American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Michael Collins" (1996)

Eamon de Valera Sends Michael Collins to London for Treaty Negotiations

Video of Exchange delivered by Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman

Audio mp3 of Exchange delivered by and Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman

  Collins: What? You must be joking. No. I won't do it. I'm not a politician. I'm not going to London.

Sinn Féin Cabinet Member: You're the strongest card we have.

Collins: They call me an assassin and a murderer for Christ's sake. Can you even see Churchill shaking my hand?

de Valera: We broached it with them. We've had no objections.

Collins: You go, Dev. You're the statesman. You've got some sense of how far we can push them. They know you.

de Valera: That's the whole point: They don't know you.

Collins: Don't do this to me, Dev. Don't do it. I'm no good at talk. I'm a yob from West Cork, Dev, please!

  de Valera: You'll head our team, Michael. To negotiate a treaty for the first time in history between Ireland and England. We need to keep a final arbitrator in reserve.

Collins: And that'll be you.

de Valera: That will be the Irish people -- and me, as President of the Irish Republic.

 Archival Footage of Collins' Funeral