Can anyone remember the Sir Robert quote that acted as the turning point in the scene where he finally convinces the government to let the whole thing go to trial.
I was sure it was something like "Thou shalt not stand with the strong against the weak," and I assumed it was an Old Testament scripture but I can't find it anywhere.
He said "You shall not side with the great against the powerless."
Sir Robert said it was a much older quote than the one he had previously given, which may have been "Let right be done," although it might have been something else. At any rate, my thought went to Sir Robert asserting that it was a higher and older source, then, and so likely Biblical as well. Nevertheless, I also have not been able to find its exact source.
It devils me because in Sir Robert's speech, he was making a point that everyone (there in the House) should, perforce, know its exact origin and meaning. Well, it has left many of us in the audience to stand lacking in that classical education to know the reference and remain ignorant of its source and authority.
The quote evidently meant a great deal to the members of the House, which then reversed its previous apparent course of voting the case down into a rousing support of allowing it to go forward with endorsement instead. The quote's authority must have been paramount, even though, to so many of us, anonymous?
Sir Robert uses two quotes and they are both from the Bible.
"you shall not side with the great against the powerless" refers to the jewish part of the christian Bible, Exodus 23:2. It is not easy to be identified because ususally it is translated and quoted this way:
"You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing: when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice."
The other quote ("from that same source", as Sir Robert says) is from the new part of the Bible, Matthew 25:40: "what you do to the least of them you do to me" (Jesus).
Ah...thank you, pmvk, for the explanation and the citations! It's very helpful, indeed, to know the sources and usage, as they were Biblical and so the much older sources than even English common law, to which Sir Robert referred. Excellent!
shareThe Bible is quite present in this film. Arthur Winslow refers to the Old Testament too when he speaks about the Pharao's dreams, the seven fat cows who are devoured by the seven lean and hungry cows. (Genesis 41:20).
In the beginning of the film this can be interpreted as a prophetic outlook to the Winslow's financial difficulties that will arise because of the case. When in the end of the film the father again reads about the hungry cows, it can be interpreted as an outlook to the First World War that will soon begin, bring death and famine and change their whole society.
The fact that he quotes from the Bible characterizes Arthur Winslow as a traditional man who holds on to the old values. He doesn't seem to be a left-wing progressive as his daughter is. Nevertheless they love and respect each other. In this sense Sir Robert is the character who reminds most of Arthur Winslow. They both quote from the Bible. Arthur Winslow doesn't want to have a grammophone in his house, Sir Robert doesn't know what it means that Ronnie has been "at the pictures". Somehow Arthur Winslow and Sir Robert seem to live in another century than Catherine, Dickie and Ronnie do.
Nevertheless Catherine's idealism has much more in common with her fathers's values than with Dickie's way of life. Finally Arthur Winslow, Sir Robert and Catherine share the same idea of what is right: "To do right" means to defend the rights of the powerless against the great and to resist the temptation of advancing personal interests. And it is very hard to do so because it means that you have to make big sacrifices and to resist corruption.
Yours are very thoughtful and insightful comments on the screenplay and film, pmvk, which I would not have realized for myself, having viewed the film only once. But I see instantly that you are right and there are many depths and currents beyond the plot in the writing of this story, its characters and their interactions and backgrounds. Thank you for taking time to include these details!
From your discussion and observations, it seems that even though many values (that which we spend our time and energy thinking about and doing) change with our environment, core values can be taught and passed on to new generations: such as the theme of this story, "to do right" in defending the rights of the powerless against the great.
I like it, that in this story, all the characters have respect for each other's values as well, that although they may be irritated by what other characters are doing, they do not condemn the person's right to make such choices. That also fits in with the story's theme, "to do right." They campaign against the repression that the powerful tried to impose on them--and as pmvk pointed out, that they made big sacrifices and resisted the corruption of giving in to the powerful.
Thank you for your nice and respectful words, holmswed. When I saw the film in the cinema ten years ago, I didn't realize the references and allusions. It was only when I read the screenplay and watched the film again that I noticed what a well thought-out and carefully composed piece of art it is. When I realized it I was captivated.
I agree with you that core values are passed on to new generations. They are even shared by political opponents. A conservative idealist who quotes from the Bible can have more in common with a left-wing idealist who wants to defend the rights of the powerless than with an avaricious conservative who defends the establishment and only wants to advance his own interests.
I think one of the messages of the film is not to be deceived with the outward appearances, the truth can be very different (and is hard, if not impossible, to be revealed).
"You shall not side with the great against the powerless". (movie)
“Thou shalt not stand with the strong against the weak”
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.
Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.
Romans 14:1,3,16