Film anecdote

For my anecdote, I have selected the scene where John Preston (Christian Bale) finds Partridge (Sean Bean) in a church reading Yeats. The scene opens with Partridge reading the poetry and Preston enters from the side. Sinister music begins to play as Preston approaches Partridge who continues reading. He says to Preston “You always knew,” and then begins to quote Yeats as he slowly puts the book down saying “But I being poor, have only my dreams, I have spread my dreams under your feet, tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” As he asks Preston if he dreams, Preston quickly changes the subject to tell Partridge he will try to have them go easy on him.  Both men know that they never go easy on sense offenders and that Partridge will never be seen of again. Preston coldly tells Partridge he is sorry, to which Partridge replies that he is not, “ You don’t even know the meaning of the word, It's just a vestigial word for a feeling you've never felt.” Preston attempts to justify the work that clerics do, saying that they have eliminated war and murder which Partridge believes is a heavy cost which he would glady pay to feel. The music speeds up and becomes louder as Preston raises his gun to Partridge, as Partridge turns the safety off on his own gun and raises the book to cover his face, Preston shoots him in the head. The light from the church windows shines behind Preston as the camera pans out and Brandt (Taye Diggs) greets him at the door.

I selected this part of the film because it is a major turning point in the film's plot. Preston sees his partner fall and while at the time he does not understand how someone could succumb to their emotions, this scene greatly foreshadows later parts of the movie.