The advanced dialogue class begins later today! And I promise you

MR. JOHNNY

What do you mean?

LORETTA

MR. JOHNNY

I don't understand.

LORETTA

MR. JOHNNY

On the floor?

LORETTA

MR. JOHNNY

This is a good suit.

LORETTA

I love this!  The fact that she's the one who helped him buy his suit (the implication is he wouldn't be able to do it on his own) and that it came with two pairs of pants not only characterizes Loretta and Johnny, but the culture as well.

MR. JOHNNY

Alright.

SHY WAITER BRINGS PERRY A FRESH GLASS OF VODKA

ASKS THE SHY WAITER

PERRY

MR. JOHNNY ON HIS KNEES ADDRESSES LORETTA

JOHNNY

So.  Wi11 you ma...

(interrupting)

Where's the ring?

Again, Loretta's in charge!

MR. JOHNNY

(at a loss)

The ring?

BOB AND MOOK ARE WATCHING MR. JOHNNY'S PERFORMANCE

They are deadpan mugs.

BOB

A ring.  That's right.

MOOK

I woulda sprung for a ring if it

BOBO AND EDDIE STAND NEAR THE KITCHEN WATCHING

BOBO

She's got him on his knees.  He's ruining his suit.

LORETTA

MR. JOHNNY

I like this ring.

LORETTA

Mr. Johnny takes off the ring and holds it out to her.

MR. JOHNNY

Loretta.  Loretta Castorini Clark.

On my knees.  In front of all these people.  Will you marry me?

She meekly accepts the ring from him and takes his hands.

LORETTA

Yes, Johnny.  Yes, John Anthony Cammareri.  I will marry you.  I will be your wife.

Moonstruck is one of my all-time favorite movies.  I have the tape and love to watch it over and over.  I come from a New York (Brooklyn) Italian family and this movie shows the culture so well.

What I learned from this assignment is to think about what I'm enjoying in a movie when I'm enjoying it.  Also, that dialogue is an excellent way to show character.

Dialogue Scene from Shakespeare in Love

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. VIOLA'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

The NURSE is undressing her, though VIOLA tries

intermittently to push her away. She is still bright with

excitement.

VIOLA

best? Proteus for speaking, Valentine

for looks.

(WE CAN SEE ALREADY THAT VIOLA IS AN EXPERT ON PLAYS)

NURSE

I liked the dog, for laughs.

VIOLA

His fingers were red from fighting and

he spoke like a schoolboy at lessons.

Stage love will never be true love

while the law of the land has our

heroines played by pipsqueak boys in

petticoats! Oh, when can we see

another?

NURSE

VIOLA

NURSE

Now the NURSE is cleaning VIOLA'S ears, one by one, of

course. She has an ear-cleaning implement for this. VIOLA

submits.

NURSE (CONT'D)

Playhouses are not for well-born

ladies.

I am not so well-born.

(ANOTHER CLUE THAT SHE WILL DO SOMETHING UNLADYLIKE AND RASH)

NURSE

and well-married is more so. Lord

Wessex was looking at you tonight.

(A MAJOR SUBPLOT CONCERNING VIOLA'S HER MARRIAGE TO LORD WESSEX IS INTRODUCED)

VIOLA

All the men at court are without

father's fortune. I will have poetry

in my life. And adventure. And love.

Love above all.

(HERE WE LEARN OF HER NATURAL INCLINATION FOR BAD BOYS WHO WRITE AWESOME POETRY)

NURSE

VIOLA

love, but love that over- throws life.

Unbiddable, ungovernable, like a riot

in the heart, and nothing to be done,

come ruin or rapture. Love like there

has never been in a play.

(beat)

I will have love or I will end my days

(AND HERE IS A FORESHADOWING OF THE BET ABOUT LOVE THAT QUEEN ELIZABETH SETS INTO MOTION AND THAT WILL SHAKESPEARE WINS BY VIRTUE OF HIS PLAY 'ROMEO AND JULIET')

NURSE

As a nurse.

(kissing her)

But I would be Valentine and Silvia

too. Good Nurse, God save you and good

night. I would stay asleep my whole

life if I could dream myself into a

company of players.

(HERE AGAIN IS GREAT FORESHADOWING -- VIOLA WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE IT ALL.  WE AUDIENCE MEMBERS ALREADY SUSPECT THIS, ESPECIALLY THANKS TO HER USE OF THE PHRASE 'IF I COULD DREAM MYSELF INTO A COMPANY OF PLAYERS'.  HER INTERLUDE WITH THE PLAYERS AND PLAYWRIGHT WILL ULTIMATELY END UP LIKE A DREAM)

VIOLA goes over to the window.

INT. DE LESSEPSES' HOUSE. VIOLA'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

The NURSE thrusts a twig to her face.

NURSE

then.

Automatically, VIOLA takes the twig and begins brushing

her teeth, all the while looking downriver towards the

Rose. The NURSE attends her with a beaker of water, and a

bowl.

NURSE (CONT'D)

       VIOLA gazes longingly towards the Roseâ¬₦ And, there and

       VIOLA gazes longingly towards the Rose… And, there and

       then, she makes a plan.

       then, she makes a plan.

(BUT WE KNOW SHE WON'T TAKE THE NURSE'S ADVICE)

(BUT WE KNOW SHE WON'T TAKE THE NURSE'S ADVICE)

       EXT. SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE ROSE THEATRE. DAY.

       EXT. SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE ROSE THEATRE. DAY.

       HENSLOWE is making his way from the theatre to⁴桥慲

o the market

place when FENNYMAN and LAMBERT appear at either shoulder

and propel him back the way he came. FREES follows

behind.

This time we take your boots off!

(THIS REFERS BACK TO THE FIRST SCENE, WHERE THE MONEYMEN TORTURE HENSLOWE OVER {WHAT ELSE???} MONEY.  NOW THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS)

HENSLOWE

FENNYMAN

plague!

HENSLOWE

FENNYMAN

HENSLOWE

theatre business.

(they stop)

The natural condition is one of

insurmountable obstacles on the road

to imminent disaster. Believe me, to

be close by the plague is a bagatelle

in the ups and downs of owning a

theatre.

(THIS IS A GREAT SPOOF ON MODERN DAY MOVIEMAKING)

FENNYMAN

So what do we do?

HENSLOWE

Nothing. Strangely enough , it all

turns out well.

(AGAIN, THE WAY A LOT OF BUSINESS IS DONE IN HOLLYWOOD SINCE 'NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING')

FENNYMAN

HENSLOWE

(THIS BECOMES A GREAT CATCHPHRASE THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE)

LAMBERT

(dumbly)

At this point din is heard in the background. a

messenger, ringing a bell, is running though the street.

MESSENGER

The theatres are reopened. By order of

the Master of the Revels, the theatres

are reopened

FENNYMAN is intrigued.

FREES

Mr. Fennyman! Mr. Tilney has opened

FENNYMAN

HENSLOWE plays his temporary advantage modestly,

shrugging himself free of LAMBERT'S grip.

(JUST LIKE HOLLYWOOD, ONE MINUTE YOU'RE DOWN IN THE PITS AND THE NEXT YOU'RE MIRACULOUSLY SCALING THE HEIGHTS)

HENSLOWE

(to LAMBERT)

If you wouldn't mind

HENSLOWE continues on his way. FENNYMAN watches HENSLOWE,

curious.

FENNYMAN

HENSLOWE

(IF HE CAN ONLY GET HIS PLAYWRIGHT TO GET MOVING)

INT. WILL'S ROOM. DAY.

It is. WILL is writing furiously. A burnt-down candle is

still alight, although it is day outside the window. He

has been writing all night. He has written about ten

pages. Pleased with himself and excited, he gathers them

up and leaves the room like a man with a mission.

EXT. WILL'S HOUSE. DAY.

Leaving the house, pages in hand, WILL nearly knocks down

HENSLOWE who has come to see him.

HENSLOWE

Before he can finish, WILL brandishes the pages in his

hand.

Romeo and Rosaline. Scene One! God,

HENSLOWE

(ALREADY THE CHANGES TO THE PLAY ARE BEGINNING)

WILL has gone.

Going through the script slowly, line by line, I could see even more clearly what a great, multilayered piece of writing this is.  What made it so much fun is the fact that the more things change, the more they remain the same as far as dealing in entertainment for the masses goes.  So many threads are set up at this early stage of the game and yet it never ceases to be entertaining, lively fun.  Obviously it pays to be thoroughly aware of your main plot, subplots, theme and everything else in your script as you go along.  It's clear the writers here were thorougly steeped in every detail of character, setting, and story.  There's nothing extraneous, nothing that doesn't relate to something else.  This is really great writing all around.

Norton arrives, makes a thin show of picking a cell at random.

He motions at Andy on his bunk, reading his Bible. The door is

unlocked. Norton enters, trailed by his men. Andy rises.

Good evening.

====>Character: Andy doesn't see himself as a convict.  He continues to

practice good manners to maintain the illusion that he is not totally

cut off from civilisation.

Norton gives a curt nod.

====> Counter-attack, Norton is above that.   he does pretend.

Hadley and Trout start tossing the

cell in a thorough search. Norton keeps his eyes on Andy,

looking for a wrong glance or nervous blink. He takes the

Bible out of Andy's hand.

NORTON

I'm pleased to see you reading

====>  Attack:  The bible is Norton's domain.  He is challenging Andy.

"Watch ye therefore, for ye know not

when the master of the house cometh."

====> Counter-attack:  Andy's not bad with them chapters and verses.

Misdirection 1: Andy fakes a religious interest in the bible which in

fact hides his rock-hammer.

Misdirection 2: Andy pretends to be meek.

Misdirection 3: Andy is testing Norton.

Subtext:  Andy's making fun of Norton.

NORTON

(smiles)

always liked that one.

====> Character: Norton is too dumb to notice he is being made fun of.

Funnily enough, the exact reference to the verse Andy quotes is Mark

13:35.

(I actually checked it to decide whether Norton really knew his

===> Character:  Norton wants to impress Andy.

(strolls the cell)

But I prefer: "I am the light of

the world. He that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness, but

shall have the light of life."

====> Character/subtext: Norton is so full of it.  He sees himself as a

Christ figure whose mission is to bring the light of life to the

inmates.  Self-righteous bastard.

John. Chapter 8, verse 12.

====> Character:  Andy is smooth.  And methodical.  (I checked the

reference and it's correct ;-))  If he is going to carry a bible with

him, he's got to convince his entourage he is reading it.

NORTON

I hear you're good with numbers.

===> Character:  Norton is derisive.

HADLEY

You wanna explain this?

polishing cloth roughly the size of an oven mitt.

It's called a rock blanket. It's

for shaping and polishing rocks.

Little hobby of mine.

Mislead:  Andy's digging a tunnel.

Hadley glances at the rocks lining the window sill, turns to Norton.

HADLEY

here, nothing to get in a twist over.

Norton nods, strolls to the poster of Rita.

NORTON

====> Subtex - irony: Of course not.  It's hiding the entrance to the

tunnel.

(turns to Andy)

always be made.

Norton exits, the guards follow. The cell door is slammed and

locked. Norton pauses, turns back.

NORTON

I almost forgot.

NORTON

Salvation lies within.

====> Dubtext - Irony:  "Salvation" has of course two meanings.  All

this is hidden from the viewer until the end.  You can only appreciate

this scene second time around as the true meaning of the dialogue is

revealed. That's what makes you want to watch the movie again.

Norton and his men walk away.

What I learned from this assignment:

1) I find it interesting to read what other participants find is good

dialogue. They often notice things I don't.

2) How simple and, on the surface, innocuous lines of dialogue in fact

work at many levels.

3) Attack-counter attack can be beneath the surface.  It doesn't have to be "in your face".

"THE USUAL SUSPECTS" 

Written by Christopher McQuarrie

INT. CELL BLOCK

Keaton is brought in to a holding where he joins

Fenster,Hockney, Verbal, and McManus. He sits in a

corner and keeps to himself.

Fenster is in mid-tirade.

FENSTER

Somebody should do something. What

every five minutes? Okay, so I did a

little time, does that mean I get

railed every time a truck finds its

way off the planet?

McManus is silently staring at Keaton, who sits on a

bench, looking away.

HOCKNEY

FENSTER

screw P.C. No right. No goddamn right.

You do some time, they never let you

go.  Treat me like a criminal, I'll

end up a criminal.

HOCKNEY

FENSTER

trying to make a point.

KEATON

Then make it. Christ, you're making

McManus looks at Keaton.

MCMANUS

I heard you were dead, Keaton.

You heard right.

Note: Opening salvo in the war of words btwn Keaton and

McManus. Of course,we know Keaton's dead...we saw him shot in the

opening sequence...we want to know WHY he died.  This scene in the

holding cell and the intro of these five characters makes us want to

know how we got to the point at the beginning of the film. 

Anticipation to find out where this is going.

HOCKNEY

The word I got is you hung up your

Note: now Hockney is getting into the fray.  These guys know

a lot about each other.  Hockney's character is the 'funny' guy--

language is more colorful, expressive.

MCMANUS

What's this?

Rumor has it, Keaton's gone straight -

cleaning house. I hear he's tapping

Edie Finneran.

MCMANUS

HOCKNEY

from uptown. Big-time connected. She

could erase Dillinger's record if

she tried. I hear she's Keaton's

meal ticket.

(To Keaton)

Is it true?

MCMANUS

wife. What sort of "retainer" you

giving her?

Keaton shoots McManus a fiery glare.

FENSTER

I'd say you've gotten on his main

KEATON

keep him quiet.

NOTE: All Keaton wants is to be left alone, but these other

characters are not about to let that happen.

MCMANUS

You're clean, Keaton? Say it ain't

FENSTER

was trying to make a point.

KEATON

(Ignoring McManus)

MCMANUS

KEATON

line-up? It's always you and four

dummies. The P.D. pays homeless guys

ten bucks a head half the time. No

way they'd line five felons in the

same row. No way. And what the hell

is a voice line-.up? A public defender

could get you off of that.

FENSTER

So why the hell was I hauled in and

KEATON

guns gets snagged, Customs comes

down on N.Y.P.D. for some answers -

they come up with us. They're grabbing

at straws. It's politics - nothing

you can do.

NOTE: Again, Keaton tries to stay out of things, "nothing you

can do".

I had a guy's fingers in my asshole

tonight.

HOCKNEY

FENSTER

So who did it? Own up.

KEATON

I don't want to know.

Nobody asked you, workin'-man.

HOCKNEY

Fuck who did it. What I want to know

ALL EYES suddenly turn on Verbal. He has been quietly

listening the whole time without uttering a word.

KEATON

NOTE: Keaton's involved now.  Verbal's presence finally

drags him into it.  He could have remained silent, but he vouches for

Verbal.

How do I know that? How about it,

pretzel-man? What's your story?

KEATON

you guys knew him.

NOTE: Keaton defends Verbal, answers for him.  We think that

maybe Keaton isn't really one of these guys--he shows some

kindness.

MCMANUS

VERBAL

much.

Yeah, I was gonna tell you to shut

KEATON

We've met once or twice. Last time

VERBAL

KEATON

too.  What happened with that?

VERBAL

I walked. Ninety days, suspended.

So you did it?

VERBAL

To your mother's ass.

appears.
   

Verbal looks away from Hockney, awaiting a violent

response. Everyone slowly starts to laugh. Hockney looks as if

he is about to boil in his own skin.

KEATON

Let it go.

Verbal smiles at Keaton appreciatively.

McManus stands and walks to the toilet in the corner

of the cell. He starts taking a leak;

MCMANUS

I figure we owe it to ourselves to

salvage a little dignity. Now Fenster

and I got wind of a possible job -

KEATON

Why don't you just calm down'

Keaton still wants to stay out of things.  Wants to

get back to his new life...

HOCKNEY

MCMANUS

Hockney seems to want to hear me

out. I know Fenster is with me -

(TO VERBAL)

How about you, guy?

McManus finishes pissing.

VERBAL

I'm interested, sure.

There, so you see, I'm going to

exercise my right to free assembly.

McManus taps the bars of his cell and the others

LAUGH.

KEATON

MCMANUS

KEATON

up. I don't want to hear anything

you have to say. I don't want to

know about your "job". Just don't

let me hear you. I want nothing to

do with any of you.

(BEAT)

I beg your pardon but all of you can

MCMANUS

What is the world coming to?

NOTE: McManus and Keaton really don't care for each other. 

Attacking.

McManus and Keaton stare at one another for a long

and tense moment. Finally McManus turns to the others.

MCMANUS

Forget him then.

Now I can't talk about this here in

any detail, but listen up...

Everyone but Keaton gravitates toward McManus's cell

as he begins to speak in low, hushed tones.

VERBAL (V.O.)

And that was how it began. The five

of us brought in on a trumped-up

charge to be leaned on by half-wits.

What the cops never figured out, and

what I know now, was that these men

would never break, never lie down,

never bend over for anybody....

Anybody.

pulls you into the story, helps define the personalities of the characters, and either sets new action in motion or carries earlier action along as it goes.