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.

TODAY'S NUGGET: Trading Places (1983) - Not Tipping Your Hand Right Before a Turning Point (Suspense)

[Quick Summary: A homeless man and a broker have their lives surreptitiously swapped, all for a measly bet between two rich old men.]

This buddy comedy is a gem because of its classic fish-out-of-water setup, i.e., poor guy swaps lives with rich guy. 

It also does a great job of playing the moments as real, particularly leading up to the turning points.  This leads to REAL consequences & REAL stakes.

Because there are no magic solutions and no "fake deaths", it doesn't tip the hand of what's to come next and helps keep the suspense rising.

For example, in the scene below: 
- Louis Whipple is the grandson-in-law-to-be for two elderly Mr. Dukes. 
- Louis has just tried to O.D. on prescription pills. 
- Billy Ray is the homeless man.
- Ophelia is a woman of the streets who joins the adventure.
- Billy Ray and Ophelia have been walking Louis around the park to keep him awake.
- The writers allow Louis to make mistakes and allow the situation to defeat him.  They don't try to soften the blow by a magical solution.
- As a result, we go right up to the turning point (Louis' aha! moment below ) with real stakes (the stupid bet has gone awry and is about to cause a fatality). 

EXT. A PARK - NIGHT

...The two of them fall in the snow, and Billy Ray ends up sitting on Whipple's chest, holding him down.

BILLY RAY: Try and get it through your thick skull, Whipple! This whole thing was an experiment! And you and me are the guinea pigs! They made a bet over what would happen to us!

The truth is finally starting to dawn on Whipple. He looks from Ophelia's face to Billy Ray's.

LOUIS: A bet? They ruined my life over a bet? A bet for how much?

BILLY RAY: One dollar.

Whipple finally gets it. He smiles and nods, but his left eye is twitching.

LOUIS: A dollar. Good. Okay. Fine.

BILLY RAY: You okay, man?

LOUIS: Oh, I feel wonderful. And I'm going to feel even better.

                                       CUT TO: 

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: One reason that I think audiences have become uninterested in "fake death" universes is because there are no consequences, no stakes, and thus little suspense.

Trading Places (1983)(June, 1982, 1st draft)
by Timothy Harris & Herschel Weingrod

TODAY'S NUGGET: How Green Was My Valley (1941) - How to Show Theme in Story & Subtle Visuals

[Quick Summary: Told through the eyes of the youngest son, a Welsh mining family has split opinions over a mining strike.]

This is a famous film from director John Ford that has influenced many others.  For example, see the classic, powerful framing in these stills: here, here, and here. 

Though it's not one of my favorite stories, I was impressed how the writer brought out the theme of family in the story and subtle visuals.

For example:
- The scene below occurs after mother Beth has spoken up at a strikers' meeting,
- The strike has pitted her husband (anti-strike) against her adult sons (pro-strike).
- She spoke up in support of her husband, who was not present.
- She and her youngest son, Huw (protagonist) begin walking home in bad weather.
- Her other adult sons, Ianto and Davy, attended the meeting separately.
- She falls through the rotting bridge.
- The theme of family in the story: mother vs. sons at the meeting.
- The theme of family in the visuals: mother falls through the bridge; mother separated from sons; sons coming to aid of estranged parent.
- Note how theme is also in the conflict: Huw's brothers dismissed their mother's plea in the previous scene.  Now, through Huw's point of view, we see he's barely hanging on. Where will his brothers' loyalties lie when there's an emergency?
 

The scene dissolves to a MOUNTAINSIDE. It is still night. Huw and Beth, almost totally exhausted, are stumbling down a steep place. It is raining fiercely and the wind shrieks through the trees above them. Beth is failing visibly. Huw puts his arm around her, struggling to support her.

HUW'S VOICE: Hours it seemed and no feeling or sense was in me - but I was crying to God to help me save my mother and I was helped sure or I could not tell where I found the strength -

The scene dissolves to a BRIDGE, as Beth and Huw stagger toward it. They reach the bridge. Beth clutches at the rail for support. The wood is rotten and breaks under her weight. She pitches forward into the icy water a few feet below the bridge. Huw gives a frightened gasp and throws himself in after her.

In the water Beth, inert, is slung around by the swift current. Huw struggles closer to her, as the current brings her up against a rocky point. Gasping with the cold Huw brings her head and shoulders clear of the water. He cannot leave the water himself, but must push against her with all his might to hold her clear of the racing stream.

HUW'S VOICE: So strong was the cold that for minutes I couldn't breathe--

Huw, his face contorted, is struggling to hold his mother up as he stands shoulder deep in the icy black water.  A faint light appears upon Huw and the inert figure of Beth.

HUW'S VOICE: How long it was I cannot tell, but there was a weariness of time before I saw a light--

Huw is desperately holding on as the light grows stronger and dark figures appear in the rain. It is a group of men from the meeting, headed by Davy and Ianto. They have a lantern.

Huw turns, his eyes glistening in the light, and opens his mouth to shout.

HUW'S VOICE: I tried to shout but my voice was gone from my throat.

Davy, Ianto and the men, not seeing Huw and his mother, start to cross the bridge. Huw's mouth is open. He is trying to shout against the wind, but he cannot make himself heard. He begins to fail, to slip. Beth's head rolls and she almost goes under the water.

Ianto and Davy with the other men are on the bridge. They are about to leave the bridge and pass on when Ianto almost casually notices that the rail is broken. He stops for a second look, holding the lantern high. Huw is straining mightily to hold Beth above the water. Ianto starts to move away, then raises the lantern once more As he looks down the stream, his eyes widen in horror. He turns and shouts into the wind.

IANTO (shouting): Davy--

He puts down his lantern and plunges forward into the water where Huw is giving his last ounce of strength to hold up his mother until Ianto reaches them. As Ianto pulls them to the bank, Davy and the other men are there to help them to safety. The scene fades out.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: You don't have to hit the audience over the head with theme. Here, it is subtly baked into conflicts and drama. 

In fact, it's so good that I didn't notice the subtle metaphor of the rotting bridge until much later. 

How Green Was My Valley (1941)
by Philip Dunne
Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn

TODAY'S NUGGET: Birth (2004) - A Turning Point that is Creepy as Hell

[Quick Summary: A 10 y.o. boy tries to convince a newly engaged woman that he is her dead ex-husband reborn, and wants to marry her again.]

Does this story have a big ick factor? Was it creepy as hell? Yes. 

However, it was very well written, in large part because the question of reincarnation - which these characters don't believe in - is played for real.  

For example, a turning point (below) hooked me because it delves into a universal fear about creepy kids.  What would you do with a kid like this who is unrelenting?

NOTE: The main character is Anna, and Laura is her sister.

INT. MORGANS' APARTMENT - HALL - SAME

The doorbell rings. BETTY emerges from the kitchen, walks the length of the hall, and opens the front door to MR. & MRS. DRUMMOND and their TWO DAUGHTERS. They are armed with FLOWERS and PRESENTS. DAVID is with them. THE GIRLS bolt into the dining room as BETTY takes MR. and Mrs. Drummond's coats. She ushers them into the dining room, then returns to the kitchen. The camera remains in the hall. Suddenly, the hall light is extinguished and, for a beat, we wait in darkness.

Suddenly, Anna appears behind Betty and they both emerge from the kitchen. ANNA carries the CANDLELIT CAKE. Betty walks ahead of her.

DINING ROOM - EVENING

Betty turns the lights off in the dining room. Anna enters with the cake. Everyone claps and sings 'Happy Birthday'. Eleanor blows the candles out. Claps and congratulations and kisses. 'Hip Hip' shouts JOSEPH. 'Hooray', they reply.

Betty turns the lights back on. And there, in the corner, ANNA sees DAVID. 'Hip Hip' shouts JOSEPH. And DAVID looks back, as baffled as she is shocked. 'Hooray', they reply.

INT. ELEVATOR - MOVING - EVENING

Anna and David travel down, side by side. He's too frightened to look at her and she's too angry to look at him. She takes a $10 bill from her purse and folds it in her hand.

They continue their descent in silence....

[I deleted several scenes here where she has the front desk put him in a taxi.]

INT. MORGANS' APARTMENT BUILDING - CORRIDOR - EVENING

The elevator doors open at Anna's floor, and she exits the elevator. LAURA is waiting there, and she and ANNA walk back to the apartment together. 

LAURA: That was him.

ANNA: Yes.

LAURA: Betty thought he was with the Drummonds, the Drummonds thought he was with us.

ANNA: You didn't tell anyone, did you?

LAURA: No.

They arrive at the apartment door. Laura rings the bell.

LAURA (CONT'D): What are you going to do?

ANNA: Nothing. It's over. It's a moot issue. (a pause) Finished.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I think this turning point was very effective for me because it plays into a universal theme of fear and feeling helpless.  

Also, it's not just a crescendo into a tense moment, but a moment where a decision has to be made (turning point).

Birth (2004)(draft dated 9/1/02)
by Jean-Claude Carriere & Jonathan Glazer
Additional dialogue by Milo Addica

TODAY'S NUGGET: What Dreams May Come (1998) - Moment of Despair + Decisive Act

[Quick Summary: Chris, a doctor, dies and goes to heaven, but descends into hell looking for Annie, his wife, who committed suicide after his death.]

I genuinely cried at the Moment of Despair + Decisive Act turning points.

Please forgive this long post, but you won't regret reading the strong writing!

*****SPOILERS AHEAD*****

SETUP of Stakes:
Annie barely held on after she and Chris lost their two kids.  After Chris died, Annie committed suicide and now is in hell, which the Tracker describes for Chris:

When you find her. Nothing will make her recognize you. Nothing will break her denial, it is stronger than her love, in fact reinforced by her love. Denial twists everything around and uses it, do you follow me? You can't outsmart it, you can't beat it....But you can say everything you long to say. Including good-bye. Even if she can't understand it.

PAYOFF - Moment of Despair (Act 3):
Chris finally found Annie!  It's very bad. He comes out of her hell house to report:

TRACKER: You were in there awhile.

And Chris nods. Guess I was.

CHRIS: Took awhile to realize. You were right.

The Tracker adjusts the gun-metal glases. He's not happy to be right. Not happy at all.

TRACKER: Nothing you can do could ever help her. This trip was always just for you.

Chris nods once more. He knows that now. The Tracker clears his throat.

TRACKER: Did you come close...?

CHRIS: ...to losing it? Giving up my hold on the 'real'

His eyes so sad above the smile.

CHRIS (softly): ...oh yeh.

But somehow, very calm.

CHRIS: I pushed it straight to the edge.  That's why I had to come out now...

A flicker of apprehension across the Tracker's eyes, because some instinct anticipates danger.

CHRIS: To tell you I'm giving up...

And in the instant the Tracker relaxes...

CHRIS: Just no. The way you think.

The Tracker freezes. To stone.

CHRIS (softly): Go home, Al. Tell my children I love them...

I do.

CHRIS: And I won't leave their mom.

His eyes say, thanks, Al. For everything. And then...

...he's gone. The door closes STRONG. Forever. [Notice there is NO WAY OUT.]

HOLD on the Tracker. What has he done?

PAYOFF - Decisive Act (Act 3):
I think a decisive act is one where the protagonist rights a previous wrong.  Whether or not the action actually succeeds, it shows us he's learned a lesson.

HELL - INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - DAY

[Annie shrieks at a tarantula invading the room. Chris gets rid of it.]

He crosses the floor. Kneels down beside her bed. His face so close to her terrified eyes. But they are watching him.

CHRIS (softly): Where are we headed, babe...?

He reaches so gently, his fingertip brush her arm, and she RECOILS, fearfully. But he doesn't mind.

CHRIS: Are we headed for that pit?

He shrugs. Maybe we are. He leans closer...

CHRIS: In one minute, I won't know you. Any better than you know me.

But...

CHRIS: But we'll be together.

The tears pool in his eyes. He hadn't expected that.

CHRIS: Where we belong.

He folds his hand over hers. She tries weakly to pull it free, but he won't let her.

CHRIS: Good people end up in Hell.  Because they can't forgive themselves.

Staring into her eyes.

CHRIS (whispers): Hell, I know I can't.

She  is staring back. Transfixed.

CHRIS: But I can forgive you.

ANNIE: For what? Killing my children? My sweet husband?

He shakes his head. Nah, not for any of that.

CHRIS: For being so wonderful. A guy would choose hell over heaven...

Leans close. So the last words can be a whisper...

CHRIS: ...just to hang around you. [Decisive Act: Be with her vs. Leaving as he'd done when their kids died.]

And with those words, a light goes out behind his eyes. He blinks, pulls back, looks around...

CHRIS: Christ, what happened to this place? Why is it so...cold?

His arms hug himself against that. And then, his gaze falls on...

...her. And with the non-recognition in his eyes, we SNAP TO...

...his VIEW of her face. So close. The light dawning behind her dark eyes...a wondering... [Decisive act changes things.]

ANNIE: Christy...?

We blink, BLACKENING the screen for an instant. She is up now, on one elbow, pure blind panic...

ANNIE: Oh, god, HELP ME...!

Reaches out to us, blindly...

ANNIE: Christy! Don't give up...!

And BLACK SCREEN.

Silence. In the darkness.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Make sure the Moment of Despair is truly closing a door + Make sure the Decisive Act corrects a previous bad decision = Deeply moving

What Dreams May Come (1998)(12/12/96, rev. 1st draft)
by Ronald Bass
Based on the novel by Richard Matheson

TODAY'S NUGGET: The Stunt Man (1980) - Strengthening a Good Turning Point/Reveal

[Quick Summary: After he barely escapes arresting officers, Cameron stumbles onto a film shoot, where he is hired to be a stunt man.]

I got a headache after reading this script.  I felt frustrated and manipulated.

Roger Ebert explains why much better than I can:

Railsback begins to suspect that O'Toole really wants to kill him, either in the service of cinematic art or for some sadistic private purpose. And that is essentially the situation the film repeats, over and over, scene after scene, all the way to the end.

That's what bothered me. I caught on right away (it didn't take much deep thought) that the method of the movie was to deceive and mislead me. Because the ability to do that is completely within the director's ability-because I can know only what he chooses to tell me-I found the movie's approach more frustrating than challenging.

Did I like anything? I did like the turning point/reveal below. 

In this scene, Cameron (protagonist) and Henry (assistant cameraman) talk about Eli Cross (director). Cameron thinks only Eli knows Cameron's secret.

ex. "INT. HOTEL BAR - LATE NIGHT

...CAMERON: Ya quittin'?

HENRY: Fuckin' A. Gettin' out tonight. But not without splittin' a Schlitz with the one guy, 'cept me, who wouldn't take shit from that screwball.

As the BARTENDER is taking away the empties, Henry puts his finger down on a DIME.

HENRY (cont'd): Change is for you, except that. That's a very special dime. (holds it up for Cameron to see) Know what this is? Ask me!

CAMERON: It's a dime...am I close?

HENRY: It's Eli Cross' ass. People think 'cause you're easygoin' they can walk all over you. Bull-shit...I'm blowin' the whistle with this dime in that phone...killin' a man and hiding it from the police...are you kiddin'...? Who is he think he is? [Oh no! Does Henry know Cameron's secret too?]

Cameron pales, knowing that drunken Henry's desire for revenge can expose him to the police. He grabs the dime from Henry's fingers and drops it into a PEANUT VENDING MACHINE. [Cameron jumps to the logical conclusion, i.e., He thinks it's me.]

HENRY: What the hell you doin'?

They have reached the HOTEL DOORWAY. By now, Henry is convinced Cameron means business. He stops.

HENRY: Do whatever you wanna do, but I better do it with ya! You'll need help 'cause that goddamn looney is dangerous.

CAMERON (blustering): Not to me, he ain't. I'm going to the cops. You gotta earn your living in pictures, but I don't give a shit. He can't hurt me.

HENRY: Don't be too sure. Damned psycho nearly strangled me! Don't believe me? Wanna see marks...?(tears open shirt collar to show bruises) ...Lucky to be alive!

CAMERON (confused): Henry, what are you talking about? I watched that whole thing today, he didn't even touch you.

HENRY: Not today. When Burt went into the water. (Cameron is wide-eyed) [Wow! Henry was talking about Eli's secret, not Cameron's secret. This is a great reveal and reversal of our expectations.]

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: It really helps that Cameron jumps to the most logical conclusion first ("Henry thinks I'm the killer").

It makes the reveal stronger (Henry is talking about Eli) and the reverses our expectations.

The Stunt Man (1980)(final shooting draft)
by Lawrence B. Marcus
Adaptation by Richard Rush
Based on the novel by Paul Brodeur

2018 OSCARS: The Big Sick (2017) - "Keeping Lovers Apart" Complication at the End of Act 1

1) EXCELLENT, FAST READ. Did I say FAST? (Comedies = FAST READS, people.)

2) EXCELLENT COMPLICATION AT THE END OF ACT 1. I thought this script stands apart from other rom-coms because of this very important turning point.

What happens at the end of Act 1?
 
According to rom-com guru Billy Mernit, structuring conflict in a rom-com includes a "Sexy Complication (Turning Point)":

"Traditionally occurring at the end of Act 1, a new development that raises story stakes and clearly defines the protagonist's goal; most successful when it sets man and woman at cross-purposes and/or their inner emotions at odds with the goal." p. 112 (underline mine)

Furthermore, this is the moment

"when the story's central conflict is crystallized in no uncertain terms. A problem is defined that forces the central character to act or react; now we know what the story is about, and we have a pretty good idea (generally better than the characters do) about where we're headed next." p. 112-113.

In this script, the end of Act 1 is different than most rom-coms because it entwines both the cultural and romantic conflicts. 

In the scene below, note how it accomplishes several things at once:

a) It shows the characters' contrasting cultural backgrounds.

b) It shows how the characters' emotions are at odds with the goal:
- Emily's anger at Kumail's shame/fear is in the way of being with him.
- Kumail's fear at what his family thinks is in the way of being with Emily.

b) It crystallizes the conflicts that each must now overcome.

ex. "INT. KUMAIL'S APARTMENT - NEXT MORNING

Emily is eating cereal in bed. Kumail in the kitchen making coffee.

KUMAIL (calling out): Hey, I liked our friends. That Craig guy or was it Greg? I can never tell with those names. I'm glad I like him cause I don't want to have to come up with excuses to avoid him, you know. Like, oh no, I have kite surfing tonight.

Emily opens the cigar box and sees the headshots of the women. She flips through them. [The headshots are: 1) an interesting cultural behavior; 2) symbolic of Kumail's romantic indecisiveness.]

KUMAIL (O.S.)(CONT'D): Did you know in the UK it's pronounced "Crayg". Which is good because that's actually how it's written, right? He's a "Crate" guy.

Kumail enters.

KUMAIL (CONT'D)(sees her with the box): I was going to tell you about that. [This is his Achilles' heel. He hides from conflict.]

EMILY: Are you like judging Pakistan's Next Top Model or something? Seriously, who are these women? [She is direct and surprised that he has not been.]

KUMAIL: You know how we have arranged marriage in my culture? These are those women. [A little cultural explanation, a little sidestep.]

EMILY: These are women in Pakistan who want to marry you? [She grapples with the cultural differences.]

KUMAIL: They're not in Pakistan.

EMILY: You've met these women? [She asserts her worth and tries to judge whether he values it too.]

KUMAIL: Just with my parents. We haven't like - [More sidestepping. Both cultural and romantic.]

EMILY: You're not serious about this, are you? [She's getting mad, moving away from the goal.]

KUMAIL: It's my mom's thing, I just go along with it. [Digging deeper hole. Both cultural and romantic. Telling mom "no" is scary in any culture.]

EMILY: So what does your mom think about you and me, then? [She goes for the big elephant in the room.]

Beat.

EMILY (CONT'D): She doesn't know about me, does she? [She's embarrassed/ mortified that he doesn't think they are worth the fight.]

KUMAIL: No.

Emily storms out of the bedroom."

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Using both cultural and romantic conflicts to keep the lovers apart is a fresh, interesting spin on the typical rom-com.

The Big Sick (2017)
by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani

2017 OSCARS: La La Land (2016) - Seduction & the Slippery Slope

[Quick Summary: In modern L.A., an actress and jazz musician struggle with making compromises while chasing their dreams.]

BAD NEWS: I liked it, but didn't love it.

GOOD NEWS: There's a lot going for it.  It's focused, full of emotion, and hope.

I especially liked how it shows:
- Success as a slippery slope.
- Seduction is the first step on that slope, and it often is a small, innocent step.

In this story, the main character (Sebastian) wants to open an old school jazz bar of his own.  He has resisted modern elements, and is scraping by.

When a modern jazz band offers him big bucks, he reluctantly agrees to meet.

Watch below how success with this band pulls him further from his dream: 

ex. "KEITH: Let's play, see how it feels.

He pulls out a guitar. Cole starts on drums. Keith joins in. Malcolm and Tom follow suit. Sebastian listens. It sounds like modern jazz - electronic in feel, but still jazz...

Sebastian approaches the keyboard. Joins --slowly, one step at a time. Then begins playing out a bit more, his fingers starting to race. Malcolm gives Keith a look: "Damn.". Keith gives Malcolm a look back: "I told you so." Bit by bit, Sebastian eases into the groove. This isn't so bad...

Then -- Keith move to a LAPTOP. Introduces a DRUM-MACHINE SAMPLE.

Sebastian, into the music, is caught off-guard. Uneasy now. This isn't him...

Keith plays a riff on his guitar. Tom echoes it on bass, then Malcolm on trumpet. Now it's Sebastian's turn. He hesitates. And then -- finally -- he plays the riff...

It doesn't feel so bad. The guys build on the riff. Sebastian keeps up with them, trying to let go of his presuppositions. [This bolded line is my emphasis. This is why seduction works. How can this small step be harmful?!]

After all --these guys can play ..."

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Seduction down the slippery slope often begins with one small innocent step...and then another...

La La Land (2016)
by Damien Chazelle