Quote of the Week

I finally got out to see BRIDGE OF SPIES later last week and found it to be quite entertaining. This week's quote is more of a two-part quote from the film, which is about the Cold War and the usage of spies during this time in history. It begins when a Soviet spy is captured by the U.S. Government and Tom Hanks' character is asked to defend him in court. The rest of the film is about the resulting trial and the fates of all parties involved. So, here it is:

James Donovan: "Do you ever worry?"

Rudolf Abel: "Would it help?"

Variations of this quote are used throughout the movie; in the beginning, middle and end. The first time you hear it Donovan (Hanks) is interviewing Abel before they head into trial. Donovan is off-put that Abel doesn't seem phased by the fact that he could be going to the electric chair. In this case it reads as him wondering if it would help his case if he seemed concerned or worried about his fate. The second time occurs when they are sitting down to trial and the same conclusion could be drawn. It was the third time that made this truly significant for the two characters and for myself. The last time he says it he is about to walk to his freedom after being traded back to the Soviets and Germans. Suddenly he isn't trying to save face and now it means all the more. Abel is suggesting that he could worry, but it wouldn't help his case or his mood, it would just make him more stressed.

This was incredibly significant to me and would be to anyone who suffers from anxiety or high levels of stress. Obviously it is good to be concerned, but when there is really nothing you can do about a situation, does worrying really help? No.

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