[Quick Summary: After a student suspects that his mentor (Dr. MacFarlane) is illegally obtaining cadavers, the supplier (Gray) begins to harass them.]
Dr. MacFarlane has a nice, comfortable life.
The only fly in his ointment is Mr. Gray, who supplies him with cadavers.
Since Gray has old dirt on MacFarlane, he relishes sponging off him.
When MacFarlane finally confronts Gray about 3/4 into the script, it is chilling.
Why does it land so well?
Part of it is well-drawn characters. But also, part of it is the structure.
The script spends the first 3/4 setting up the rocky relationships with student Fettes, Dr. MacFarlane, and Mr. Grey. (I was rooting for Fettes.)
Then it all pays off in the last quarter, when Gray finally explains his motive to MacFarlane in this explosive admission:
INT. GRAY'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT
...Gray shrugs.
MACFARLANE: What I was going to say is this -- wouldn't you be more comfortable at Leith in a neat little house?
GRAY: Would you bribe me to leave you be?
MACFARLANE: I would make you rich.
GRAY: It wouldn't be half so much fun for me, Toddy, as to have you come here and beg --
MACFARLANE (cutting in): Beg -- beg of you! You crawling graveyard rat!
He chokes off the last speech and glares at Gray. He is almost trembling with the effort to control himself.
GRAY: Aye -- that is my pleasure.
As he speaks he is refilling MacFarlane's glass
MACFARLANE: Well then -- I beg you -- I beseech you --
GRAY (shaking, his head and grinning): But then I wouldn't have the fun of having you come here and beg again, Toddy.
They look at each other. MacFarlane bends over in his chair. Gray hitches himself forward a little on the table, ready, waiting, then relaxes as MacFarlane begins to speak.
MACFARLANE: But why, Gray? Why?
GRAY: Because it would be a hurt to me to see you no more, Toddy. You're a pleasure to me.
MACFARLANE: A pleasure to torment me?
GRAY: No -- a pride to know that I can force you to my will. I'm a small man -- a humble man -- and being poor, I've had to do much that I did not want to do. But so long as the great Dr. MacFarlane jumps at my whistle, that long am I a man -- and if I have not that, I have nothing. Then I am only a cabman and a grave-robber.
MacFarlane looks at him. As he looks, he realizes he has heard the truth and that Gray will never leave him in peace. Now he, in turn, attempts cunning....
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This gut punch is doubly horrific because of the roller coaster ride in the previous 70+ pgs. Without it, this moment loses steam.
The Body Snatcher (1945)
by Philip MacDonald and Carlos Keith
Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson
No comments:
Post a Comment