Le Club des empereurs (2002)

Partager la citation sur facebook As I've gotten older, I realize I'm certain of only two things. Days that begin with rowing on a lake are better than days that do not. Second, a man's character is his fate. And as a student of history, I find this hard to refute. For most of us our stories can be written long before we die. There are exceptions among the great men of history, but they are rare, and I am not one of them. I am a teacher - simply that. I taught for 34 years. One day I stopped teaching. Those were the facts of my life's chronicle. The last chapter had been written. My book was closed.

Partager la citation sur facebook The worth of a life is not determined by a single failure or a solitary success.

Partager la citation sur facebook However much we stumble, it is a teacher's burden always to hope, that with learning, a boy's character might be changed. And, so, the destiny of a man.

Partager la citation sur facebook Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?

Partager la citation sur facebook I'm a teacher, Sedgewick. And I failed you - as a teacher. But I will give you one last lecture, if I may. All of us, at some point, are forced to look at ourselves in the mirror, and see who we really are. And when that day comes for you, Sedgewick, you will be confronted with a life lived without virtue, without principle. And for that I pity you. End of lesson.

Partager la citation sur facebook Older Deepak Mehta: A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams, and they will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our lives.

Partager la citation sur facebook William Hundert: Excuse me?
Louis Masoudi: Huh? What me?
William Hundert: Yes, sir. What is your name?
Louis Masoudi: Uh, Louis.
William Hundert: Just Louis?
Louis Masoudi: Louis Masoudi, sir.
William Hundert: Mr. Masoudi, could you define the word "path" for me?
Louis Masoudi: Well, there are several definitions, I suppose.
William Hundert: Would "a route along which someone or something moves" be among them?
Louis Masoudi: Yeah. Oh, yeah. No. Yeah. I'm s-sorry, sir.
William Hundert: Follow the path, Mr. Masoudi. Walk where the great men before you have walked.
Louis Masoudi: Yes, sir. It's, uh - It's better for the grass.
William Hundert: It's better for you.

Partager la citation sur facebook William Hundert: And with the demise of the Roman Monarchy, two new forms of government vied to take power in Rome. One was?
Martin Blythe: Republic?
William Hundert: Correct. Republic, or the rule of law, was the one that ultimately succeeded the monarchy. The other was?
Robert Brewster: Tyranny?
William Hundert: In spirit, perhaps, but etymologically, no. What was it?
Deepak Mehta: Oligarchy?
William Hundert: Correct. Oligarchy, or the rule of a few. Tyranny is what we have here in this classroom, and it works.

Partager la citation sur facebook James Ellerby: William!
William Hundert: Ellerby! How are things in the Latin Quarter?
James Ellerby: Could not be better. I wanted to give you this for recommending me for the job. [Hands Mr. Hundert a book] Now I know you probably already have one but this is a rare first edition. I found it in a marketplace in England.
Book: Ancient Rome by Douglas Hundert
[Mr. Hundert looks in dust jacket to see a picture of his father in the "About the Author" section]
William Hundert: So young when he wrote this...Well, thank you for your consideration.

Partager la citation sur facebook Terrence Woodbridge: Our Mr. Julius Caesar is a time-honored tradition at Saint Benedict's. It is a two-part competition for our Third Form. The first is a series of quizzes that all students take, narrowing down the competitors to three finalists. The second will be held in front of the entire school whereby the three finalists will be asked a series of questions on Greek and Roman history. An incorrect answer eliminates the contestant. The last man standing will be crowned Mr. Julius Caesar. You father was a winner, was he not, Mr. Blythe?
Martin Blythe: Yes sir.
Terrence Woodbridge: Would you kindly point him out for us?
Martin Blythe: Certainly.
[Martin Blythe shows a younger picture of his father, who looks like Martin wearing a toga and an olive crown]
Terrence Woodbridge: A noble honor indeed.

Partager la citation sur facebook Sedgewick Bell: My informants tell me there is a school full of girls over there.
Martin Blythe: Guys, this is getting out of hand. If we get caught they will kick us out and we do not get our tuition back! I cannot get expelled, I am a legacy! My father was a Mr. Julius Caesar.
Louis Massoudi: Did he ever tell you what question he won on?
Martin Blythe: Did he ever not. What two tribes invaded Rome in 102 B.C? Answer: the Teutons and the Cimbri. That was the last sentence he spoke to me before I got to Saint Benedict's and he let me out of the car.
Martin Blythe: Saint Mary's is by invitation only. I vote we go back to our dorm now!
Sedgewich Bell: Well I vote we check out Saint Mary's. What do you two say?
Louis Massoudi: I am in!
Deepak Mehta: So am I!
Sedgewick Bell: 3-1. See, that is the trouble with democracy Martin.

Partager la citation sur facebook [Mr. Hundert's office. He hears knocking to the tune of "Shave and a Haircut"]
William Hundert: Enter.
[Sedgewick Bell enters Mr. Hundert's office]
William Hundert: Mr. Bell.
Sedgewick Bell: Mr. Hundert.
William Hundert: Do you know why I called you in here?
Sedgewick Bell: Student of the Month?
William Hundert: Hardly.
[Mr. Hundert hands Sedgewick Bell his test]
William Hundert: I awarded you one point because you spelled your name correctly. Mr. Bell, I do not know what you think you are doing but this is unacceptable work. You must apply yourself...
Sedgewick Bell [interrupting and not paying attention]: You are not married, are you, sir?
William Hundert: Yes, I am unmarried. Now what does that have to do with anything you are talking about?
Sedgewick Bell: That is why you like making us wear dresses.
William Hundert: I have made arrangements to meet with your father. Is there anything you would like me to tell him for you?
Sedgewick Bell [shocked that Mr. Hundert would go to such an extent]: Tell him...I said hello.

Partager la citation sur facebook William Hundert: I met with your father.
Sedgewick Bell: So I have been told. He called me up and we had a real heart-to-heart.
William Hundert: I am giving you this.
Sedgewick Bell: What is it?
William Hundert: It is my textbook on classics when I was a high school student. Study Chapter 2. It has most of the material on tomorrow's quiz.
Sedgewick Bell: What for?
William Hundert: In preparation for the Mr. Julius Caesar competition. Sedgewick, I am giving you my book because I believe in you. You can be the top of your class if you wanted to be. It is up to you.

Partager la citation sur facebook [Mr. Julius Caesar semifinals]
Mr. Hundert: This is the final quiz. It will carry much weight in determining your final standing in the rankings for the Mr. Julius Caesar final. You have three hours. Good luck.
[Time progresses. Eventually each student finishes and submits the quiz. As time runs out the only ones still working are Martin Blythe and Sedgewick Bell. Martin submits his quiz. Sedgewick is still writing.]
Mr. Hundert: Mr. Bell, I really need the quiz now. I am sorry but your time has expired.
[Sedgewick raises his index finger whilst writing hurriedly]
Mr. Hundert: Mr. Bell, time is up!
[Sedgewick frantically works. Mr. Hundert slams a book shut, "getting his revenge" for the earlier class prank. Sedgewick is startled enough to surrender his quiz]
...
[Foyer. Boys excitedly wait to see the three finalists. Mr. Hundert posts notice]
Louis Massoudi: Yeah, man!
Sedgewick Bell: I gotta call my dad!
Martin Blythe: Rats!

Partager la citation sur facebook Mr. Hundert: That was quite an interesting performance.
[Sedgewick shows crib notes; tissue paper concealed inside his toga]
Sedgewick Bell: [sullen] I knew you saw. How come you did not call me out?
Mr. Hundert: It is a complicated matter.
Sedgewick Bell: Was it on account of my father?
Mr. Hundert: That had nothing to do with your father.
Sedgewick Bell: Sure, Mr. Hundert, sure.
[Mr. Hundert proceeds to his office. He is met by Mr. Ellerby]
Mr. Ellerby: William! Quite the performance! You know, I was thinking we could move the Mr. Julius Caesar competition to Alumni Weekend, instead of just any old day. That way we could have some former winners see the competition. Just some ideas which would auger well for your headmastership.
Mr. Hundert: Sedgewick Bell cheated.
Mr. Ellerby: What?! [inside office, where Hundert reveals the confrontation] Well, the pressure to succeed can be oppressive. Whether we think it was wrong or right, Woodbridge felt it in the school's best interest to give Sedgewick a pass. I mean, William, you did not put the boy on stage. He got that far on his own. And for that, you should be praised.
[Later, by himself, Mr. Hundert is looking over Sedgewick's fudged grade]
William Hundert: [as narrator] This began a long and rocky truce with Sedgewick Bell. Any trust we had in each other was snuffed out, as was any consideration by him with integrity and diligence. The subsequent years showed a series of pranks, crudeness and disrespect in general. [Scenes show Sedgewick dumping water on other students or vandalizing the Julius Caesar statue] As for the other students, his effect on them was almost hypnotic. He went through the motions in his classes, and his grades were an avalanche of C-s, Ds & Fs.
[1976. Sedgewick graduates Saint Benedict's (but barely)]
Mr. Woodbridge: Sedgewick Hiram Bell!
[Sedgewick walks across stage and shakes his rear end to an applauding audience]
William Hundert: [as narrator] Although his father's connections and status guaranteed him a place at Yale, it was in the spring of 1976 with a sense of profound sadness that I handed Sedgewick Bell his diploma.

Partager la citation sur facebook Miss Johnston: We have debated long and hard about taking you out of your classroom.
Mr. Castle: As you know, a headmaster's job is a rigorous one. One must be prepared to do battle 24 hours a day, sometimes it can feel like more.
William Hundert: Well, after rowing the lake every day for the past seven presidential administrations, with exceptions to inclement weather of course, I feel fit enough.
[Polite chuckles]
Miss Johnston: Mr. Hundert, what we are saying is this. What kind of fundraising experience do you have?
William Hundert: What are you getting at?
Miss Johnston: This is hard fact about Saint Benedict's. Enrollment is down. In light of what has happened recently, attendance at the military academies have spiked, and families are considering schools like Saint Benedict's as too old fashioned in this day and age. We need to stop doing outmoded ideas and look to the future. So..
William Hundert: Then who? Someone from the outside?
Mr. Castle: James Ellerby. Mr. Ellerby has proposed some very exciting fundraising possibilities.
William Hundert: Miss Johnston, I've been assistant headmaster for 17 years. I fail to see how Mr. Ellerby's qualifications as a fundraiser...
Miss Johnston: It's not just about fundraising. James Ellerby is a forward-thinking man. He's reached out to the community. He's built relationships to some of the most important alumni. He's a wonderful communicator, with impeccable moral standing and an unwavering commitment to this school. So...
William Hundert: Then you leave me no choice but to tender my resignation.
Mr. Castle: I would ask you not. You are a teacher, and the finest one we've ever had.
William Hundert: Please excuse me.
Mr. Castle: Please understand, Mr. Hundert, you will be welcome back here at Saint Benedict's anytime. The door will forever be open.

Partager la citation sur facebook William Hundert: I should have known Ellerby was conducting a cloak & dagger behind the scenes campaign for years to take the top spot. He is godfather to children of two different trustees, for crying out loud.
Elizabeth Hundert: Here is to Saint Benedict's, and your unexpected retirement. [Hunderts toast] Now that that chapter is over in our lives, any future plans?
William Hundert: I have always wanted to go into my father's line of work; to write. I have a good idea for a fictional book about the rise of the Roman Republic.
[Scenes show Mr. Hundert struggling with writer's block while Elizabeth tries to be supportive. One day Elizabeth enters his study]
Elizabeth Hundert: James Ellerby is on the phone.
[Headmaster's office. Mr. Ellerby shows Mr. Hundert a newspaper article depicting a full-grown Sedgewick Bell]
James Ellerby: The merger a few years back made him CEO of one of the foremost conglomerates in America.
William Hundert: What does that have to do with this meeting?
James Ellerby: The library is badly in need of repairs. Sedgewick Bell's company has offered to build a new multimillion dollar library, entirely paid by Sedgewick, to be named in honor of his late father. However, that is contingent on one condition: that he have a reunion of your 1972 fall class with you hosting a rematch of the Mr. Julius Caesar competition.
William Hundert: Why now?
James Ellerby: He claims he wants to regain his honor and display his knowledge after all this time. If this library is built it would be the largest donation in the history of the school.
William Ellerby: And a retired classics teacher with no fundraising experience is the linchpin in all this?
James Ellerby: Amazing how the wheel turns, William.
[Scene changes to a road on Long Island. Mr. Hundert has been picked up in a limousine]
James Ellerby: [narrating] Bell Industries owns a 5-star resort on the Gold Coast. You and all your students will be put up there.