Rashomon (1950)

Kichijirô Ueda: Commoner

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Quotes 

• Commoner : It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.

• Commoner : But is there anyone who's really good? Maybe goodness is just make-believe.

  Priest : What a frightening...

  Commoner : Man just wants to forget the bad stuff, and believe in the made-up good stuff. It's easier that way.

• Woodcutter : You selfish...

  Commoner : What's wrong with that? Dogs are better off in this world. If you're not selfish, you can't survive.

  Woodcutter : Damn it. Everyone is selfish and dishonest. Making excuses. The bandit, the woman, the man, and you!

• Priest : I don't want to hear it. No more horror stories.

  Commoner : They are common stories these days. I even heard that the demon living here in Rashômon fled in fear of the ferocity of man.

• Priest : It's horrifying. If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell.

  Commoner : That's right. The world's a kind of hell.

  Priest : No! I believe in men. I don't want this place to be hell.

  Commoner : Shouting doesn't help. Think about it. Out of these three, whose story is believable?

  Woodcutter : No idea.

  Commoner : In the end, you cannot understand the things men do.

• Commoner : We all want to forget something, so we tell stories. It's easier that way.

• Commoner : Well, men are only men. That's why they lie. They can't tell the truth, even to themselves.

  Priest : That may be true. Because men are weak, they lie to deceive themselves.

  Commoner : Not another sermon! I don't mind a lie if it's interesting.

• Commoner : No one tells a lie after he's said he's going to tell one.

• Commoner : Women use their tears to fool everyone. They even fool themselves.

• Priest : A man's been murdered.

  Commoner : So what? Only one? Why, up on top of this gate, there's always five or six bodies. No one worries about them.

• Commoner : It sounded interesting, at least while I kept out of the rain. But if it's a sermon, I'd sooner listen to the rain.

• Woodcutter : It's a lie. It's all a lie. Tajômaru's story and the woman's.

  Commoner : It's human nature to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.

  Priest : That may be. But it's because men are weak that they lie, even to themselves.

  Commoner : Not another sermon. I don't care if it's a lie, as long as it's entertaining. What story did the woman come up with?

  Priest : Well, it's completely different from Tajômaru's story. So different that her face didn't even show the fierceness he spoke of. She was so docile, she was almost pitiful.