TODAY'S NUGGET: Meet Joe Black (1998) - Setting Mood of Doubt from Pg. 1

[Quick Summary: In exchange for a few more days with his family, a media owner makes an agreement with Death to be his guide on Earth.]

I read this script this week, in my quest to read as many Bo Goldman scripts as possible.  (He's listed as the last of four screenwriters. Maybe tough adaptation?)

I remembered this film did not hang together for me, despite great performances (which critic Roger Ebert explains much better here). 

Thus I was surprised how much the script captured my attention from p. 1.

I really liked how little phrases set the mood with hints of doubts about the protagonist when he becomes aware of Death as a being (I've bolded them below):

INT. PARRISH'S BEDROOM - 4:00 AM

MOVE THROUGH the doorway to reveal a master bedroom furnished with exquisite simplicity, revelatory of its sleeping occupant, WILLIAM PARRISH, 64, a warm but commanding face, a man of maturity yet who exudes a glow of enthusiasm.

Although asleep, there is an uncommon restlessness to him. Parrish grips his upper arm as if in pain. Now the severity of the pain wakes him, he squeezes his arm. The wind comes up, through the wind a VOICE is heard distantly, or is it the wind itself:

VOICE (V.O.): ...Yes.

Parrish blinks, has he heard something, has he not, he is not sure, he releases his arm, his grimace of pain fades, the discomfort seems momentarily to have subsided.

He rises now, crosses to the bathroom. As he pees, a breeze outside the window, the wind again, but then the Voice comes up:

VOICE (V.O.): Yes...

It is unmistakably a Voice, it is not the wind, Parrish has heard something, he looks around, but no one is there. He can't finish peeing, turns back to his bedroom. All bewildered, Parrish looks around once more, climbs back into bed, trying to trace the source of what he has heard or hasn't heard; he is not sure.

He pulls the covers up now, not a SOUND, tries to close his eyes.

VOICE (V.O.): Yes.

Parrish sits up again, frightened, but still there is no one there, he seems fraught with indecision, should he get up, should he not, what is happening? He looks out: absolute stillness and silence, CRICKETS chirp down by the river, a light FLICKERS from a shadboat, Parrish closes his eyes but then they flutter open, he glances up at the ceiling and finally, exhausted, falls back asleep.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The writer's job is to engage the reader. This first page made me feel the doubt and spiked my curiosity: What is this about? I must turn the page and find out.

Meet Joe Black (1996)(Bo Goldman draft, 10/4/96)
by Ron Osborn & Jeff Reno, and Kevin Wade, and Bo Goldman
Inspired by the earlier screenplay, Death Takes a Holiday (1934), by Maxwell Anderson and Gladys Lehman
Inspired by the play by Alberto Casella and Walter Ferris

TODAY'S NUGGET: Charade (1963) - Balancing Genre Tones (Mystery, Romcom); Earning the Kiss Takes TIME

[Quick Summary: After her husband steals a fortune from five thieves, a widow falls for one of the men pursuing her.]

If nailing the tone in a romantic comedies is tricky, it's exponentially harder when mixing in another genre.  How does one balance them??

Let's look at this script, which is:
- a mystery (puzzle)
- with the spine of a rom-com (two people become a couple). 

I think these two things keep this script balanced: 

1) The essential question for a romcom is, "What is keeping the couple apart?"
- Here, it is the mystery of the location of the stolen money.
- Also, the subtext to this mystery is motive, "What does she/he want?".
- HER: Does he want me, or the money?
- HIM: Is she more important to me, or the money?

2) MORE TIME THAN YOU THINK. For a kiss to feel earned, there needs to be a closeness, a shared vulnerability. It's not a secret this only happens with time. 

The scene belong is long, but shows how balance works:
- Note the tone never falls to ALL mystery or ALL romcom.
- They're talking about the mystery, but the subtext is "me or the money."
- After they've revealed vulnerabilities, she feels secure enough for a kiss.
- Note: He lied to her, saying he was the brother of one of the thieves (Dyle).

EXT. SEINE - BATEAU MOUCHE -- DUSK

... DYLE: Are you trying to say that I might have killed Charles and Scobie?

She doesn't answer.

DYLE: What do I have to do to satisfy you -- become the next victim?
REGGIE: It's a start, anyway.
DYLE: I don't understand you at all -- one minute you're chasing me around the shower room and the next you're accusing me of murder.
REGGIE: Carson Dyle didn't have a brother.

WIDER ANGLE

She rises from the table and walks away. DYLE hesitates a moment, then follows.

DYLE: I can explain if you'll just listen. Will you listen? [He begins to open up.]
REGGIE (looking at river): I can't very well leave without a pair of water wings.
DYLE: Okay. Then get set for the story of my life -- not that it would ever make the best-seller list.
REGGIE: Fiction or non-fiction?
DYLE: Why don't you shut up!
REGGIE: Well!
DYLE: Are you going to listen?
REGGIE: Go on.
DYLE: After I graduated college I was all set to go into my father business. Umbrella frames -- that's what he made. It was a sensible business, I suppose, but I didn't have the sense to be interested in anything sensible. [He's sharing his story, but it may be a lie.]
REGGIE: I suppose all this is leading somewhere?
DYLE: It led me away from umbrella frames, for one thing. But that left me without any honest means of support.
REGGIE: What do you mean?
DYLE: When a man has no profession except the one he loathes, what's left? I began looking for people with more money than they'd ever need -- including some they'd barely miss.
REGGIE: (astonished): You mean, you're a thief?
DYLE: Well, it isn't exactly the term I'd have chosen, but I suppose it captures the spirit of the thing.
REGGIE: I don't believe it.
DYLE: Well, I can't really blame you -- not now.
REGGIE: But I do believe it -- that's what I don't believe. So it's goodbye Alexander Dye -- Welcome home Peter Joshua. [She allows herself to believe.]
DYLE: Sorry, the name's Adam Canfield.
REGGIE: Adam Canfield. Wonderful. Do you realize you've had three names in the past two days? I don't even know who I'm talking to any more.
DYLE (now called ADAM): The man's the same, even if the name isn't.
REGGIE: No -- he's not the same. Alexander Dyle was interested in clearing up his brother's death. Adam Canfied is a crook. And with all the advantages you've got -- brains, charm, education, a handsome face --  [She admits to feelings.]
ADAM: Oh, come on!
REGGIE: -- there has to be a darn good reason for living the way you do. I want to know what it is.
ADAM: It's simple. I like what I do -- I enjoy doing it. There aren't many men who love their work as much as I do. Look around some time.
REGGIE: Is there a Mrs. Canfield?
ADAM: Yes, but --
ADAM REGGIE (together): -- we're divorced.  [More personal revelations.]
ADAM: Right. Now go eat your dinner.

ANOTHER ANGLE

They walk back to the table, where a WAITER is busy putting food on it, mostly on REGGIE's side.

REGGIE (miserably): I could eat a horse.
ADAM (looking at all the food): I think that's what you ordered.
REGGIE: Don't you dare to be civil with me! All this time you were leading me on --
ADAM: How was I leading you on?
REGGIE: All that marvelous rejection -- you know I couldn't resist it. Now it turns out you were only interested in the money.  [She admits he got to her.]
ADAM: That's right.
REGGIE (HURT): Oh!  [Her vulnerable moment.]
ADAM: What would you like me to say -- that a pretty girl with an outrageous manner means more to an old pro like me than a quarter of a million dollars? [His vulnerable moment.]
REGGIE: No -- I guess not.
ADAM: It's a toss-up, I can tell you that.
REGGIE: What?
ADAM: Don't you know I'm having a tough time keeping my eyes off of you? [Vulnerable moment.]

REGGIE reacts in surprise.

ADAM: Oh, you should see your face.  [Moment of shared humor.]
REGGIE: What about it?
ADAM (taking her hand, nicely): It's lovely. [Sincere compliment.]

She looks at him with happy amazement, then pushes her plate away.

ADAM: What's the matter?
REGGIE: I'm not hungry -- isn't it glorious? [She is finally secure.]

The lights go out.

REGGIE (alarmed): Adam!
ADAM: It's all right -- look.

EXT. SEINE BATEAU MOUCHE - NIGHT

A searchlight near the boat's bridge has gone on and now begins sweeping the river banks. On benches by the water's edge, lovers are surprised by the bright light which suddenly and without warning discovers them in various attitudes of mutual affection. Some are embarrassed, some are amused and some (the most intimate) damn annoyed. One even shakes his fist at the light.

MED. SHOT -- REGGIE AND ADAM

Who, like everyone else, leave the table and stand together at the rail watching.

REGGIE: You don't look so bad in this light.
ADAM: Why do you think I brought you here?
REGGIE (indicating the lovers): I thought maybe you wanted me to see the kind of work the competition was turning out.
ADAM: Pretty good, huh? I taught them everything they do.
REGGIE: Oh? Did they do that sort of thing way back in your day?
ADAM: How do you think I got here?

She rises on tip-toes and kisses him gently; his only reaction is to look at her.  [She makes the first move!]

REGGIE: Aren't you allowed to kiss back?
ADAM: No. The doctor said it would be bad for my -- thermostat.

She kisses him again. He responds a little better.

ADAM: When you come on, you really come on.
REGGIE: Well -- come on.

She starts to kiss him again, but he stops her.

REGGIE: I know why you're not taken -- no one can catch up with you.
ADAM: Relax -- you're gaining.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: 1) Put the mystery between the lovers; 2) An excellent subtext of a mystery is "me or the money." 3) Truthful intimacy will take time on the page.

Charade (1963)(10/1/62 draft)
by Peter Stone
Based on a story by Peter Stone and Marc Behm

TODAY'S NUGGET: Octopussy (1983) - Show, Not Tell, Through Sequencing (Time Jump, POV Shot)

[Quick Summary: After a fellow agent dies carrying a Fabrege egg, Bond's search uncovers a plot to unleash nuclear weapons.]

I started reading Bond scripts after reading an interview with writer Richard Maibaum.*  How did he deliver what were fans looking for?

One key is keeping the audience surprised and off guard, which is quite a feat.

I am amazed how much Octopussy still stands out amongst the Roger Moore era films,** which tend to be more fantastical and campy than the others.***

I watched the film before reading the script, and this opening scene (below) caught me off guard because it is quite tense and ramps up quickly.

Upon reading the script, I was particularly impressed how the writers did this all with a discreet time jump + clown's POV shot.  

It "shows, not tell" and relies on the audience to put 1 + 1 together.

NOTE:
- A clown (yes, a clown) is running from twin knife throwers in East Berlin at night.
- One twin threw a knife, which hit the clown in the back. He fell into the river.
- Notice how efficiently the writers move us from man in the river --> out of river --> embassy.  It is all POV and what we think we've seen.
- Weir = small dam in a stream or river.

TWINS ON CONCRETE PLATFORM

Looking O.S.

THEIR POV

Between PILLARS. CLOWN, apparently dead, being carried away by the current on the other side of the weir. His clown's coat, ballooning out, keeps him afloat.

TWINS

VOPOS above and beyond them on SPAN OF WEIR. TWINS whisper, turn, scramble from platform to riverbank, scurry up it and out of scene.

EAST BERLIN - IMPRESSIVE BUILDING - NIGHT

MUSIC from within. Cars with formally dressed GUESTS arriving for reception at brightly lit main entrance. CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSE ON PILLARED GATE POST, PLAQUE identifies BRITISH EMBASSY. 

NEW ANGLE - MAIN ENTRANCE

CAMERA SHOOTING FROM LANDSCAPED GARDEN. SOUND of heavy gasping, then a moan. CAMERA, lurching, weaving, is now someone moving labouredly toward FRENCH DOORS in building wing.

INSIDE EMBASSY ANTE-ROOM

CAMERA CLOSE ON AMBASSADOR'S REFLECTION IN MIRROR as he straightens Order on shirtfront. ANGLE WIDENS when he turns for approval to HIS WIFE who smiles and adjusts his white tie. O.S. MUSIC AND CONVERSATION HUM, suddenly louder as door opens and ATTACHE enters, then stands beside it. AMBASSADOR offers arm to his wife. She takes it. They start toward the door to greet guests. She stops suddenly, her eyes widening apprehensively. She gasps.

HER POV ACROSS THE ROOM

FRENCH DOORS. Pressed against it outside is the ghastly face of THE CLOWN. ZOOM TO GLASS DOOR which smashes as he falls through it, still drenched and bloody, into the room.

GROUP

AMBASSADOR, WIFE, and ATTACHE, stunned and horriifed, stare down at CLOWN lying with one arm outflung toward them. CAMERA IN CLOSE ON HIS HAND. As he dies it opens and a glittering FABERGE EGG rolls out. CAMERA PANS WITH IT until it comes to rest against the Ambassador's foot.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Really think outside the box of how to show, not tell.

Here, the writers sped up the boring parts (ex. clown getting out of river --> finding way into embassy) with a clean time jump (embassy exterior --> clown POV).

Octopussy (1983)(rev. 8/19/82)
by George MacDonald Fraser and Richard Maibaum & Michael G. Wilson

*Maibaum wrote on the first 13 (of 26) Bond films. 

**This film is the 6th of 7 films with Roger Moore as James Bond (13th of 26 films).

***Tangentially, I've quickly learned that Bond fans: 1) love, love, love to rank the films in a bazillion different way; and 2) generally categorize the films by the actor era (Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Bronan, Craig). 

TODAY'S NUGGET: For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Avoiding Deus Ex Machina (Just Barely) in Rescuing Bond

[Quick Summary: After vessel goes missing, Bond must find a stolen coded transmitter for submarines.]

This is the 5th of 7 films with Roger Moore as James Bond (12th of 26 films). 

In short, the story isn't the strongest. I wasn't very worried for Bond, as he seemed to get in and out of situations too easily, i.e., there was no real peril.

However, in the scene below, I did wonder, "How is going to get out of this?"  

I will note that it seems "very convenient" that a crossbow bolt was there to save Bond.  Is this a "deus ex machina* situation? Just barely. Why?

I think this one is borderline acceptable to me because the shooter (a woman bent on revenge for her parents' death) took the shot when she could.  

The shooter had her own agenda.  Though it saved Bond, it was unintentional and unplanned. Maybe a coincidence, but also within the realm of possibility.

EXT. VILLA - GROUP AROUND POOL

...One of the THUGS shows him BOND'S GUN.

GONZALES (affably): A Walther PPK. Standard Issue, British Secret Service. Licence to kill --

He glances at LOCQUE who nods.

GONZALES: Or be killed. (to thugs) Take him away.

He walks onto diving board. THUGS prod BOND. They start out.

POV SHOT - SOMEONE PARTING SHRUBBERY

to look through at GONZALES posing to dive as GIRLS and OTHERS WATCH.

REVERSE ANGLE - GONZALES

as he dives a METALLIC TWANG is audible from O.S. He does not immediately surface.

SURFACE OF POOL - GONZALES' DEAD BODY

floating up. A CROSSBOW BOLT sticks out of the side of his chest. A large blood stain spreads on surface around body. ANGLE WIDENS TO INCLUDE GIRLS IN POOL, reacting, momentarily shocked, then excitedly. Commotion among people standing around pool.

BOND AND THUGS

BOND takes advantage of general confusion to karate chop one thug and knee-lift the other...

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Funny enough, I wouldn't have bought this rescue as a plot device, but did buy it because of shooter had a real motive.  Her actions were independent of him.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)
by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson

* Deus ex machina = Latin for "god from the machine") a person or thing that appears or is introduced into a situation suddenly and unexpectedly into a situation suddenly and unexpectedly and provides an artificial or contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty.

TODAY'S NUGGET: Little Nikita (1988) - Re-Writing Three Writers Ahead of You; Sensitivity to Character, Tone

[Quick Summary:  FBI Agent (Sidney Poitier) tries to unmask two Russian sleeper spies and strikes up an unlikely friendship with their son (River Phoenix).]

I've been reading my way through the scripts of double Oscar winner (and triple nominee) Bo Goldman. His work has noticeable depth.*

His originals are impressive (ex. Melvin and Howard, Scent of a Woman), but I've become even more fascinated in how he elevated scripts in his re-write work.

His handiwork is particularly evident in character relationships, even if the final film was not well received (as today's script was not).**  

I think Goldman's sensitivity to characters is seen well in the scene below:
- Jeff is about to interview for the Air Force.
- This may look like an easy scene, but read all the way to the end to see the shifts in tone (semi-serious - shooting the breeze - life changing moment - fork in the road).
- Notice how realistic the silly/serious line is among guy friends.

INT. TEENAGERS' VW - DAY

Rolling down the San Diego County roads, Bret at the wheel, Jeff beside him, in the back, Tom and Tony. Tom and Tony and Bret are guzzling cans of soda and munching potato chips while Jeff sits moodily, his arms folded.

BRET (to Jeff): Don't you want a Mountain Dew?

TOM (heavily): Don't force him, today is crucial.

Tom chug-a-lugs his soda noisily, Jeff glances back at him.

JEFF: Okay, gimme one.

Tony pops a can, hands it to Jeff.

TONY: Are we ready, folks, I'm the interviewer...

BRET: And I'm Jeff...

TONY: Son!

BRET: Yes, sir!

TONY: Straighen up, son!

BRET: Yes, sir!

TONY: Statistics, son!

BRET: 'Statistics!' Fire away, sir!

TONY: Barbara Kerry's statistics?!

BRET: 34-18 --

TONY: 69!

Laughs. Jeff doesn't.

JEFF: Okay, okay, I got it.

Jeff shifts the can of soda in his hand. Tom, a gentle giant, removes it from him, gulps the rest.

TOM: ...Why's your interview first?

TONY: Yeah, how come you rate?

BRET: The boy must have clout.

TONY: Your father cal somebody?

TOM: My father knows Chuck Yeager. He autographed his book for my dad. General Yeager may sponsor me. 

TONY: Dr. Ruth autographed her book for my dad.

BRET: Yeah, she may sponsor me.

TONY: ...Who's Chuck Yeager?

TOM: Chuck Yeager? The Sound Barrier? Greatest pilot in the world? Any of this mean anything? I don't think the Air Force is for you, Tony.

Tony looks at him blankly.

TOM (contd): ...Gentlemen, The Wrong Stuff!

Sudden silence as Bret pulls up alongside Camp Pendelton headquarters. Brassy uniforms file in and out of the nerve center of the huge Marine base.

TONY: Good luck, buddy --

TOM: And remember, you live in fame, go down in flame --

But Jeff has already jumped out, is jogging toward the headquarters door, the boys watching as he passes grizzled sergeants, hash-marks up their arms. Jeff glances back now, the boys wave to him reassuringly. Finally, Bret pees out, cacophonous voices float back over the parking lot, "Off we go, into the wild, blue yonder..."

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I really liked how realistic this small, but memorable, moment was.

I think it's the writer's rhythm that makes the difference: deft use of shifts in tone; the characters going off on tangents, not talking about the interview ahead.

Little Nikita (1988)(9/15/86 Bo Goldman draft)
by John Hill and Bo Goldman
Story by Tom Musca and Terry Schwartz
* Writer Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Insider) said this about Goldman: 

“The man whose work made the biggest impression on me, because of his audacious originality, his understanding of social mores, his ironic sense of humor, and his outright anger at being human, and all with his soft spoken grace and eloquent simplicity is Bo Goldman. This degenerate horse player of a man lived his life like he lived his politics, never shying from a fight. His words were silk, never wasted or misplaced, and he would throw away what others would consider glorious and did it all without a moment’s fanfare.”

**Roger Ebert acknowledged that this was one of those packaged deals that was trying to reach a big audience, especially parents and teens. 

He also pinpointed some of the story's flaws:

"...It turns all of the characters into chess pieces, whose relationships depend on the plot, not on human chemistry. Since the plot is absurdly illogical, you're not left with much....

Everything leads up to the single most unbelievable chain of coincidences in recent movie history, when the entire plot depends on all of the key characters accidentally boarding the same trolley car. 

Because 'Little Nikita' is impossible to believe, impossible even to accept as a plausible fantasy, it is impossible to care about. 

As a general rule, a thriller must have some sort of interior consistency; if anything can happen, how can we feel any suspense about what does happen?"