Daily Dialogue — July 29, 2017

Mark Van Doren: I’m sorry, Charlie. I’m an old man, it’s all a little difficult for me to comprehend!
Charles Van Doren: It’s television, Dad. It’s… it’s just… just television…
Mark Van Doren: You make it sound like you didn’t have a choice!
Charles Van Doren: What was I supposed to do at that point, disillusion the whole goddamn country?
Mark Van Doren: Charlie, you took the money!
Charles Van Doren: Yes, yes, I took the money!
Mark Van Doren: Is that what this was about?
Charles Van Doren: No… no, um, I don’t know…
Mark Van Doren: It was a goddamn quiz show, Charlie.
Charles Van Doren: An ill-favored thing, sir…
Mark Van Doren: This is not the time to play games!
Charles Van Doren: At mine own, it was mine!
Mark Van Doren: Your name is mine!

— Quiz Show (1994), screenplay by Paul Attanasio, book by Richard N. Goodwin

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Television.

Trivia: This film features at least four directors in small roles: Martin Scorsese, Griffin Dunne, Barry Levinson, and Douglas McGrath.

Dialogue On Dialogue: The fateful revelation, son to father.