Donald Sutherland credited as playing...
Brother Thadeus
- Brother Thadeus: [Dunn, Rooney, Caesar, Williams and Corbet are in Brother Thadeus' office after the melee in the auditorium] Can you gentlemen give me one good reason why you shouldn't be expelled?
- Michael Dunn: It's my fault, brother. I'm the one who should be expelled.
- Brother Thadeus: You all acted as one, Mr. Dunn. And as one, you shall bear the consequences.
- Michael Dunn: Yes, brother, but I started it.
- Brother Thadeus: Did you? As I understand it, Brother Constance started it.
- Brother Constance: [in disbelief] What?
- Brother Thadeus: I'm suspending you for two weeks. Good day, gentlemen.
- Brother Constance: [boys leave... Brother Dominic comes in and hands Thadeus a sheet of paper, which he signs... Constance is angry] What do you mean I started it? They've assaulted the faculty, the've disgraced this institution, and they destroyed a statue of St. Basil.
- Brother Thadeus: I always hated that statue.
- [signs paper and hands it to Constance]
- Brother Constance: What's this?
- Brother Thadeus: Well, you're transferred out of this institution. I don't want you working with children anymore.
- Brother Constance: [angry] You can't do this! I will demand an investigation. I will take this all the way to the bishop if I have to.
- Brother Thadeus: Take it whereever you want, brother...
- [opens door]
- Brother Thadeus: just take it out of my office!
- [Constance glares at Timothy and then storms out the door]
- Brother Thadeus: It appears we have a vacancy, brother. Think you can fit in?
- Brother Timothy: [smiles] I think so, brother.
- Brother Timothy: [Timothy and Thadeus are walking in the courtyard discussing Constance's teaching methods] I expected to be given a lesson in teaching, but instead I got a lesson in brutality. The man seemed to be enjoying himself, brother.
- Brother Thadeus: A rather slanderous thought, brother... one that ought to be kept to oneself. Brother Constance is an effective teacher, one of the best we have.
- Brother Timothy: I hear you brother, but...
- Brother Thadeus: [sharply] But what?
- [moderates tone]
- Brother Thadeus: We all come to the order, full of ideas... and we often find that we have much to learn ourselves. Nevertheless, authority must never be undermined by the display of dissent among the faculty. For the students' sake, you understand.
- Brother Timothy: No, I don't understand.
- Brother Thadeus: Then you should try to restrain yourself until you do.
- Brother Constance: [in Thadeus' closed-door office after melee in auditorium] They should be expelled. In the real world, they'd be charged with assault.
- Brother Timothy: In the 'real world', they'd have a case of self-defense!
- Brother Constance: I think expulsion is justified here.
- Brother Timothy: I don't think so.
- Brother Constance: Well, no one cares what you think!
- Brother Thadeus: [to Brother Dominic, also in his office] Let the boys in here.