By Sidney Lumet Page #2

moment is to protect myself. SIDNEY LUMET: I mean

I was doing at one point 60 or 70 shows a year. Now even if you take a small

average of let's say six actors a show-- but the casts

certainly on "You Are There" were more than that-- so

let's see, six times 70 is 420 actors, different actors

to work with in a year's time. God knows how many different

writers, production people, video engineers, audio men. The exposure was brilliant. MELETUS: Citizens! I must be heard! I vote a hearing. HARRY MARBLE: That is

Meletus speaking now. He was the main

accuser at the trial. In the marketplace,

there are people who are howling for my

life, the same people who urged me to accuse Socrates. Oh, is this justice? Is this reason? I did not want Socrates

to be condemned to death. I thought he would be

fined as I would have been and gladly

paid it had the jury found my accusations false. Where are you now, those of

you who voted against Socrates? Why don't you defend me? I did my duty as a citizen. I spoke for Athens,

for democracy. I don't understand you people. I mean, all these picky little

points you keep bringing up, they don't mean nothing. You saw this kid

just like I did. You're not going to tell me

you believe that phony story about losing the knife

and that business about being at the movies. Look, you know how

these people lie. It's born in them. I mean, what the heck? I don't have to tell you. They don't know

what the truth is. And let me tell you, they

don't need any real big reason to kill someone either, no sir. They get drunk. Oh, they're real big

drinkers, all of them. You know that. And bang, someone's

lying in the gutter. Well nobody's

blaming them for it. That's the way they are by

nature, you know what I mean? Violent. Where are you going? Human life don't mean as much

to them as it does to us. Look. They're lushing it up

and fighting all the time and if somebody gets killed,

so somebody gets killed. They don't care. Oh sure, there are some

good things about them too. Look, I'm the first

one to say that. I've known a couple who were

OK, but that's the exception, you know what I mean? Most of them, it's like

they have no feelings. They can do anything. What's going on here? I'm trying to tell you. You're making a big

mistake, you people. This kid is a liar. I know it. I know all about them. Listen to me. They're no good. There's not a one of

them who is any good. I mean, what-- what's

happening in here? I'm speaking my piece

and you-- listen to me. We're-- we're-- this kid

on trial here, his type, well don't you know about them? There's a-- there's

a danger here. These people are dangerous. They're-- why? Listen to me. Listen to me. I have. Now sit down and don't

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