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Robert Bolt Biography

Robert Oxton Bolt, CBE (15 August 1924 – 21 February 1995) was an English playwright and a two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter, known for writing the screenplays for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and A Man for All Seasons, the latter two of which won him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

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Robert Bolt Quotes

When statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.

Chaos, Country, Forsake, Sake, Statesmen

The man who tells lies hides the truth, but the man who tells half-lies has forgotten where he put it.

Forgotten, Half, Lies, Lying, Men, Tells

Morality's not practical. Morality's a gesture. A complicated gesture learnt from books.

Book, Books, Complicated, Gesture, Gestures, Morality

This account of him [Thomas More] developed as I wrote: what first attracted me was a person who could not be accused of any incapacity for life, who indeed seized life in great variety and almost greedy quantities, who nevertheless found something in himself without which life was valueless and when that was denied him was able to grasp his death.

Able, Firsts, Greedy, Incapacity, Seized, Valueless

When a man takes an oath. . . he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water.

Hands, Holding, Men, Self, Water

I wish we could all have good luck, all the time! I wish we had wings! I wish rain water was beer!

Beer, Good Luck, Luck, Rain, Time

It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. . . but for Wales!

Give, Giving, Men, Soul, Wales, Whole

I'm breathing. . . are you breathing too? It's nice, isn't it?

Breathing, Nice

Thomas More:. . . And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned around on you--where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast--man's laws, not God's--and if you cut them down. . . d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.

Blow, Country, Cutting, Planted, Think, Upright

Death comes for us all. Even for kings he comes.

Death, Kings

Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh.

Birthday, Death, Dying, Nigh, Stand

If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that
needs
no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all. . . why then perhaps we
must
stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes.

Angel, Choose, Greed, Hero, Humility, Profitable

A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses; it is an idea that possesses the mind.

Believe, Ideas, Merely, Mind, Possesses

The law is not a 'light' for you or any man to see by; the law is not an instrument of any kind. The law is a causeway upon which so long as he keeps to it a citizen may walk safely.

Causeway, Instrument, Keeps, Law, Light, Men

Your taste in music is excellent. It exactly coinsides with my own!

Exactly, Excellent, Music, Music Is, Taste In Music

Thomas More: Will, I'd trust you with my life. But not your principles. You see, we speak of being anchored to our principles. But if the weather turns nasty you up with an anchor and let it down where there's less wind, and the fishing's better. And "Look," we say, "look, I'm anchored! To my principles!

Anchored, Anchors, Fishing, Principles, Weather, Wind

Some men think the Earth is round, others think it flat; it is a matter capable of question. But, if it is flat, will the King's command make it round? And, if it is round, will the King's command flatten it?

Command, Flatten, Kings, Men, Round, Thinking

Good marriages are made in heaven. Or some such place.

Good, Good Marriage, Heaven, Made, Place

I am used to hear bad men misuse the name of God, yet God exists.

Men, Misuse, Name, Names

Doin' nothing's a dangerous occupation.

Dangerous, Doin, Occupation