Movie Quotation: Tales from Hollywood
Odon von Horvath:
After all, civilization depends - does it not? - upon the awareness of the sufferings of others?
Bertolt Brecht:
Civilization? No! Civilization is four kinds of wine, three kinds of forks. It’s a device to maintain the bourgeoisie’s sense of superiority.
Odon von Horvath:
No, that’s snobbery. That’s something different.
Bertolt Brecht:
Listen, I’ve got people to see. I can’t stand around here all day quibbling over vocabulary.
Odon von Horvath:
Then, perhaps it’s best if we agree to respect our differences.
Bertolt Brecht:
Well, that’s the most boring suggestion I’ve heard all week. You can respect my differences if you like. I despise yours.
Odon von Horvath:
I see you like winning arguments.
Bertolt Brecht:
I just did, didn’t I?… Certainly no point in coming second.
Odon von Horvath:
Well, that’s the American way…
Bertolt Brecht:
It’s this disgusting passivity… You people don’t realize that it’s not enough in the theatre to interpret the world anymore. You have to change it!
Odon von Horvath:
I really think you underestimate the people’s intelligence. They don’t want blue-prints, they don’t want instructions… They’ve been told everyday what to do; they don’t want to go to the theatre and be told what to do all over again: they want to be shown who they are!
Bertolt Brecht:
Well, let’s face it… when it comes to directing there’s Chaplin and there’s me.
Odon von Horvath:
I never understood why the love of humanity in general should so often be accompanied by a profound dislike of the individual.