Witness (1985)

Jan Rubes: Eli Lapp

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Eli Lapp : [to John Book]  You be careful out among them English!

• [Book is having trouble milking a cow] 

  Eli Lapp : You never had your hands on a teat before?

  John Book : Not one this big.

  [a long pause, then Eli Lapp roars with laughter] 

• Rachel Lapp : He's leaving, isn't he?

  Eli Lapp : Tomorrow morning. He'll need his city clothes.

  Rachel Lapp : But why? What does he have to go back to?

  Eli Lapp : He's going back to his world, where he belongs. He knows it, and you know it, too.

• [Waking up John Book] 

  Eli Lapp : 4:30. Time for milking.

• Eli Lapp : [John is out of bed and in the barn trying to re-start his car]  Book... that you, Book?

  John Book : [comes out of car]  Yeah.

  Eli Lapp : What you doing there?

  John Book : Trying to get the car started.

  Eli Lapp : You are well enough to do that, you can do work for me.

  John Book : Sure... what can I do?

  Eli Lapp : Milking, maybe... you know, cows.

  John Book : Yeah, I've seen pictures.

  Eli Lapp : Good. We start tomorrow.

• [Book moves to intervene against some locals harassing the Amish] 

  Eli Lapp : It's not our way.

  John Book : But it's my way.

• Eli Lapp : This gun of the hand is for the taking of human life. We believe it is wrong to take a life. That is only for God. Many times wars have come and people have said to us: you must fight, you must kill, it is the only way to preserve the good. But Samuel, there's never only one way. Remember that. Would you kill another man?

  Samuel Lapp : I would only kill the bad man.

  Eli Lapp : Only the bad man. I see. And you know these bad men by sight? You are able to look into their hearts and see this badness?

  Samuel Lapp : I can see what they do. I have seen it.

  Eli Lapp : And having seen you become one of them? Don't you understand? What you take into your hands, you take into your heart. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. Go and finish your chores now.

  Samuel Lapp : Yes Grossvater.

• Eli Lapp : What you take into your hand, you take into your heart.

• [John, Rachel, Eli, and Samuel are sitting down to a hearty breakfast after John's first morning of farm work. Eli dumps food on John's plate] 

  John Book : No, no...

  Eli Lapp : Eat, Book, eat. What's the matter, where is your appetite?

  John Book : I'm not used to eating in the middle of the night.

  Eli Lapp : Not used to hard work. That's what makes appetite.

  John Book : [takes a sip of coffee]  Honey, that's great coffee!

  John Book : [all pause, puzzled]  Uh, it's a joke... from a commercial... on television.

• Eli Lapp : You know there has been talk. Talk about going to the Bishop and having you shunned.

  Rachel Lapp : That is idle talk.

  Eli Lapp : Do not take it lightly. Rachel. They can do it. They can do it just like that. You know what it means, shunning? I cannot sit at table with you. I cannot take a thing from your hand. I cannot go to worship with you. Child... do not go so far.

  Rachel Lapp : I am not a child.

  Eli Lapp : But you are acting like one.

  Rachel Lapp : I'll be the judge of that.

  Eli Lapp : No. They will be the judge of that, and so will I. If you shame me...

  Rachel Lapp : You shame yourself.

• Rachel Lapp : I've committed no sin.

  Eli Lapp : Maybe. Maybe not yet, but, Rachel, it does not look. You know there has been talk, talk about going to the bishop and having you shunned.

  Rachel Lapp : It is idle talk.

  Eli Lapp : Do not take it lightly. Rachel! They can do it. They can do it just like that. You know what it means? Shunning? I cannot sit at table with you. I cannot take a thing from your hand. I cannot go to worship with you. Oh, child, do not go so far.

  Rachel Lapp : I'm not a child.

  Eli Lapp : But you're acting like one.

  Rachel Lapp : I'll be the judge of that.

  Eli Lapp : No! They will be the judge of that, and so will I, if you shame me.