Can you remember this scene from Igby Goes Down?

Igby: If heaven is such a wonderful place then how come being crucified is such a big fucking sacrifice?

That’s it? That’s all it was? Hmm, I thought it was something that I had never wondered myself, but I did wonder that. I remember asking some hapless Sunday school teacher that question (using different language) when I was 9 or 10 and getting a dumb answer. No revelation there, then.

But thank you, @oratio, for remembering and delivering a prompt reply!
Nice job with the hat, too.

@oratio is correct. But the scene is not really about the question or the answer. I believe it’s meant more as a way to illustrate Igby’s rebellion and failure to conform to his family’s expectations. The question is not profoundly intelligent, it’s Igby’s way of challenging authority, it’s not an insight to the meaning of life or religion, but to show us the headmaster’s lack of patience with Igby (by not even bothering to answer the question). The headmaster could have answered the question, but choose not to.. it has nothing to do with him being stunned or dumbfounded. He simply chooses to ignore Igby for now.

The scene continues with Igby’s mother entering the room while being welcomed by the headmaster as he congratulates her on her other son: Oliver, Igby’s older brother and the perfect son (also the one who did succeed according to the headmaster). We end the scene with the headmaster saying: ’But of course we are here to talk about Igby….’. After which the scene transitions to Igby being dragged out of the room into the hallway by his mother, where we find out Igby was expelled, and his mother blames everyone but herself before sending him off to military school (she has lost all patience with Igby as well).

Some quotes from the hallway scene where we first learn about Igby’s position in the family:
Igby’s brother Oliver: ‘Igby is not my fault’
Igby’s mother: ‘Did you even think for a second how this reflects upon me?’

Anyway, if you ask me, you missed out on walking away early :) I just watched it again a few days ago, and it’s one of my favorite movies.

I still like the end of that scene:

Igby’s Mom: You know what’s going to happen to you now, mister? Do you know where your sterling performance is going to take you now… Iittle man?

Igby: Choate?

Thanks for all the detail, @markyy. You have established that my recollection from 7 years ago was imperfect, which does not surprise me. I wasn’t looking for answers to life and religion; I was just trying to recall a line from a movie. If I didn’t like anything in the first three-quarters of the movie, I’m guessing I wouldn’t like much in the last quarter. However, I have been trying intermittently to recall just that part, and now I can put it to rest.

I believe my Sunday school teacher said something about the pain and suffering, which even then I knew was not exceptional in this wicked world. As a baby boomer, I’d seen plenty of photographs from World War II.