[General] 'Hallelujah brother .... and pass the mustard'

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Olympian

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Hello,

The following line is from the movie The Bucket List.

Hallelujah brother .... and pass the mustard

What does this refer to? I understand 'Hallelujah brother' but I don't understand the reference to 'pass the mustard'. If necessary, I will add the lines that lead up to this line.

Thank you
 

bhaisahab

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Hello,

The following line is from the movie The Bucket List.

Hallelujah brother .... and pass the mustard

What does this refer to? I understand 'Hallelujah brother' but I don't understand the reference to 'pass the mustard'. If necessary, I will add the lines that lead up to this line.

Thank you
More context is needed.
 

Olympian

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More context is needed.

OK. Here is the context. The movie The Bucket List is about two people diagnosed with cancer and given 6 months to a year to live. They create a bucket list (a list of things to do before they kick the bucket). While on a plane flying over the polar icecap, hopping from one place to another, trying to finish off the things on their list, the conversation turns to belief and faith. One of them, Edward (Jack Nicholson) does not believe in a higher power, whereas the other guy, Carter (Morgan Freeman) does.

Edward: It's indescribably beautiful. I love flying over the polar cap. Above the desolation.
Carter:
The stars......it's really one of God's good ones.
Edward:
So you think a being of some sort did all this?
Carter:
You don't?
Edward:
You mean, do I believe if I look up in the sky......and promise this or that......the Biggie will make all this go away? No.
Carter:
Then 95 percent of the people on Earth are wrong?
Edward:
If life has taught me anything......it's that 95 percent of the people
are always wrong.

Carter:
It's called faith.
Edward:
I honestly envy people who have faith. I just can't get my head around it.
Carter:
Maybe your head's in the way.
Edward:
Carter, we've all had hundreds of these discussions......and every one of them always hits the same wall. Is there a sugarplum fairy or not? And nobody has ever gotten over that wall.
Carter:
So,what do you believe?
Edward:
I resist all beliefs.
Carter:
No big bang? Random universe?
Edward:
We live. We die. And the wheels on the bus go round and round.
Carter:
What if you're wrong?
Edward:
I'd love to be wrong. If I'm wrong, I win.
Carter:
I'm not sure it works that way.
Edward:
Well, you're not claiming you know something I don't.
Carter:
Mm-mm. I just have faith.
Edward:
Hallelujah, brother... ...and pass the mustard.
Change of scene after this
 

SoothingDave

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I don't suppose they were eating, or preparing to eat, at the time?
 
J

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Edward is an Existentialist. He lives his life and enjoys the things he sees, but he has decided that looking for 'answers' to Life's questions is pointless, so he just wants to sit back and eat his hotdog without thinking about where it came from. If you know anything about where hotdogs do come from, you'll think him a wise man!

He says "Hallelujah" to indicate he has no objection to others having religious beliefs, and then he adds, "Pass the mustard" to place his own philosophy (basically none) at the same level.

It's also a reference to a song- Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition. You can pray to God for protection from all kinds of dangers but, if someone is shooting at you, you'll want to have a gun (and ammunition) to shoot back, meaning that faith alone is not enough. "God helps those who help themselves", etc...
 

Olympian

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Edward is an Existentialist. He lives his life and enjoys the things he sees, but he has decided that looking for 'answers' to Life's questions is pointless, so he just wants to sit back and eat his hotdog without thinking about where it came from. If you know anything about where hotdogs do come from, you'll think him a wise man!

He says "Hallelujah" to indicate he has no objection to others having religious beliefs, and then he adds, "Pass the mustard" to place his own philosophy (basically none) at the same level.

It's also a reference to a song- Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition. You can pray to God for protection from all kinds of dangers but, if someone is shooting at you, you'll want to have a gun (and ammunition) to shoot back, meaning that faith alone is not enough. "God helps those who help themselves", etc...

@J&K Tutoring, WOW! Thank you for that explanation. :) :up:
 

BobK

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It's also possible that 'Hallelujah brother' is a reference to a hypocritical use of the expression by a confidence trickster in Cat Ballou. This trailer doesn't show it, but it shows the character (the drunk on a train about 20 seconds in).

b

PS (included later) http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1522336025/
 
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Olympian

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To me, Edward saying "Hallelujah" merely indicates that he is telling Carter that he can accept that Carter has faith (though in somewhat of a demeaning fashion - which, by the way he expresses his approval, indicates that he doesn't think this faith is important or serious) and then says, "...pass the mustard", or, let's move on to something else.

@Gilnetter, Thank you for your explanation! I find this explanation easier to understand.
 

Olympian

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It's also possible that 'Hallelujah brother' is a reference to a hypocritical use of the expression by a confidence trickster in Cat Ballou. This trailer doesn't show it, but it shows the character (the drunk on a train about 20 seconds in).

b

@BobK, Thank you. The link to the trailer is missing. I checked on youtube and found several Cat Ballou related videos, so I am not sure which one is referred to here.
 

JohnParis

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The key to understanding "Hallelujah brother, pass the mustard" can be found several lines earlier in the scene when Edward says "Carter, we've all had hundreds of these discussions......and every one of them always hits the same wall. Is there a sugarplum fairy or not? And nobody has ever gotten over that wall."

Throughout the film, the two protagonists often bring up their differences about the existence of a higher being.

"Hallelujah brother, pass the mustard" is Edward's way of saying (once again) let's agree to disagree; I respect your opinion but, please, let's move on and just enjoy the view.

 

Olympian

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The key to understanding "Hallelujah brother, pass the mustard" can be found several lines earlier in the scene when Edward says "Carter, we've all had hundreds of these discussions......and every one of them always hits the same wall. Is there a sugarplum fairy or not? And nobody has ever gotten over that wall."

Throughout the film, the two protagonists often bring up their differences about the existence of a higher being.

"Hallelujah brother, pass the mustard" is Edward's way of saying (once again) let's agree to disagree; I respect your opinion but, please, let's move on and just enjoy the view.



@JohnParis, thank you. :) :up:
I did not realize that, although I understood that Edward did not believe in a higher power.

:up: :up: :up:
 
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