TODAY'S NUGGET: I Vitelloni (1953) - One Unspoken Way to Reveal an Unplanned Pregnancy Without Feeling Forced

[Quick Summary: A character study of the lives of five young men in a small Italian town.]

I have to admit that I've been reluctant to read more of Federico Fellini's writing because of my previous experience reading 8 1/2 (1963). 

I may have to revisit 8 1/2 after reading today's script,* which was written 10 years earlier.  

I like this script because it feels like real, small town life, yet isn't boring; it moves forward, yet doesn't feel forced. How does that work? It's harder than it looks.

One good example of this is the scene below in which a pregnancy is discovered: 
- Fausto, Moraldo, and Leopoldo are friends and attend a festival together.
- Sandra is Moraldo's sister.
- Fausto is dating Sandra. 
- Sandra enters a beauty pagent at the festival.
- After she has been crowned Miss Siren, she faints.
- Her family calls for a doctor.
- Notice mother's behavior and how it changes from concern to suspicion to accusation. It's all very unspoken and natural, not mannered or forced.

Kursaal hall. Night. 

The doctor leans over Sandra and listens to her heart as Moraldo continues to comfort his still-frightened mother.

MORALDO: Mama, Mama, calm down, calm down. It's nothing.

MOTHER: What d'you mean nothing; look at her!

Fausto makes his way through the crowd in the main hall but stops at the doorway to the little room and looks inquiringly at Leopoldo, who is already stationed there.

LEOPOLDO: Sandra's fainted; she's sick.

The doctor has completed his examination and stands up, silent.

MOTHER (anxiously): Is she better?

She leans over Sandra, who opens her eyes.

SANDRA: Mama!

MOTHER: Darling!

Sandra sees Fausto standing in the doorway. She immediately drops her eyes and suddenly bursts into desperate tears, hiding her face in her hands.

SANDRA (sobbing): I want to die, I want to die

Her mother bends over her and rests her face gently on the girl's hair.

MOTHER: Oh my dear little Sandra, my lovely girl, what are you saying? You want to die just tonight, when you've just become Miss Siren? No, darling, don't say such things, not even as a joke! (Turning to the doctor) Doctor, what's wrong with her?

Fausto, evidently uncomfortable, watches the scene from the doorway. The mother continues to look uncertainly at the doctor as if to elicit an answer. Moraldo is frowning.

MOTHER: Answer!

The doctor looks gravely into the mother's eyes and then at Moraldo.

MANCINELLI (clapping his hands): All right, young folks, everybody out.

At the doctor's words, the mother is struck by a sudden suspicion. She looks first at Moraldo, then at Sandra. Moraldo silently turns to gaze at Fausto.

Fautso, who was about to enter, steps back warily and then makes his way out through the crowd. 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Mother's emotions flit from concern to suspicion to accusation at a very fast speed, just based on looks.  

The writers had to be astute observers of character to get Mother's pacing of emotions correct.  They had to be specific and true to life, otherwise the audience will not grasp that we are clocking her unspoken train of thoughts. 

I Vitelloni (1953) 
by  Federico Fellini & Ennio Flaiano
Story by Federico Fellini & Ennio Flaiano & Tullio Pinelli

*Fellini was nominated for 14 Oscars, 8 of which were for writing (including this script and 8 1/2).

TODAY'S NUGGET: Darling (1965) - How Excellent Writing Elevates Character in an "Impersonal Sex Scene"

[Quick Summary: An amoral model who sleeps her way to the top has to face consequences in the Swinging Sixties of London.]

Frederic Raphael is an astute writer who nails character with real panache and nuance. (See my reviews for Two for the Road and This Man, This Woman).

For example, many other writers would describe an "impersonal sex scene" by focusing on characters' beliefs about sex (transactional) and where they are mentally (occupied with other relationships).

But Raphael (who won an Oscar for this script) adds something special: humanity.  

Prior to the scene below:
- Diana, a model, lives with Robert, a tv director.
- She truly cares for Robert, who is difficult sometimes. 
- She has no qualms about a side relationship - only for recreational sex - with Miles, a businessman.
- Diana tracks down Miles at his gym where he was fencing.
- They retreat to his flat for sex.
- See my bolded section below and my comments in brackets.

INT. MILES' BEDROOM. DAY.

Small change, all silver, being stacked with great care on top of the chest of drawers. The money graded through half crowns to a tuppence.

MILES takes a hanger out of the wardrobe where his suits hang in neat rows like executed gentlemen. He takes out a hanger and holds it out.

DIANA's bare arm takes it. The essence of this scene is that the two are never seen embracing or in two-shot. They undress and seduce each other very coolly, in ritual, never as part of a relationship, never in mutual joy. [These bolded sentences impressed me.  2nd sentence: Raphael, who also wrote for tv, is very aware of what the camera (i.e., visuals) can say that dialogue cannot.  By keeping them apart visually, the sex feels impersonal. 3rd sentence: I thought the description exactly nailed the feeling of this sexual seduction. It's also rather ironic. They're here for sex, to feel better, but they're not really engaged with each other or feeling much at all.]

DIANA: I always feel as if there's one more corner to turn...and I'll be there.

MILES: (sitting on a chair, taking off his shoes) And so you will.

DIANA raises a stocking over her head.

DIANA: And there'll be another.

MILES: (taking off his sweater) That's the attraction of corners.

The coverlet is pulled off the bed and neatly folded.

DIANA: I do love Robert, you know. 

MILES: Why not? 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This isn't your typical "impersonal sex scene."  I believe the humanity of these characters, that they're contradictory beings.  It's totally realistic to me that they'd try to keep emotions out of a very emotion filled act.

Darling (1965) 
by Frederic Raphael

TODAY'S NUGGET: The Best Man (1964) - Jabs in the Subtext of a Dialogue Heavy Satire

[Quick Summary: Two candidates - Russell, a ruthless one and Cantwell, a principled one - attempt to solidify the party's nomination for presidency.]

Today's script was written by playwright Gore Vidal, adapted from his own play. 

When the script was published, the editors wrote this interesting observation:

"But essentially the script consists of rather large master scenes only. There are fewer than 100 master scenes, a small number for a feature film, and all involve a considerable dependence, in the script, upon dialogue rather than action or cinematic effects. The result is a fairly long script built around a limited number of settings. For the most part, then, author Vidal leaves the handling of the master scenes in cinematic terms to the director and the crew."  (my own underlining)

Rather than focus on "cinema" and try to expand the world with multiple settings, I thought it was smart that Vidal:
1) kept to the spirit of the play and kept it intimate with limited setting;
2) kept the focus of the script on the duel between these two candidates;
3) avoided the trap of a dialogue heavy script (more "telling" than "showing") with great subtext beneath the surface of the words.

The scene below is a good example (particularly subtext). Prior to this scene:
- Cantwell and Russell are both running for the party's nomination.
- Cantwell is about to concede to Russell, who has released Cantwell's negative medical records to the voters.
- Alice is Russell's wife.
- Note that Russell, who has the upper hand in this scene, is playing games with Cantwell.  He's trying to rile Cantwell with jabs in the subtext.

INT. CONVENTION ROOM 2

Aide gives Cantwell a note; he glances at it perfunctorily.

RUSSELL (gaily): Hi, Joe! Long time no see!

CANTWELL: Yes . .  Mrs. Russell, I'm Joe Cantwell . . . I don't think we've met.

Cantwell shakes Alice's hand. 

ALICE: How do you do. 

RUSSELL: I thought you would be busy working on your acceptance speech. Or is it already written?

CANTWELL (begins): Now, Bill, as I see the picture. . .

RUSSELL: I've been working for months on my acceptance speech, trying to strike that delicate balance between humility and confidence.

CANTWELL: Yes. Now as I see this convention . . . 

RUSSELL: You of course have a gift for hitting the right note.

CANTWELL: Yes. . .

RUSSELL: I like the way you always manage to state the obvious with a sense of real discovery.

CANTWELL: Yes. Now, Bill . . .

RUSSELL: And that wonderful trick you have of . . .

CANTWELL (exploding): Bill, at least let me get one word in edgewise!

RUSSELL (laughs): I'm sorry, Joe. I couldn't resist it. (to the others) I was using Joe's technique: never let the other man get started. Talk right through him. Also, whenever Joe starts a sentence with "Now Bill" . . . you know he's up to no good.

CANTWELL (quickly): Now, Bill . . .

RUSSELL: See?

Cantwell controls himself with some difficulty. 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Though the filmmakers could take care of the cinema part, they needed the writer Vidal to do what they could not, i.e., bring the inter-personal dynamics, set the stage, include the subtext in dialogue.

The Best Man (1964)(8/28/63 final shooting script)
by Gore Vidal
Based on his play 

TODAY'S NUGGET: A Hard Day's Night (1964) - The Importance of Giving Non-Actor Protagonists (The Beatles) Something Interesting to Do (Character)

[Quick Summary: The Beatles try to keep themselves - and Paul's grandfather - out of trouble while getting ready for a tv performance.}

What kind of script works for super-duper famous musicians who aren't actors? 

Today's script tackles that task, as it was written for the four Beatles as they hit their stride in 1964.* (And it must've worked well, as it's an Oscar nominated script!) 

I think the trick of this script was that:
-  It gave each of the four guys something to do. Each one has his own mini-story within the larger story.
- The guys poke fun at their fame and don't take themselves seriously.
- It doesn't require the musicians to be actors.
- It puts the guys in quirky situations that the average guy would also find amusing.

For example, in the scene below: 
- George is looking for Ringo and goes into a building across from the theater labeled "Canteen and Executive Office."
- Simon, the executive, doesn't know who George is or that he's famous. 
- Simon thinks George is an actor who is giving his opinion on clothes for teenagers.
- The irony is that Simon dismisses George's opinions as irrelevant, though George actually could have a lot of sway over Simon's customers.

INTERIOR OFFICE 

...A Collection of shirts is produced and GEORGE looks at them. While he is doing this SIMON briefs him.

SIMON: You'll like these. You really "dig" them. They're "fab" and all the other pimply hyperboles.

GEORGE: I wouldn't be seen dead in them. They're dead grotty.

SIMON: Grotty?

GEORGE: Yeah, grotesque.

SIMON (to Secretary): Make a note of that word and give it to Susan. I think it's rather touching really. Here's this kid trying to give me his utterly valueless opinion when I know for a fact within four weeks he'll be suffering from a violent inferiority complex and loss of status if he isn't wearing one of these nasty things. Of course they're grotty, you wretched nit, that's why they were designed but that's what you'll want.

GEORGE: But I won't.

SIMON: You can be replaced you know, chicky baby.

GEORGE: I don't care.

SIMON: And that pose is out too, Sunny Jim. The new thing is to care passionately, and be right wing. Anyway, you wont' meet Susan if you don't cooperate. 

GEORGE: And who's this Susan when she's at home?

SIMON (playing his ace): Only Susan Compey, our resident teenager. You'll have to love her. She's your symbol.

GEORGE: Oh, you mean that posh bird who gets everything wrong?

SIMON: I beg your pardon?

GEORGE: Oh, yes, the lads frequently gather round the T.V. set to watch her for a giggle. Once we even all sat down and wrote these letters saying how gear she was and all that rubbish.

SIMON: She's a trend setter. It's her profession!

GEORGE: She's a drag. A well-known drag. We turn the sound down on her and say rude things.

SIMON: Get him out of here!!

GEORGE (genuinely surprised): Have I said something amiss? 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This script showed me that one interesting thing you can do for non-actors is to put them into situations where they have to react as average people, not famous people.

A Hard Day's Night (1964) 
by Alun Owen

*A short time line to give you context:
- 1960: The Beatles started as a group.
- February, 1964: They appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in the U.S. 
- March -April, 1964: This film was shot.
- July, 1964: This film premiered.

 

TODAY'S NUGGET: The Defiant Ones (1958) - How Does an Oscar Winning Script Build Up to an Unexpected Turn/Twist?

[Quick Summary: Two chained prisoners, one black, one white, escape and have to work together to get to freedom.]

How does one craft an unexpected turn in a script?

In this Oscar winning script,* I noticed that the turns were built on a hope-fear-hope-fear rhythm.

For example, in the scene below: 
- Two prisoners, Cullen and Jackson, are shackled together and have been on the run for days. 
- Cullen is white. Jackson is black.
- They come across a single woman and her son.
- They hold the woman at gun point and send the son to fetch a chisel and hammer.
- The scene begins in fear: These men have been through a lot in prison, don't like each other, and are chained together.
- The scene turns hopeful: They final get the shackles off.
- Fear strikes again out of nowhere: They've been so afraid of their pursuers (external), the last thing they thought would trip them up is their bodies (internal). 

INT. CABIN -- FULL SHOT

...Jackson lays his wrist on the stone and holds the chisel over the cuff. Three ringing blows and the iron falls off his wrist.

CULLEN: Now me.

They exchange instruments. Jackson aims carefully. One smash and the iron separates. Jackson looks at Cullen and grins sickly. Cullen reaches for the gun. Both men measure each other. 

CULLEN (licks his lips): We cut loose now.

Jackson's grin fades. His eye hood. Without warning, he drops the hammer, staggers Cullen catches him and carries him to the  bed..  

 WOMAN: What's the matter with him?

CULLEN: He's sick. Got poison in his system. 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The fear-hope-fear-hope rhythm is a good tool to keep the story going. The suspense can hide an unexpected upcoming turn/twist. 

The Defiant Ones (1958) 
by  Nathan E. Douglas and Harold Jacob Smith
Based upon the story, "The Long Road," by Douglas and Smith

*FYI: This film was nominated in 9 times, including the first nomination for an African American actor for Sydney Poitier.