[Quick Summary: Jim and Muriel buy their dream house in the country, but it's more than they can handle.]
Q: What is one of the joys of screwball comedies?
A: Anticipating and wondering what is the character going to do next (?!).
Q: So what is a screwball writer's greatest fear?
A: That these hijinks will drag on the page.
Q: So how does the writer keep the script fun and lively to read?
A: I think it's balancing the delivery of the setup-payoffs.
Scene A thwarts the audience's expectations with mini setups-payoffs. However, it doesn't completely deliver a final payoff that would extinguish the momentum.
The writer has to pace the setup-payoffs in Scene B, C, D, etc. to keep it rising.
For example, in today's scene below:
- Note that this isn't a particularly new story, but it is about how the tale is TOLD.
- The setup is easy to read and predictable: Jim starts to rub steam off the mirror, which is something we've all experienced.
- The scene payoff is quick as things start to pile up and it gets ridiculous: his lather needs refreshing, more steam, Muriel contorts herself in the small space.
- Also note the pacing of these small scene payoffs are like snacks. They satisfy temporarily, but don't deliver the whole meal yet.
- However, they're fun enough to continue to build curiosity (momentum) until it answers the overall question at the final payoff (is moving a good idea?)
- This film stars Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.
INT. THE BATHROOM
...Jim - He stands in front of the washstand lathering his face. Over scene we hear Muriel's voice from the shower. She is singing a lusty chorus of "Home on the Range." Jim picks up his razor and turns to the mirror. He reacts with annoyance, as he discovers it is covered with steam. With weary resignation he takes a towel and starts to rub off the mirror. As he clears one section another clouds up. By the time he gets it all reasonably clear he finds that his lather needs freshening. He grimly re-lathers his face only to find that the mirror is again clouded up. As he turns with exasperation toward the shower we see Muriel turn off the water, reach for a towel, start to dry herself. The mirror cleared off, Jim re-lathers, starts to shave. During this, Muriel, having dried herself and donned her robe, comes into scene.
MURIEL (reaching for toothbrush): Excuse...
She takes her toothbrush and then opens the cabinet to get the paste. Jim, automatically following the mirror, has to squeeze around in a desperately contorted position as he continues shaving.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I really enjoy the thwarting of my expectations. Also, half the fun is watching the setup-payoffs build and build until they explode.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)(undated)
by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama
Based on a novel by Eric Hodgins
No comments:
Post a Comment