Saturday, March 12, 2011

You Can't Take It With You (1938)


"What makes you think you're such a superior human being? Your money? If you do, you're a dull-witted fool, Mr. Kirby. And a poor one at that. You're poorer than any of these people you call scum, because I'll guarantee at least they've got some friends. While you with your jungle and your long claws, as you call 'em, you'll wind up your miserable existence without anything you can call friend. You may be a high mogul to yourself, Mr. Kirby, but to me you're a failure - failure as a man, failure as a human being, even a failure as a father. When your time comes, I doubt if a single tear will be shed over you. The world will probably cry, "Good riddance." That's a nice prospect, Mr. Kirby. I hope you'll enjoy it. I hope you'll get some comfort out of all this coin you've been sweating over then!" - Lionel Barrymore as Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff in You Can't Take It with You. Also starring: Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur

It's always a solemn inducing experience when you go back and watch a classic and realize that the issues it approaches then are just as prevalent, and in turn frustrating as they are now. A reminder that the one thing we learn from all our years of studying history is that we never bother to learn the lessons of them.

3 better thoughts:

Ryan McNeil said...

Amen brother.

Alex said...

I love this movie. It manages to take a speech like that and not make it sound preachy, but realistic and sincere.

Univarn said...

@Mad :)

@Alex I concur. However, I couldn't shake this feeling the entire time that Lionel Barrymore sounded a hell of a lot like Stephen Root.

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