The Story of Mankind (1957)

Chico Marx: Monk

Quotes 

• Christopher Columbus : And so Father, the ship sails east from Spain over a long and tedious route and finally, after much travel, it lands in the Indies. Now, just suppose it were possible to reach the Indies by traveling in the opposite direction. West instead of east. And just suppose the route was shorter and more direct.

  Monk : Impossible. Impossible.

  Christopher Columbus : Why?

  Monk : I'll show you why. Only madmen would sail on the alchemy. You would sail right off the end of the earth into a dark abyss. Boom. No more ship.

  Christopher Columbus : But suppose Father, that there were no end of the earth, no dark abyss. Here,

  [Picks up an orange] 

  Christopher Columbus : Suppose this is Spain and suppose these are the Indies. And suppose instead of traveling east, the ship travels west to around the earth and in half the time, lands in the Indies.

  Monk : Possible. Possible. Buono. Buono.