When will you and Mona be doing this? I ordered “A Man for All Seasons” from an eBay seller who promised delivery by Saturday, but USPS apparently does not feel bound by that promise.
A great movie, with great performances. It left me with quite the inflated impression of Thomas More, which rapidly deflated when I learned of his persecution, including torture and burning alive at the stake, those who questioned the infallibility of the Pope.
One of my favorite movies of all time. More's line to Roper about the importance of law, even when pursuing the devil, is something we should all take to heart.
"A Man for All Seasons" is one my top-three favourite plays of all time. It is primarily about the rule of law - Sir Thomas More is, after all, the patron saint of lawyers. I had a quote from it on my office door while I was advising the Canadian government on issues relating to the detention of one of our citizens in Guantanamo Bay:
William Roper: “So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!”
Sir Thomas More: “Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?”
William Roper: “Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!”
Sir Thomas More: “Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!”
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/] hosts a one-hour virtual Movie Discussion Night via Zoom beginning at 7:00 p.m. Central Time on the last Friday of every other month. There's no charge, and the event is open to all. So, you're invited.
Participants watch the movie ahead of time, with particular attention to aspects of the film highlighted in the discussion questions that provide the framework for the discussion. Iraq veteran Erik Wright, Education Manager for the museum [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/about-wisconsin-veterans-museum/staff/] and a film buff, distributes the discussion questions about a week before the event and moderates the conversation. The discussion is recorded and eventually added to the Museum's playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLav0q81vpN8EUuEN7s1NxgXrQw8to4lK5]. If you're uncertain whether you want to participate, viewing some or all of a couple of the videos might help you decide. I have participated in Movie Night discussions since 2020, and there's always interesting and insightful conversation. Plus it's a nice change-of-pace hour.
The Museum, a service of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs [https://dva.wi.gov/], also offers an array of other programs for the public. Those programs can be found on the Museum's "Events Calendar" page [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/event-calendar/].
I enjoyed movie club. Bring it back please! Sort of thing that makes me do my homework - especially pleased to have watched Idiocracy and Rounders, which I’d not seen before
I recently finished the 2nd season of Wolf Hall, and wish all Americans could be required to watch something on the life of Henry the VIII. We are fortunate it's generally out of favor to do public beheadings at the whim of a King in the U.S., but the whole period is a cautionary tale of who people become when they believe they are untouchable. When one believes they have a mandate from some sort of higher power, or something they bastardize as that, and they are surrounded by enablers, we all become subject to the whims of the king. Or the emperor with no clothes that we have.
When will you and Mona be doing this? I ordered “A Man for All Seasons” from an eBay seller who promised delivery by Saturday, but USPS apparently does not feel bound by that promise.
The episode will go up Saturday, I believe (we've already taped). There is a free YouTube link now, albeit one with ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9BbfoBeXB4
A great movie, with great performances. It left me with quite the inflated impression of Thomas More, which rapidly deflated when I learned of his persecution, including torture and burning alive at the stake, those who questioned the infallibility of the Pope.
Ha, yes, this came up in our chat!
The other scene that runs through my mind all the time over the past few years:
Roper: “So now you’d give the Devil benefit of law!”
More: “Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?”
Roper: “I’d cut down every law in England to do that!”
More: “Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you—where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat?”
One of my favorite movies of all time. More's line to Roper about the importance of law, even when pursuing the devil, is something we should all take to heart.
"A Man for All Seasons" is one my top-three favourite plays of all time. It is primarily about the rule of law - Sir Thomas More is, after all, the patron saint of lawyers. I had a quote from it on my office door while I was advising the Canadian government on issues relating to the detention of one of our citizens in Guantanamo Bay:
William Roper: “So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!”
Sir Thomas More: “Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?”
William Roper: “Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!”
Sir Thomas More: “Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!”
Speaking of movies . . . .
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/] hosts a one-hour virtual Movie Discussion Night via Zoom beginning at 7:00 p.m. Central Time on the last Friday of every other month. There's no charge, and the event is open to all. So, you're invited.
On May 29, the film for discussion is "Heneral Luna" (2015), a Philippine War drama starring John Arcilla, Mon Confiado, and Paulo Avelino [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYWo6FoVacY (with English subtitles)]. The film was the Philippines' official entry for Oscars in 2015. For more about the film, visit https://wp.nyu.edu/spsi/film-series/spring-2021-program/heneral-luna/.
You can register for this Movie Night here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-movie-night-discussion-heneral-luna-2015-tickets-1982991109790?aff=oddtdtcreator
Participants watch the movie ahead of time, with particular attention to aspects of the film highlighted in the discussion questions that provide the framework for the discussion. Iraq veteran Erik Wright, Education Manager for the museum [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/about-wisconsin-veterans-museum/staff/] and a film buff, distributes the discussion questions about a week before the event and moderates the conversation. The discussion is recorded and eventually added to the Museum's playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLav0q81vpN8EUuEN7s1NxgXrQw8to4lK5]. If you're uncertain whether you want to participate, viewing some or all of a couple of the videos might help you decide. I have participated in Movie Night discussions since 2020, and there's always interesting and insightful conversation. Plus it's a nice change-of-pace hour.
For July 31, the Movie Night film will be "They Shall Not Grow Old" (2018) [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/event/movie-discussion-night-they-shall-not-grow-old-2018/] [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0brzkzx] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Shall_Not_Grow_Old].
The Museum, a service of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs [https://dva.wi.gov/], also offers an array of other programs for the public. Those programs can be found on the Museum's "Events Calendar" page [https://wisvetsmuseum.com/event-calendar/].
Feel free to share this information with others.
I enjoyed movie club. Bring it back please! Sort of thing that makes me do my homework - especially pleased to have watched Idiocracy and Rounders, which I’d not seen before
Two greats for sure!
https://youtu.be/w9BbfoBeXB4?si=cuTDr7iYL7-VNfbW
Thanks for the link, I didn't think it was on Utube anymore.
Yes! Bulwark Movie Club is back! Hope you can do it on a more regular basis... bi-monthly, perhaps.
I'll see what I can do!
I’ve had quotes from A Man for All Seasons echoing through my head since 2016.
My favorite quotation is:
"It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales?"
I think of our constantly self abasing Cabinet destroying their reputations for... the grift. Nothing but the grift.
That's my favorite quote too!
But my favorite moment is Margaret's conversation in Latin with the king.
Film club. Great idea.
Thanks for reviving "A Man for All Seasons"--a truly great movie. For those who read, "Wolf Hall" goes into this in great, "fictional" depth.
Except More is a more contradictory and ambiguous figure and in Wolf.
This will be a great session and a topical discussion.
I love the Bulwark Movie Nights. I’ll be watching this one and waiting for the podcast with Mona!
I recently finished the 2nd season of Wolf Hall, and wish all Americans could be required to watch something on the life of Henry the VIII. We are fortunate it's generally out of favor to do public beheadings at the whim of a King in the U.S., but the whole period is a cautionary tale of who people become when they believe they are untouchable. When one believes they have a mandate from some sort of higher power, or something they bastardize as that, and they are surrounded by enablers, we all become subject to the whims of the king. Or the emperor with no clothes that we have.