White Banners (1938)
Claude Rains: Prof. Paul Ward
Quotes
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Paul Ward : But at a time like this when every nerve in me is crying out to fight...
Hannah : But that would be the easiest way. You must try and find courage not to...
Paul Ward : Courage!
Hannah : Not the showy kind that you get medals for but a private courage that only you know about.
Paul Ward : You're asking me to hoist a lot of white flags.
Hannah : Not white flags - white banners! You'd only be taking a new position and with it taking a new strength.
Paul Ward : White banners? It's an idea. It has a feeling of moving forward somewhere.
Hannah : Hasn't it? Maybe I'm too stupid to explain but I've learned that when you give up something that you really want, something that you feel you're entitled to, you gain a strange power that's worth more than the thing you've given up. For instance, you might fight those Ellis men and win, but think of the strength you'd squander. Couldn't you give all that up and set yourself free? Couldn't you use that strength for something important? Couldn't you?
Paul Ward : I don't know.
Hannah : You must trust whatever power there is you believe in. You mustn't bargain, you mustn't count on anything; whether little Sally is spared to us or not, you must go on trusting.
