Of course, this competition, this year's event,
would not have been possible if it hadn't been for the passion...
of our moderator.
I giveyou our learned Mr. Hundert.
[Boy] Mr. H.!
Headmaster. Gentlemen.
Ladies. Distinguished guests.
Questions will be posed to our threeyoung scholars...
in increasing levels of difficulty.
I askyou all to please hold your applause...
till the end of each round.
May the best man win.
Mr. Masoudi,
which emperor sought to return...
all power to the Senate,
only to garner even greater power?
Augustus, r-right?
Correct. Oh.
Mr. Mehta,
who introduced the professional army to Rome?
Gaius Marius, sir, in 1 04 B.C. Correct.
Mr. Bell,
on which Roman hill...
was the infamous Tarpeian Rock?
[ Coughs ]
[ Whispering ] It's Capitoline.
Uh, Capitoline?
Correct.
Mr. Masoudi, what is the full name ofthe author ofthe Georgics?
Publius Vergilius Maro.
Military conquest of 1 06 A.D. involved the bridging of the Danube?
Trajan conquers Dacia. Correct.
What Roman Emperor might the Greeks have characterized "philosopher king"?
- Marcus Aurelius. - Correct.
[Boy] All right, Sedgewick!
Quiet.
Quiet, please.
Mr. Masoudi--
Mr. Masoudi, who were the first emperors...
to rule over the divided empire?
Valentinian I and Caecina.
I 'm sorry, that is incorrect.
[ Crowd Groans ]
Mr. Mehta?
Valentinian I and Valens.
Correct. Thankyou, Mr. Masoudi. [Applause ]
You may sit down.
[Hundert ] Well done. [ Boy] Goodjob, man.
Mr. Bell, which general...
had the support of the aristocrats...
in the civil war of 88 B.C.?
[ Whispering ] Sulla.
Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
That is correct.
That's my boy!
Mr. Woodbridge, I think Sedgewick Bell is cheating.
Let it go. What?
Ignore it.
Ignore it? Ignore it.
Mr. Mehta, into how many administrative regions did Augustus divide Rome?
Fourteen.
Excuse me? Howmany?
- Fourteen. - That is correct.
[Boy] All right, Deepak! Whoo! [Applause ]
Mr. Bell,
who was Hamilcar Barca?
Would you repeat the question, please?
Who was Hamilcar Barca?
I don't know. [ Crowd Groaning]
Mr. Mehta, who was Hamilcar Barca?
The Carthaginian general victorious in the battle ofDrepana in 249.
An unequaled commander with the misfortune ofbeing on the wrong side.
That is correct.
[Applause, Cheers ]
Thank you, Louis. Thank you.
Mr. J ulius Caesar.
Harrison, how's yoursister? You better not speak to her.
Mr. H., good job, man. Goodjob, Mr. Hundert.
[Boy] Hey,Jeremy! Howyou doin'?
[ Knocking] [ Door Opening]
[ Door Closing]
That was quite an interesting performance this afternoon.
I knew you saw.
Why, Sedgewick?
You knew the material.
Why not?
How come you didn't stand up and call me out?
It's a complicated matter, Sedgewick.
It wasn't because of my father, was it?
It had nothing to do with your father.
Sure, Mr. Hundert. Sure.
[Door Closing]
William!
I came by to congratulateyou. That was terrific!
Sedgewick Bell-- quite the surprise. Yes.
He's come a long way. You must be very proud of him.
It makes forwonderful theater.
In fact, I was thinking, I might make the suggestion toyou, and to Mr. Woodbridge,
that in the future more alumni are invited.
Not just the parents ofthe finalists, but maybe all ofthe alumni.
You know? And instead ofit happening just on any old weekday,
think about making it a weekend event.
You know, for fund-raising, which would augurwell foryour headmastership.
Mmm. What's wrong?
[ Sighs ]
Sedgewick cheated.
What? Come in.
Well, the pressure to succeed can be oppressive.
And, right orwrong,
Woodbridge felt it was in the best interests ofthe school's endowment to let it pass.
Come on. William,you didn't put the boyup on the stage.
He got there on his own merit.
Allyou did was inspire him...
to study and to learn, and for that you should be commended.
And thus began an uneasy truce...
between Sedgewick Bell and myself.
Whateverspark had ignited him during the previous months...
was now extinguished.
And his briefflirtation with diligence...
was supplanted by a renewed appetite for brashness,
contempt and folly.
As for his classmates, his effect on them was almost hypnotic.
Wherever he went, they hovered,
Sedgewick for class president. utterly blind to any deficiencies in his character.
Food fight!
So, his remainingyears at Saint Benedict's passed...
amidst an inexhaustible series ofpranks,
and an avalanche ofC's and D's.
Sedgewick Hyram Bel l.
And though his father's influence guaranteed him a place at Yale,
it was with a profound sense offailure,
that in the spring of 1 976,
I handed Sedgewick Bell his diploma.
[ Bell Tolling ]
According to Heraclitus,
we cannot step into the same river twice.
"In the flow oftime, " he argued,
"an opportunity lost is lost forever."
Andyet, when Elizabeth 's marriage ended and she returned home from England,
the waters in which we found ourselves swimming...
were precisely as lovely as those we had earlier only imagined.
But iftime had made concessions for love,
it made none for death.
And when our headmaster, Terence Woodbridge, passed away,
I felt profound sadness.
Though the incident with Sedgewick Bell had tested our friendship,
he had for halfa century...
devoted himself to St. Benedict's tradition of academic and moral leadership--
A tradition, I realized, that was now mine...
to safeguard.
Good I uck, Mr. H undert.
Thank you, Mr. Horner.
Everyone. Welcome.
Larry, good to see you.
Hi. Mr. Phillips.
Mr. Hundert. Good to see you again.
Uh, please take a seat.
Uh-- Let's get right to it, shall we?
As you wish.
Mr. Hundert, your contributions at Saint Benedict's have been extraordinary.
Your tenure is unmatched, and you are loved and revered by all.
The notion oftaking you away from your classroom...
is one to which we've given great thought.
A headmaster's job is a rigorous one.
The travel demands and meeting schedules have become unending.
One must be prepared to do battle 24 hours a day and sometimes longer.
Well, having rowedourlake everyday, weatherpermitting,
through the last seven presidential administrations,
I feel more than ready to do battle.
What we're saying, Mr. Hundert, is--
Mr. Hundert, what experience doyou have...
with fund-raising or building endowments?
Mr. Hundert, we can't afford to loseyou as a teacherhere.
The reality is this. Enrollment is down.
People are thinking ofSaint Benedict's as old-fashioned.
We need to look more to the future andless to the past.
Then who?
Someone from the outside?
James Ellerby.
Excuse me?
You did realize he made application for the job.
Mr. Ellerbyhas proposed some very exciting... No.
fund-raisingpossibilities.
Miss Johnston, I've been assistant headmaster for 1 7 years.
I fail to see how Mr. Ellerby's...
qualifications as a fund-raiser--
It's notjust about fund-raising.
James Ellerby is a forward-thinking man.
He's reached out to the community.
He's built relationships to some ofthe most important alumni.
He is a wonderful communicator,
with impeccable moral standing...
and an unwavering commitment to this school.
So--
Then you leave me no choice but to tender my resignation.
I would askyou not to.
You are a teacher, and the finest one we've ever had.
Please excuse me.
Please understand, Mr. Hundert, you will be welcome back here at Saint Benedict's at any time.
Th-The door will foreverbe open.
I'm still shocked at James Ellerby.
Oh, I'm not. I'm only shocked that I didn't see it coming.
I realize now he'd been conducting a behind-the-scenes campaign foryears.
He's godfather to two ofthe board members' children, for God's sake.
[ Sighs ]
I have...
so many other things...
that I've always wanted to do.
I-I've always wanted to write.
I have an idea for a book on the early days ofthe Republic.
Well,
here's to Saint Benedict's.
I broughtyou some tea.
Mmm.
Going well?
Oh, it's virtually writing itself.
Good. Then I won't interruptyou.
Carryon, then. Good writing.
[ Sighs ]
William?
James Ellerby's on the phone.
The merger makes him C.E.O. of one of the largest corporations in America.
But what does any ofthis have to do with me?
Here's the thing. He's informed us that he would like to make...
a substantial donation to Saint Benedict's...
with one condition.
He would like to hold a rematch ofthe Mr.Julius Caesar contest.
A rematch?
With you as master of ceremonies.
Why?
He says he would like to reclaim his intellectual honor.
Andhesays his secretary's alreadylocated Louis Masoudi and Deepak Mehta...
and doesn't really anticipate too much trouble tracking down the others.
Didn't you tell him I had retired?
Well, he asked foryou and onlyyou.
He insisted on it as a condition.
And did Mr. Bell say how much ofa donation he was planning to make to Saint Benedict's?
Enough for a 25,000-square-foot addition to the library...
in honor ofhis father.
Itwould be the school's single largest donation to date.
And a retired history professor with no fund-raising ability is the linchpin.
Yes.
It's ironic.
Life's a funnything, William, huh?
Where does hepropose to holdthis rematch?
[Ellerby]A resort on the Gold Coast ofLong Island that his company owns.
The proposed itinerary is all in here.
[ Helicopter Whirring ]
Ah, Mr. H undert.
Mr. Bel l.
And how was your tri p?
I t was unlike anything I 've ever experienced.
I now know how Caesar Augustus must have felt...
being carried head high in the litter past the Tiber. Oh, really?
It's all a bit overwhelming.
Well, don't let this fool you. I am still the son ofa pig farmer.
I really appreciate you coming here this weekend.
You know, you think things that happen when you're 1 5 don't matter, but--
[ Chattering ]
[Man ] Greatparty. I'm so glad to seeyou.
[Bell] I mean, this guy-- youshould have saw him in boardingschool.
I mean, oh-- Excuse me, guys, I'll be right back.
Mr. Hundert. Please.
Sedgewick. Please come and join us.
I'd like you to meet my top two advisors. This is John.
Hi,John. Hi, Mr. Hundert.
- And Robert. - How doyou do, Mr. Hundert?
- Verywell, thankyou. - And, my lovelywife, Victoria.
So nice to finally meetyou, sir. I've heard so much aboutyou.
All right, all right!
[Bell] This is the time ofthe evening...
where I'dlike to call upon a unique g--
Oh, Brewster.
I'd like to call upon a unique gentleman,
one who managed to chisel the rise and fall of the Roman Empire into our minds,
whether we liked it or not.
- Our Mr. Hundert. - [Man ] Hear! Hear!
[Applause ]
I must say, um-- You've all grown up.
I feel as if I should do roll call...
just to be sure to whom I'm speaking.
Seriously, to stand here among...
my students--
[ Laughing ]
I expect to see you all in detention.
[ Together] Oh, whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!
Now, risen to become...
a bunch of drunken reprobates...
who are now a veritable who's who of American industry,
Iaw, finance and higher education.
Well, I can think offew greater privileges.
I thankyou.
[ Laughs ]
More coffee, sir? Yes. Thankyou.
Mr. Hundert?
Martin. Martin Blythe.
It's good to seeyou again, sir.
Whenyou weren't at the dinnerlast night, I was worried that perhaps--
That I wasn't gonna make it?
Oh, come on, Mr. Hundert. I wouldn't miss this.
You know, I was going over my notes the other day...
in preparation for the-- The competition.
Yes, and I-I came across an essay...
thatyou once wrote on the Five Good Emperors.
It's amazing. You were--
You were always a wonderful student, Martin.
I, uh,
I never quite gaveyou your due.
Now, whywould you say that?
Oh, I don't know, I--
My God, Mr. Hundert, you--
That recommendation you wrote when I applied for the Academy--
It was glowing. It was--
Of course you gave me my due.
You gave me more than my due.
[ Shouting, Indistinct ]
Grab his wrists! Push.
Okay, Deepak. With what emperor did theJulio-Claudian dynasty come to an end?
Mmm. Masoudi?
Nero.
We did it! Yeah! Good job, Robert. All right, all right.
Time to study.
No. Come on, Dad! One more game?
[Knocking]
Come in.
- Sorryto botheryou, sir. - Oh, no bother.
How are you, Sedgewick? I am fine.
I have something foryou.
Oh, my God.
I hope there's no late fee.
I understand now why it meant so much to you.
"The Greeks carve cold marble until it almost comes to life.
"The Greeks compose great orations...
"and measure the heavens so well they can predict the rising ofthe stars.
"Butyou, Roman, rememberyour great arts.
"To govern the people with authority...
"to establish peace under the rule oflaw.
To conquer the mighty, and to show them mercy once they are conquered."'
Well, it's nice to see you haven't marked it up. [ Chuckles ]
Yeah, I had my moments, didn't I?
Youryears, you mean.
Why did you put up with me?
I suppose because...
I saw a young man who was under a great deal of pressure.
And, not unlikeyour upbringing,
I too had a-- a father who was a very busy man.
[ Chuckles ] You know, it's funny.
I remembertraveling with myfather,
and there wasn't a person he didn't know.
He talked, and he told stories, and he was,
he was always full of advice, always charming, and always...
the Senator.
But I can hardlyremember having a real conversation with him.
I n fact, I wonder if he ever heard a word I'd spoken.
Years ago, I, uh,
visited him in the hospital and he was very, very sick.
And it took a moment forhim to realize I was at his bedside.
And he began to cry.
And through his tears, he looked up at me and he said,
"Talk to me."'
[ Chuckles ]
I wondered where to begin. I had no idea.
But at the very moment I started to talk,
he closed his eyes and he passed away...
without having heard a word.
Ah, that son of a bitch.
Oh, God. Thanks. Thanks again, Mr. Hundert,
for, uh, for making all this possible.
It is my extreme pleasure.
I'm looking forward to this evening. Best ofluck.
Oh, much obliged. I'll need all the help I can get.
I don't think so.
Seeya downstairs. I'll seeyou downstairs.
[Applause ]
[ Man ] Go, Deepak!
[ Man ] All right, Sedgewick!
It's not a good time. I've gotta call you right back. Thankyou. Bye.
Sorry, sir.
Wereyou talking toyourbroker?
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
Our three scholars will be posed questions...
on ancient history in increasing levels of difficulty.
I askyou to please hold your applause until the end of each round.
May the best man win.
Mr. Masoudi, areyou ready?
Mr. Hundert, I am Julius Caesar.
[Laughing]
Mr. Caesar,
ofthe first eight emperors,
which name is omitted from the following list?
Augustus, Tiberius,
Caligula, Nero, Vespasian,
Titus, Domitian.
Trajan.
I'm sorry. That is incorrect.
Oh. Was it Marcus Aurelius?
- No. - Commodus?
- No. - Oh. Septimus?
Nope. Gaseous Flatulus?
I'm sorry. None ofthe above.
[ Clears Throat ] The question goes to Mr. Mehta. Would you like me to repeat the question?
No, sir. It's Claudius, sir. That is correct.
- See, I knew that. - It was a short reign, but a happy one.
You may be seated, Mr. Masoudi.
Thankyou. Thankyou foryour kindness.
[Man ] That's all right, Lou.
Now you can checkyour messages.
Uh, Mr. Bell,
please translate, ifyou will, alea jacta est.
Tell me who uttered these words, and on what occasion.
Aleajacta est. "The die is cast."'
Caesar spoke these words as he crossed the Rubicon in defiance ofhis government.
That is correct.
I've been studying. I can see that.
Mr. Mehta,
what yearwas the Roman army crushed at Lake Trasimene?
21 7 B.C., sir.
Correct.
Mr. Bell, who was the last emperor...
of the Western Empire?
Romulus Augu--
[ Clears Throat ] Romulus Augustulus.
Correct.
- Mr. Mehta. - Milvian Bridge.
- Correct. - Lex Vatinia.
- Very good. - Praetorian Guard.
- [Bell] Marcus Aurelius. - Theodosius II.
- That is correct. - Comitia Tributa.
- The Hadrianic rotunda. - Well done.
Mr. Bell,
which tribes invaded Rome in 1 02 B.C.?
Um--
[Hundert] Takeyourtime.
The Teutons.
Oh, um-- God.
Um--
[ Sighs ]
I'm gonna take a stab here. Uh--
The Cimbri?
That is correct.
Well done. I'm impressed.
Thankyou very much. Good. I'm--
Mr. Mehta-- [ Clears Throat]
What was Caracalla's greatest constit--
greatest constitutional reform?
He granted citizenship to all free male inhabitants of the empire.
That is correct.
Mr. Bell,
who was Shutruk-Nahhunte?
[Chuckling]
Shutruk-Nahhunte, huh?
Come on, Bell. It was above the damn door.
The door! He's gotta know this.
The door, Sedgewick! Come on!
Come on, Sedgewick.
The plaque!
I guess if Deepak can nab this one,
then it's his ball game.
Mr. Mehta, who was Shutruk-Nahhunte?
Shutruk-Nahhunte, King ofAnsham and Susa,
sovereign ofthe land of Elam.
That is correct. [Cheering, Clapping]
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr.Julius Caesar!
- Hail, Caesar! - Hail, Caesar!
- Congratulations. Goodjob. - [Man ] Hail, Caesar!
Congratulations, Deepak.
Thankyou very much, Mr. Hundert. Good job.
I suppose ifyou're gonna lose, you may as well lose to the brightest.
Deepak Mehta.
And thanks again, Mr. Hundert.
Yourvirtue is a beacon oflight.
All right, Mr. H.!
Oh, no, Mr. Hundert. Please stay.
And thankyou all.
We've had a great deal of fun this weekend,
and we, uh, probably shouldn't wait another 25 years till we do it again.
[Man ] I'llsay.
But there's a more serious side to this gathering.
One that concerns every one ofus.
Because all ofus here, I believe,
care about the quality ofeducation in this country.
And not just at places I i ke Sai nt Benedict's,
not just for our children,
but for the nation's children.
Because we all care about our country's future--
Marty--
about its moral leadership,
about its fiscal leadership.
And because we know that, as a generation,
it is our time to lead.
And why I stand before you now,
to tell you my intentions of following in the formidable footsteps of my father,
andannounce mybid fora seat in the United States Senate.
And I want to askyou all foryoursupport.
[ Man ] He's got my vote!
Congratulations. Sedgewick, congratulations.
[ Chattering, I ndistinct ]
Here you are.
There's about, uh, 30 balding, middle-aged men out there looking foryou, Professor.
Well, some things can't wait.
[ Sighs ]
God, you were great this evening.
You're like fine wine. You improve with age.
[Urinal Flushes ]
Everything all right?
Yes, I'm fine. Yeah? You don't--
You don't look so fine. I'm all right. Thankyou.
Well, then hurry up and come join the celebration.
How long haveyou been hard ofhearing, Sedgewick?
[ Sighs ]
Uh-- [ Chuckles ]
Very good, Mr. Hundert. Very--
Very good. Yeah.
Boy, I thought you might've known.
Who's the poor mercenary who was feeding you the answers?
Oh, just some graduate student. Gave him a couple hundred bucks and a warm meal.
I trustyou'llkeep this between us.
As always.
I trust you will.
Do you mean am I going to go out there...
and expose you for a liar and a cheat?
No.
I'm a teacher, Sedgewick.
And I failed you--
As a teacher.
But I will give you one last lecture,
if I may.
All of us,
at some point, are forced...
to look at ourselves in the mirror,
and see who we really are.
And when that day comes foryou, Sedgewick,
you will be confronted with a life...
Iived without virtue,
without principle,
and for that I pityyou.
End oflesson.
Well, can I say, Mr. Hundert,
who gives a shit?
Honestly.
Who out there gives a shit...
aboutyour principles and yourvirtues?
I mean, look atyou.
What doyou have to show foryourself?
I live in the real world, where people do what they need to do to get what theywant.
And ifit's lying and it's cheating, then so be it.
So, I am gonna go out there,
and I am going to win that election, Mr. Hundert,
and you will see me everywhere.
And I'll worry about my contribution later.
[Toilet Flushing]
Robert.
And a, uh, vodka tonic, please. Yes, sir.
Oh, Mr. Hundert. Martin, could I have a minute?
Oh, sure, sure. I-I enjoyed that so much, sir.
I-I-I'm so sorry mywife and my kids couldn't be here to see it.
You know, I really thought Sedgewickwas gonna take it from him this time.
It was amazing. Martin, that was supposed to beyou up there.
I'm... sorry?
All thoseyears ago,
it was supposed to beyou.
Well, no. I-I wasn't one ofthe original three finalists.
You were. I gaveyour spot away.
It may not mean anything toyou, but...
I wanted you to know that.
Okay.
I'm sorry, Martin.
No, that's-that's okay.
I-I don't know what I'm supposed to say.
Um, I've got to, um--
You know, Deepak is waiting for me.
Will I seeyou at breakfast tomorrow?
Sure.
Good.
[Man ] Andhere's the key you were looking for.
[Bell] That's-- That's veryimportant to us.
[Phone Ringing] I think it should be important to people in our country.
I think that it's-- it's important.
My father, Hyram Bell, instilled in me a sense ofprinciples.
What I thi nk this country real ly needs,
it's that sense of-- ofright and wrong.
[ Phone Ringing] And we're, uh, speaking of, ofhow we can make this...
better with education, to-to reach out...
and really get to the children,
to teach them the sense...
ofprinciples andsense ofcontribution.
Mr. Hundert.
Have I come to the wrong place for breakfast?
Not at all. But unfortunately you've missed everyone.
Missed everyone? Well, they seemed to be rather in a hurry.
Some ofthem had planes to catch.
But they did say to say good-bye to you.
I'm sure I could find you something to eat ifyou'd like.
No, no. Thankyou.
W-Was there-- Thankyou.
Hail, Caesar!
[ Chattering, Indistinct]
Get a picture really quick. There it is.
[Shutter Clicks ] Look at him. He looks great.
Oh, the bat! Gimme the bat, the bat.
Mr.-- Mr. Hundert, we have something we'd like to present to you.
The only man who could make Homer a hit,
our slugger, Mr. Hundert.
[Laughter] Doyou remember?
I remember. Hey, be careful of the window overthere, Mr. H.!
Eloquently put, Mr. Masoudi, et al. Uh, thankyou.
Deepak, the, uh, the, uh, plaque.
"A great teacher has little external history to record.
"His life goes over into otherlives.
"These men are pillars in the intimate structure ofour schools.
"They are more essential than its stones or beams.
"And they will continue to be a kindling force,
and a revealing power in our lives."
Thank you, Mr. Hundert.
Thank you, Deepak.
I, uh--
He's speechless for the first time in his life.
Whatever I may have taught you gentlemen,
um, manyyears ago,
I want to thankyou for this weekend,
becauseyou have taught me something...
ofinestimable value.
Thankyou.
To Mr. Hundert. Toyou, sir!
To Mr. H.!
Thankyou. Here. Oh, I'm sorry.
To you.
[Helicopter Whirring]
I hadcome here in the hope that I had been wrong about Sedgewick Bell.
Or rather, that I had been right--
right to believe in him all those years ago.
But this is a story without surprises.
As a student ofhistory, I could be shocked...
neither by his audacity, nor his success.
I had failed Sedgewick.
But the worth ofa life is not determined...
by a single failure, or a solitary success.
My other students taught me that.
However much we stumble,
it is a teacher's burden always to hope...
that with learning, a boy's character might be changed.
And, so, the destiny ofa man.
[ Boy] Good morning, Mr. Hundert. Good morni ng.
[ Hundert ] Your name, sir? William Simon, sir.
- And your name? - Howard Hol lander.
- And yours, sir? - George Duncan.
And your name, sir? Alec Matthews.
- And yours, miss? - Kathryn Scott.
- And your name? - Tawana Carver.
- And yours, sir? - Steven Wong.
Very good. Very good.
My name is Mr. Hundert.
This is Western Civilization-- [Knocking]
Sorry I'm late, sir.
[Sighs ]
And you are?
Uh, Martin Blythe, sir.
Of course.
Welcome, Mr. Blythe. Have a seat.
Uh, yes, sir.
Mr. Blythe? Yes, sir?
Would you please stand up and read the plaque...
whichyousee overthe doorbehindyou?
"I am Shutruk-Nahhunte,
"King of Ansham and Susa,
"sovereign ofthe land of Elam.
"I destroyed Sippar,
"took the stele of Naram-Sin...
"and brought it back to Elam,
"where I erected it as an offering to my god."
Shutruk-Nahhunte, 1 158 B.C."
Very good.