Pen Ceremony Scene - A Beautiful Mind (2001)

[A1979]

 

1 min 10 sec. --->

 

Let's try to win the Nobel prize...

[Yuki Onitsura]

Quite possibly the most compelling argument I've ever heard for going for a Nobel Prize. Professors are a peculiar bunch, aren't they?

 

Yuki

[Pen Nut]

Wow that raises a few questions for me. Did anyone else find that as amazing as I did? Just what does the gesture of passing the pen mean? Does it actually occur? Oh and if so how do you apply for the position that gets all the pens!

Edited September 6, 2011 by Pen Nut

[A1979]

Wow that raises a few questions for me. Did anyone else find that as amazing as I did? Just what does the gesture of passing the pen mean? Does it actually occur? Oh and if so how do you apply for the position that gets all the pens!

 

In the movie A Beautiful Mind there is a scene in which faculty members present their pens to Nash. What is the origin of the pen ceremony? When did it start?

 

The scene in the movie A Beautiful Mind in which mathematics professors ritualistically present pens to Nash was completely fabricated in Hollywood. No such custom exists. What it symbolizes is that Nash was accepted and recognized in the mathematics community for his accomplishments. While some movies are based on books, the film A Beautiful Mind states that it was inspired by the life of John Nash. There are many discrepancies between the book and the film.

 

http://www.princeton.edu/mudd/news/faq/topics/nash.shtml

[Pen Nut]

Wow that raises a few questions for me. Did anyone else find that as amazing as I did? Just what does the gesture of passing the pen mean? Does it actually occur? Oh and if so how do you apply for the position that gets all the pens!

 

In the movie A Beautiful Mind there is a scene in which faculty members present their pens to Nash. What is the origin of the pen ceremony? When did it start?

 

The scene in the movie A Beautiful Mind in which mathematics professors ritualistically present pens to Nash was completely fabricated in Hollywood. No such custom exists. What it symbolizes is that Nash was accepted and recognized in the mathematics community for his accomplishments. While some movies are based on books, the film A Beautiful Mind states that it was inspired by the life of John Nash. There are many discrepancies between the book and the film.

 

http://www.princeton.edu/mudd/news/faq/topics/nash.shtml

 

Damn ! Sort of hoping this was a true ritual Ah well interesting clip either way

[Dutchpen]

Damn!, it never happens to me!

i only dream about a whole restaurant that gives me their pens.

 

Lennard

[kaisede]

I met Nash in 2005 at Stony Brook pre-game theory conference reception.

Before I spoke to him my economics professor told me not to mention to him about the movie because that is "NOT" John Nash.

 

I followed her advice and had a very brief conversation with him.

Meeting him and Robert Aumann was the highlight of my Sr year in college.

 

Andy

[LPWaterhouse]

Does anyone recognize this pen? It looks like a Montblanc Solitaire but I don't know of any Solitaire with a black blind cap like that.

[Dcharles]

I was excited for a second, I thought that this thread was going to try to identify each pen from that scene!

[jchch1950]

It is not a real ceremony but it is very nice one for pen lovers.

[LuckyKate]

Oh darn it--I was all choked up by the video and then I read the comments!