Apartment for Peggy (1948)

Edmund Gwenn: Prof. Henry Barnes

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Quotes 

• Prof. Henry Barnes : I find it singularly curious that if a doctor tells us that peanut shells are good for us, we eat them. If a chemist maintains that one gasoline is better than another, we use it. We're guided by experts on everything from soap chips to foreign policy and yet on the most important thing of all, how to live, we pay no attention. Ever since man began to think, great minds have been telling us that the pleasure in living is in helping, that happiness comes from a simple, useful, constructive life. But yet, we call this kind of advice infantile, impractical and hopelessly idealistic.

• Dr. Philip Conway : Edward tells me you've taken in a G.I. couple.

  Prof. Henry Barnes : I've not only taken in a G.I. couple I've taken in a G.I. dog, a G.I. cat and very probably a G.I. mouse.

• Prof. Henry Barnes : Why not suicide?

  Peggy Taylor : Because it wouldn't change anything.

  Prof. Henry Barnes : The gentleman would be dead! I consider that a drastic change.

  Peggy Taylor : What makes Mr. Hypothetical think he's living now?

  Prof. Henry Barnes : I just said he was living!

  Peggy Taylor : I mean really living. If he's just doing nothing but sitting around moping, thinking up reasons why he should kill himself, he's not alive, he's dead already. Just as dead as a dodo. Now, if he's dead, suicide's not going to change anything. It's just going to give him more of the same thing he's got. Suicide only puts an end to living and vice versa. Mm-mm, the only way that he can change that kind of deadly existence is to start living with a capital "L" and that's just what Mr. Hypothetical ought to do.