Rollerball (1975)

John Houseman: Bartholomew

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Quotes 

• Bartholomew : Sweet dreams, Moonpie. That's a bad habit you've got there. You know what that habit will make you dream, Moonpie? You'll dream you're an executive. You'll have your hands on all the controls, and you will wear a gray suit, and you will make decisions. But you know what, Moonpie? You know what those executives dream about out there behind their desks? They dream they're great Rollerballers. They dream they're Jonathan; they have muscles, they bash in faces.

• Bartholomew : The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort.

• Bartholomew : [in a video conference with other corporate executives]  In my opinion, we are confronted here with something of a situation. Otherwise, I would not have presumed to take up your time. Once again, it concerns the case of Jonathan E. We know we don't want anything extraordinary to happen to Jonathan. We've already agreeed on that. No accidents, nothing unnatural. The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort. And the game must do its work. The Energy Corporation has done all it can, and if a champion defeats the meaning for which the game was designed, then he must lose. I hope you agree with my reasoning.

• Bartholomew : No player is greater than the game itself. It's a significant game, in a number of ways, the velocities of the ball, the awful physics of the track, and in the middle of it all: men - playing by an odd set of rules. It's not a game man is supposed to grow strong in, Jonathan. You appreciate that, don't you?

• Bartholomew : You can be made to quit, you know. You can be forced.

  Jonathan E. : You can't make me quit.

  Bartholomew : Don't tell me I can't. Don't EVER say that. I can. YOU can be stopped.

  [as Jonathan E. leaves the room, he turns up the volume of a TV set, as thousands of spectators are cheering his name] 

• Jonathan E. : If the rule changes stay the same, Mr. Bartholomew, I'm playing with my team.

  Bartholomew : Too late. The rule changes are already scheduled and announced. There's no going back. You saw to that.

  Jonathan E. : Then I'll see you in Tokyo.

• Bartholomew : Jonathan, let's think this through together. You know how the game serves us. It's a definite social purpose. Nations are bankrupt. Gone. None of that tribal warfare anymore. Even the Corporate Wars are a thing of the past.

  Jonathan E. : I know that, I just...

  Bartholomew : Now, we have the majors and their executives. Transport. Food. Communication. Housing. Luxury. Energy. A few of us making decisions on a global basis for a common good.

  Jonathan E. : The team is a unit that plays with certain rhythms.

  Bartholomew : So does an executive team, Jonathan. Now, everyone has all the comforts. You know that. No poverty. No sickness. No needs and many luxuries - which you enjoy - just as if you were in the executive class. Corporate society takes care of everything. And all it asks of anyone, all it's ever asked of anyone, ever, is not to interfere with management decisions.

  Jonathan E. : I don't mean to resist. I'm just tryin' to understand.

  Bartholomew : It's for your own benefit. You must know that, Jonathan. All decisions concerning you are.

• Jonathan E. : I lost Ella. The corporation took my wife away because an executive wanted her.

  Bartholomew : I'm not going to review all that again. It was before I took over here and I had nothing to do with it. From what I hear, your wife wanted to leave herself.

• Bartholomew : So, now you're going to retire. It shouldn't be too hard for you. It's a stupid game, after all. Awful game. You ought to be glad to be out of it.

• Bartholomew : You're bargaining for the right to stay in a horrible social spectacle. It has its purposes. You've served those purposes brilliantly. Why argue when you can quit? And you say you want to know why decisions are made. Your future comfort is assured. You don't need to know! Why argue about decisions you're not powerful enough to make for yourself?

• Bartholomew : Try to understand it, Jonathan. Do try to understand it. Because I don't understand your resistance. And I don't think anyone else will, either.

• Bartholomew : Come in, Jonathan. Keep silence with me for a minute, won't you?

  [pause] 

  Bartholomew : It's important to have a place to think things out.

• Bartholomew : You've had an amazing career, Jonathan. You know how proud we are of the Houston team and what we think of you - at Energy. Now there are executives who want you out.

  Jonathan E. : Sir?

  Bartholomew : For 10 years in this game, Jonathan. Longer than anyone, ever.

  Jonathan E. : Retire? How could I do that?

• Bartholomew : Take your time. Take a few days. You've just come through a game, you're tired. Go to your ranch, but think about it and understand it. *Do* understand it.

• Bartholomew : Corporate society is an inevitable destiny. A material dream world. Everything man touched became attained.