[Quick Summary: After a criminal and his wife are manipulated into robbing dirty money, they cross and double-cross their way to Mexico.]
Who's that action man? Walter Hill!
Who's dan-ger-ous? Walter Hill!
Who can you count on for guns ablazing? Walter Hill!
How many Hill scripts have I read? Um...one.
So for the next several weeks, I'll steep myself in his body of work.
My first script is The Getaway, both 1972 and 1994 versions.
I didn't like either script, as I often could not figure out what the story was trying to say.
However, the one good thing in these scripts is the way Carol is written.
Carol is the only real "girl" character in a sea of men, and most scripts would treat her as mere window dressing.
But here, she has real weight:
- She makes active decisions as Doc's full partner.
- She stirs up doubt in Doc, which makes him human.
- She makes mistakes that increases the stakes, ex. losing the suitcase of money.
Carol is important, even as a supporting character, because her behavior has a direct affect on Doc McCoy.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Even if you have a small "girl" role, make her influence felt on the protagonist.
The Getaway (1972 & 1994)
by Walter Hill (based on the novel by Jim Thompson)
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