[Verginius Rufus]

A good cinematic example of a gentleman deliberately insulting someone is in A Man for All Seasons when Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) insults his friend (Norfolk?) because he's trying to end their friendship. One line is to the effect that the English nobility would have slept through the Sermon on the Mount.

[Intolerant in NJ]

A good cinematic example of a gentleman deliberately insulting someone......another is from an old film I saw long ago which has a scene at a social gathering when one insistent man continues to badger another for information which the second doesn't want to discuss; after trying to put his abrasive companion off politely for several minutes, the second finally confronts him by saying "sorry, you force me to be rude..." and proceeding to tell him how offensive his behavior is. Can't remember the name of the movie or even who the actors were, but I'll never forget the line - seems like the perfect way to begin the putdown of anyone whose boorish, irritating behavior has finally gone too far......