I was recently asked by a dear friend of mine what my favorite movie quote of all time was and I was challenged yet not perplexed. I immediately directed my focus to my Top Ten Movie List and pinged the likes of “End of the Spear“, “Braveheart“, “Gladiator“, “To End All Wars“, “Patch Adams“, and of COURSE “Three Amigos!“. From the epic “Father to a murdered son…” Maximus line to the ingenious “Infamous?…INfamous?” Dusty Bottoms bit I was getting pretty torn and not sure how I could ever possibly figure this out.
But, like the day Mr. Bryce Vankooten pegged me with the challenge of finding a Top Ten Movie List I was determined to lock this one down. “End of the Spear” is at the top of that movie list as it single-handedly impacted my life more than any other film. But, I could not pull a single quote from the film that was “all inclusive”, the film itself, the incredible story is what changed my life. With that said, I went to number two on the list…Braveheart.
I knew William Wallace was going to get the vote and was absolutely delighted when I was reminded of his epic speech at the Battle of Sterling, I had found my gem. As the young, scrappy, outmatched Scots awaited their leaders to announce their retreat and surrender of their freedom the zealous and passionate Wallace rides to the front of the army with his crazy cohorts. The entirety of the speech is worth the nomination, but picking a single quote this one takes the gold:
“Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live… at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!”
I believe every human being that ever lived is faced with this same choice. There is not a day that passes by that a battle of eternal proportions is being fought on this earth. We can choose to run and seemingly live and wake up many years from now only to find that we should have given up our lives years ago. The one who put it best said: “He who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it.”
So, what does it mean to be free? What does it mean to lose your life?
Eric
April 15, 2011
Todd! I can’t think of a single, all-encompassing favorite movie quote of all time, but this one jumped to my mind first – the ending speech from The Shawshank Redemption.
“For the second time in my life, I’m guilty of committing a crime – parole violation. Course, I doubt they’ll toss up any roadblocks for that. Not for an old crook like me.
I find I’m so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel – a free man at the start of a long journey, whose conclusion is uncertain.
I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
There is so much spiritual truth in this movie. The concept of hope resonates incredibly strongly with me. Maybe it’s because like Red, I too feel I have been set free from prison. That like Red, I too long to cross a border into a land unseen. I too hope to see my Friend and shake His hand.
Are not all our longings for Heaven of this type?
toddstevenson
June 3, 2011
Dude, such a good movie! We should watch it again some time, I haven’t seen it in ages and it was one of the first films that revealed the power of film to change my, and others lives.