The park bench scene from the movie "Good Will Hunting."
Dialogue on a park bench that appeared in the movie "Good Will Hunting" has prompted fans to start a petition drive to add a bronze statue of the late comedian Robin Williams who starred in the film.
When news of his passing was first announced, many local residents gathered at the wooden bench in Boston Public Gardens and created a makeshift shrine to honor Williams.
Messages of sincerity were scrawled in chalk around the memorial bench. Flowers, candles, beer bottles and other items were also left in remembrance.
The park bench is famous because it is the location of one of the most moving scenes in the film. Williams plays Dr. Sean Maguire, a therapist, who is trying to break through an emotional wall created by Will, portrayed by actor Matt Damon.
Park bench scene is pivotal scene
Maguire tells the young genius he cannot experience life just by reading an enormous volume of books.
"Do you think I'd know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you?" Maguire asks.
Williams ends the scene with this famous line: "Unless you wanna talk about you, who you are. And I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't wanna do that, do you, sport? You're terrified of what you might say…Your move, chief. "
Some experts consider the park bench conversation to be one of the best scenes in film history. For his role in the movie, Williams won his first and only Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
More than 15,500 people have signed the document on ipetition.com to ask for the statue of Williams to be placed on the bench which overlooks a pond and is shaded by a large tree.
Boston park officials have not said they would add the tribute to Williams with a memorial bench, but are closely monitoring interest in the idea.
According to a statement by the organizer of the drive: "This petition is to gain support to create a bronze statue of Robin Williams and place it on that bench so that everyone has the chance to sit with him, stare out into the water, and contemplate life, love, and good memories."
For more information on the petition drive for the Williams statue, click here.
To see the bench in question, read this article from Boston Magazine.
Update: As of May 30, 2018, it looks as though the statue of Robin Williams sitting on the bench was never created. Too bad. That's a missed opportunity.