (Naut.), a porthole from which a chase gun is fired.

   Stern chase (Naut.), a chase in which the pursuing vessel follows directly in the wake of the vessel pursued.

   cut to the chase (Film), a term used in action movies meaning, to shift the scene to the most exciting part, where someone is being chased. It is used metaphorically to mean ``get to the main point''.

vb. (context idiomatic English) To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.

Cut to the chase is a saying that means to get to the point without wasting time.

The phrase originated from early silent films. It was a favorite of, and thought to have been coined by, Hal Roach Sr. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992).

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 studio executives, meaning don't bore us with the dialog - get to the interesting scenes without unnecessary delay. The phrase is now widely used, and means "get to the point."

An earlier version of the phrase (recorded 1880-1940) was Cut to Hecuba. This refers to the practice of shortening matinée performances of Hamlet by cutting the long speeches before the reference to Hecuba in Act II, Scene ii.