MovieChat Forums > Moby Dick (1956) Discussion > The last line

The last line

posted 15 years ago by Onetrickpony-1
2 replies | jump to latest

"AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED, ALONE - TO TELL THEE"

I thought Basehart's inflection on this line was riviting. Sticks in my mind.

[–] wrfarley 15 years ago

I think that's taken from the last line in the Book of Job in the Old Testament.

[–] dmgreer 15 years ago

Close! Actually it's taken from the first chapter of Job where it's repeated four times by four servants of Job. Satan challenges God about Job's faith, and God tells Satan to do his worst. So Satan goes out and kills four groups of Job's servants, including some of his sons, and each time a servant comes back saying "and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."

To which Job replied "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."