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He might usefully have concluded his column with the letters we had to put next to solved mathematical equations: QED — quod erat demonstrandum — just to prove his point.

At one point, he quotes approvingly a passage from Mein Kampf on how “Marxism itself systematically plans to hand the world over to the Jews”, and then insists that “Well, you can’t argue with logic of that calibre. No: quod erat demonstrandum. Next question, please.”

QED: quod erat demonstrandum, Latin for “which was to be demonstrated or proved.”

“Burning Bush” joins the ranks of other recent films from the former Eastern Bloc — like “Ida” from Poland, “Quod Erat Demonstrandum” from Romania, “Barbara” from Germany — that try to grasp, with the benefit of hindsight but without too much ex post facto gloating, the logic of Communist dictatorship.

Queen's Counsel; Queen's College. q.d., quasi dicat=As if he should say. q.e., quod est=Which is. q.e.d., quod erat demonstrandum=Which was to be demonstrated. q.e.f., quod erat faciendum=Which was to be done. q.e.i, quod erat inveniendum=Which was to be found out. q.l., quantum libet=As much as you please.