A King in New York (1957)

Michael Chaplin: Rupert Macabee

Photos 

Quotes 

• [after being called for questioning by the government on suspicions of Communist affiliations] 

  Rupert Macabee : I'm so sick and tired of people asking me if I'm this, if I'm that!

• [Rupert is haranguing the King] 

  Rupert Macabee : Monopoly is the menace of free enterprise. As I look back, sixty years ago...

  King Shahdov : Where were you sixty years ago?

  another schoolboy : He was a glint in his great-grandfather's eye!

• Rupert Macabee : Politics are rules imposed upon the people.

  King Shahdov : In this country, rules are not imposed, they are wish of all free citizens.

  Rupert Macabee : Travel around a bit, then you'll see how free they are.

• King Shahdov : What's that you're reading?

  Rupert Macabee : Karl Marx.

  King Shahdov : Surely, you're not a Communist?

  Rupert Macabee : Do I have to be a Communist to read Karl Marx?

• Rupert Macabee : The monopoly of power is a menace to freedom. It degrades and victimizes every individual. And where is the individual?

  King Shahdov : I don't know.

  Rupert Macabee : Lost in terror; because, he's made to hate instead of love. If civilization is to survive, we must combat power until the dignity and peace of man are restored.

• Rupert Macabee : Today man has too much power. The Roman Empire collapsed with the assignation of Caesar and why? Because of too much power. Feudalism blew up with the French Revolution and why? Because of too much power. And today the whole world will blow up and why?

  Rupert Macabee , King Shahdov : Because of too much power!

• Rupert Macabee : I dislike all forms of government.

  King Shahdov : But, somebody must rule.

  Rupert Macabee : And I don't like the word rule!

  King Shahdov : Well, if we don't like the word rule, lets call it leadership.

  Rupert Macabee : Leadership in government is called political power and political power is an official form of antagonizing people.

• Rupert Macabee : It's a crime that when the world cries for atomic energy, *you* want to make atomic bombs.

  King Shahdov : Me? I'm against atomic bombs!

  Rupert Macabee : You want to wipe out civilization, destroy all life on this planet. You still think you're living in the 19th Century.

  King Shahdov : I lost - I lost my throne because I didn't want atomic bombs!

  Rupert Macabee : You and your kind think that atomic bombs can solve your problems.

• Rupert Macabee : All right, report me. Make me give names. Make a sniveling stool pigeon out of me. Brainwash me. But, you can't. They couldn't brainwash the signers of the Declaration of Independence! And you can't brainwash me.

• Rupert Macabee : Only with world cooperation and understanding are we secured!

• Rupert Macabee : That's why my father came to America: to give air and sunlight to his thoughts. The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave was his inspiration. But, today that freedom is threatened. Committees are searching men's minds, are controlling their thoughts. And those who have the courage to stand up for their rights, are boycotted, lose their jobs, and are left to starve.