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Al Pacino, character development, GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS, One Great Scene, screenwriting tips, subtext -

One Great Scene: GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

One Great Scene: GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

In this series of articles, we’re going to do a deep-dive on one knockout scene from a great movie. Today’s movie is GLENGARRY GLENN ROSS. The scene is when Al Pacino delivers a monologue to Jonathan Pryce, the context being that Pacino’s character is trying to close a sale. Here’s a link to the scene as a refresher (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa9dttNx1S8). Pacino is trying to sell a real estate deal, yet says nothing about it, nor is what he is saying directly tied to the sale itself in any way. It’s a masterclass in dialogue from David Mamet. The monologue begins with...

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connecting to a scene, LOGAN, One Great Scene, screenwriting, storytelling -

One Great Scene: LOGAN

One Great Scene: LOGAN

In this series of articles, we’re going to do a deep-dive on one knockout scene from a great movie. Today’s movie is LOGAN. The scene is when Wolverine pays a visit to Professor Xavier, who is suffering from dementia (here’s a link to the scene as a refresher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv3cU4-iwv4). The scene starts with Logan going into a massive tank where Professor Xavier has been locked away. It’s immediately both grounded in reality and mythic in stature. Professor Xavier, an old man with dementia, is so powerful as a mutant, still, that his version of a nursing home is a giant...

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cloaked scene, Michael Keaton, One Great Scene, Paul Guilfoyle, Rachel McAdams, SPOTLIGHT -

One Great Scene: SPOTLIGHT

One Great Scene: SPOTLIGHT

In this series of articles, we’re going to do a deep-dive on one knockout scene from a great movie. Today’s movie is SPOTLIGHT. The scene is when Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams speak to representatives of a school Keaton’s character went to, which may have had abusive priests and abuse victims. Here’s a link to the scene as a refresher (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogW6YDmEb1M). The scene is really about the essential theme of the movie, which is that everyone knew this was going on, and willfully chose to ignore it, because it was easier. Rachel McAdams’ character opens the scene asking if it’s...

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Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, One Great Scene, Richard Harris, subverted tropes, UNFORGIVEN -

One Great Scene: UNFORGIVEN

One Great Scene: UNFORGIVEN

In this series of articles, we’re going to do a deep-dive on one knockout scene from a great movie. Today’s movie is UNFORGIVEN. The scene is when English Bob and the Sheriff confront each other in town. Here’s a link to the scene as a refresher (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsyw13yrRoo). The scene is about establishing Gene Hackman’s character as just as brutal as Clint Eastwood’s outlaw. The scene is aided immeasurably by the two all-world actors in it, Richard Harris and Gene Hackman. Richard Harris plays English Bob, a hired gun rolling into town. Gene Hackman plays Sheriff Daggett.  Sheriff Daggett insists on...

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A Star Is Born, Bradley Cooper, One Great Scene, Sam Elliott, Scene expectation, The importance of casting -

One Great Scene: A STAR IS BORN

One Great Scene: A STAR IS BORN

In this series of articles, we’re going to do a deep-dive on one knockout scene from a great movie. Today’s movie is A STAR IS BORN. The scene is when Jackson (Bradley Cooper) and Bobby (Sam Elliott) fight. Here’s a link to the scene as a refresher (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUedOhkjlX4). The scene is about establishing the depths of Bradley Cooper’s drinking problem. At this point in the film, the interpretation that Sam Elliott might be a classic problematic family member/stage-manager is still open. So, when Jackson punches Bobby, at first, we as the audience think he could be right. The accusation, that...

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