Circle of Iron (1978)

Eli Wallach: Man-in-Oil

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cord : Oh, you are obviously mentally disturbed. You should have seen a doctor.

  Man-in-Oil : I AM a doctor.

• [Cord finds a man in a barrel of oil, resting. He tries touching the man's hand, but the man swats it away. He shakes the man's hand and his eyes open] 

  Cord : Can I help you?

  Man-in-Oil : To do what?

  Cord : To get out of this...

  Man-in-Oil : Why?

  Cord : Who's torturing you this way?

  Man-in-Oil : No-one.

  [Cord peers over into the barrel] 

  Cord : Isn't that barrel filled with oil?

  Man-in-Oil : Of course. I filled it myself.

  Cord : You?

  Man-in-Oil : I filled it myself and I got in it myself. I've been in here ten years.

  Cord : But why?

  Man-in-Oil : [candidly]  To rid myself of the bottom half of me. There's very little left of it now.

  Cord : Your legs look like seaweed.

  Man-in-Oil : I hope so. Tha-that thing, that terrible thing between my legs? It's almost gone now, isn't it?

  Cord : A mere pimple.

  Man-in-Oil : Good

  [His tone becomes anxious] 

  Man-in-Oil : It'll go altogether soon, I hope.

  Cord : Ten years! How do you live without eating?

  Man-in-Oil : My-my family! They bring me a little rice, a little water...

  Cord : Your family? They know you're dissolving yourself in oil?

  Man-in-Oil : They weren't too happy about it at first. Especially my wife. Now, she understands.

  Cord : But why would you want to...? Ha! You could have taken a vow of chastity, like I have!

  Man-in-Oil : I took a vow of chastity! I took ten vows, a hundred! How-how-how can a man be a holy man when that terrible thing attaches him to the Earth? I got rid of my money, I shed my clothes, I ate a spoonful of rice each day... and, my mind became to soar! I felt the Universe... I was the Universe! And then... that terrible thing summoned me! "Hello!", it cried. "Think of the pleasure!" Several times I grabbed a knife, I attempted to rid myself of it, once and for all!

  [He buries his face in his hands and sobs] 

  Man-in-Oil : I-I-I was- I was a coward!

  [He soon stops crying as he continues his story] 

  Man-in-Oil : Then... I felt a way. I would dissolve it away... and the legs that carried it along!

  Cord : Well, you're obviously mentally disturbed.

  [the man nods happily] 

  Cord : You should have seen a doctor.

  Man-in-Oil : I am a doctor!

  [pause] 

  Man-in-Oil : You took a vow of chastity.

  Cord : Yes.

  Man-in-Oil : [smugly]  You won't keep it.

  [He gestures desperately to the barrel] 

  Man-in-Oil : Come in here with me. The-there-there's plenty of room. We'll-we'll keep each other company.

  Cord : I'm sorry, but I must go. I'm looking for someone.

  Man-in-Oil : Who?

  Cord : Zetan.

  Man-in-Oil : Again, Zetan! They all come around asking about Zetan! There is no answer in Zetan!

  [Cord laughs and walks away]