DAY 11- Month of Movie Quotes: Rigoletto (1993)

Ribaldi: There is nothing more mean and ugly in this world than to have a beautiful gift, a loving spirit, and a desire to give and share these things, when there is nobody to share them with. You know what I mean, don’t you, Porter? Is it your father?

Porter: I hate. I hate my d-dad.

Ribaldi: Do you know what I think?

Porter: W-what?

Ribaldi: I think that you love your father. And you hate the way you feel. Change the way you feel.

Porter: He doesn’t deserve love! He’s mean and selfish. He doesn’t care about us! He only cares about himself. I hate him! He should love us! He should take us hiking, fishing, teach us how to play ball.

Ribaldi: Sometimes it takes hard times to make us gentle and strong.

Porter: How can it do both? It just makes my dad mean.

Ribaldi: Meanness isn’t strength. Your father is not a strong man. Not yet anyway. But who knows what tomorrow brings?

You mustn’t give up on him. He needs the love of his family now just as you need his love, and someday you’ll both get what you need.

This is not from an award winning film by any means. But I do love this scene. Rigoletto, or Ribaldi, has a disfigured face and lives in a mansion far from a small town. He is viewed as monstrous and cruel but slowly over time he helps the town and its inhabitants.

In this case he talks to a boy Porter, whose father has no job and takes out his frustrations on his family. A little broken hearted , Porter goes out one particular evening when his father’s yelling is too much to bear. That is when he speaks to Ribaldi.

I love this scene because it deals with forgiveness and charitable love. There are so many hurts inside us which can be healed through letting go and loving, regardless of circumstances with others. So much can change from simply loving.

Book Quote: The Paper Magician (2014)

The context of this passage is interesting. Ceony is traveling through the four corners of her teacher’s heart, encountering different parts of himself. She saw his proud and happy moments, his hopes and aspirations and here she encounters the parts of himself he can’t forgive: the dark corners each of us have but choose to overcome or cultivate. The greatest battle is the one within ourselves.

What about my mistakes? I think about them, too, but where would I be if I thought of nothing else? What sort of person would I be if I drowned in them?

…

‘I forgive you Emery.’ Ceony repeated. ‘I’ve seen all of it, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t intend any of this to happen. ‘ She blinked away tears and stifled a sob lurking deep I get throat. ‘But I forgive you. It’s okay now. ‘

…

‘You don’t have the power to forgive.’

‘Then forgive yourself! ‘ She shouted, pushing herself back up. She pressed her palm against the wall for support. ‘Everyone has a dark side! But its their choice whether or not to cultivate it. Don’t you understands? Laura’s exploited hers, but not you. Not you Emery Thane.’ -Charlie M. Holmburg