Minister Excellent. He's enterprising, aggressive, outgoing, young, bold, vicious. He'll do...He's perfect. I want his records sent to me. This vicious young hoodlum will be transformed out of all recognition.
Played by Anthony Sharp 
A Clockwork Orange (1971) · 65 quotes
A Clockwork Orange (1971) · 65 quotes
3rd most-quoted character in A Clockwork Orange (1971): in 7 of its 65 quotes
Most scenes with: Alex (4), Governor (2)
Our subject is impelled towards the good by paradoxically being impelled towards evil. The intention to act violently is accompanied by strong feelings of physical distress. To counter these, the subject has to switch to a diametrically opposed attitude. Any questions?
More lines from Minister
2 quotes Minister Minister Tomorrow, we send him out with confidence into the world again, as decent a lad as you would meet on a May morning. What a change is here, ladies and gentlemen, from the wretched hoodlum the State committed to unprofitable punishment some two years ago. Unchanged after two years. Unchanged, do I say? - not quite. Prison taught him the false smile, the rubbed hand of hypocrisy, the fawning, greased obsequious leer. Other vices it taught him, as well as confirming in those he had long practiced before. Our party promised to restore law and order and to make the streets safe again for the ordinary peace-loving citizen. This pledge is now about to become a reality. Ladies and gentlemen, today is an historic moment. The problem of criminal violence is soon to be a thing of the past. But enough of words. Actions speak louder than. Action now. Observe all.
Scenes with Minister
4 scenes Minister Cram criminals together and what do you get - concentrated criminality, crime in the midst of punishment.
I agree, sir, what we need are larger prisons - more money.
Minister Not a chance, my dear fellow. The Government can't be concerned any longer with outmoded penological theories. Soon we may be needing all our prison space for political offenders. Common criminals like these are best dealt with on a purely curative basis. Kill the criminal reflex, that's all. Full implementation in a year's time. Punishment means nothing to them, you can see that. They enjoy their so-called punishment.
You're absolutely right, sir.
Chief Guard Shut your bleedin' hole!
Minister Who said that?
I did, sir.
Minister What is your crime?
The accidental killing of a person, sir.
Chief Guard He brutally murdered a woman, in furtherance of theft! Fourteen years, sir!
Choice! The boy has no real choice, has he?! Self-interest, the fear of physical pain drove him to that grotesque act of self-abasement. Its insincerity was clearly to be seen. He ceases to be a wrong-doer. He ceases also to be a creature capable of moral choice.
Minister Padre, these are subtleties! We are not concerned with motives, with the higher ethics. We are concerned only with cutting down crime! And with relieving the ghastly congestion in our prisons. He will be your true Christian, ready to turn the other cheek, ready to be crucified rather than crucify. Sick to the very heart at the thought even of killing a fly. Reclamation, joy before the angels of God. The point is that it works!
Minister [as he feeds Alex morsels of food]
We tried to help you. We followed recommendations which were made to us that turned out to be wrong. An inquiry will place the responsibility where it belongs. We want you to regard us as friends. We put you right. You are getting the best of treatment. We never wished you harm, but there are some who did, and do, and I think you know who those are. There are certain people who wanted to use you for political ends. They would have been glad to have you dead, for they thought they could then blame it all on the Government. There is also a certain man, a writer of subversive literature, who has been howling for your blood. He has been mad with desire to stick a knife into you but you are safe from him now. We put him away. He found out that you had done wrong to him. At least he believed you had done wrong. He formed this idea in his head that you had been responsible for the death of someone near and dear to him. He was a menace. We put him away for his own protection, and also for yours...We are interested in you and when you leave here you will have no worries. We shall see to everything - a good job on a good salary.
What job and how much?
Minister You must have an interesting job with a salary which you would regard as adequate, not only for the job that you're going to do, and in compensation for what you believe you have suffered, but also because you are helping us.
Helping you, sir?
Minister We always help our friends, don't we? It is no secret that this Government has lost a lot of popularity because of you, my boy. There are some who think that at the next election, we shall be out. The press has chosen to take a very unfavourable view of what we tried to do. But public opinion has a way of changing, and you, Alex -- if I may call you Alex?
Certainly, sir. what do they call you at home?
Minister My name is Frederick. As I was saying, Alex, you can be instrumental in changing the public's verdict. Do you understand, Alex? Do I make myself clear?
As an unmuddied lake, Fred. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer. You can rely on me, Fred.
Minister [The prison governor leads the Minister of the Interior on a tour of the facility]
Cram criminals together, and what do you get? Concentrated criminality. Crime in the midst of punishment.
I agree, sir. What we need are larger prisons, more money.
Minister [chuckles]
Not a chance, my dear fellow. The Government can't be concerned any longer with outmoded penological theories. Soon we may be needing all our prison space for political offenders. Common criminals like these are best dealt with on a purely curative basis. Kill the criminal reflex, that's all. Full implementation in a year's time. Punishment means nothing to them, you can see that. They enjoy their so-called punishment.
You're absolutely right, sir!
Chief Guard Barnes
Shut your bleedin' hole!
Minister Who said that?
I did, sir.
Minister What crime did you commit?
The accidental killing of a person, sir.
Chief Guard Barnes
He brutally murdered a woman, in furtherance of theft! Fourteen years, sir!
Minister Excellent. He's enterprising, aggressive, outgoing, young, bold...vicious. He'll do.
Well, fine. Uh, we could still look at C Block.
Minister No, no, no, that's enough. He's perfect. I want his record sent to me. This vicious hoodlum will be transformed out of all recognition.
Thank you very much for this chance, sir.
Minister Let's hope you make the most of it, my boy.
Shall we go to my office?
Minister Thank you.
[they and Barnes leave; Alex smirks to himself]
