Day 2: Mismatched Allies – GREEN BOOK

[Judith Watson]

WEEK 2 – LESSON 2 – Tombstone and Green Mile homework:

TOMBSTONE: Worthy opponents…
WATCH 1st TIME FOR:
• What tension comes from putting these two worthy opponents face-to-face?
The scene is dangerous. Johnny Ringo has a gun and can use it. He challenges Wyatt and Doc Holiday. Doc takes the bait, and they go head on head. Ringo, a feeling of violence, Doc with humor when he copies Ringo’s gun ability with his small liquor cup.
This shows his character has a sense of humor, he’s funny and won’t back down.
So, it hints at a future showdown between these two men.
WATCH 2nd TIME FOR:
• ·What drama is this scene built around?
The drama is built around Ringo and gang coming into a bar and challenging Wyatt and Doc Holliday.
• What profile items (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) showed up in these two character’s words and actions?
Doc’s comment, “He reminds me of me,” implies to me that Doc doesn’t like himself very much and he doesn’t like Ringo. Could they have the same wound? They also both know Latin and challenge? each other and the crowd doesn’t know it?
So Doc is challenging, won’t back off from a fight, just like Ringo.
Wyatt is more controlled. He is prepared, the rifle under the table pointing at Ringo.

GREEN BOOK mismatched allies
Watch 1st time for:
• How mismatched are these two?
• Black and white in the 20’s.
• What do they have to get over to be able to work together and become friends?
• The white’s opinion on Blacks and the Blacks opinion on whites. Working together for their mutual benefit.
• Knowing that Tony gets the job, how does this mismatch create a future for both characters?
• The future is either one that they will be friends, or everything will blow up in their faces not only the black and white things, but being in the deep south and the negative opinions the white guy will have thrown at him.
Watch 2nd time for:
• What drama is this scene built around?
• Drama is built around a black man hiring a white man to be his guard and chaffier, but the white guys tells him flat out he isn’t a chaffier, take it or leave me.
• What profile items (right character, traits, secret, wound, future) showed up in these two character’s words and actions?
Black man is brave and a bit of a challenger.
Talented, successful
White guy is tough, and independent.
Future is the question of will these guys learn to appreciate each other and be friends in the movie’s end or enemies.
Wounds, violent racism in the country in the 20’s. Not sure of the white guys wounds.
As to right character it makes a challenging and interesting combination.

[karl gromelski]

1. Please watch this scene and provide your insights/breakthroughs into what makes this character great from a writing perspective.

From a writing perspective – the GREEN BOOK scene is classic "enemies to lovers" set-up found in rom-coms. The 2 characters come from opposite ends of the track. Tony is a working class, family man who earns a living using his hands. Dr Shirley is a highly educated, rich, elitist, single man who's an artist. Dr Shirley seems to have it all – yet his race prevents him from being able to go anywhere he likes – while Tony is the opposite. Not only is the vocabulary polar opposite, the manner in which they articulate/pronounce words are at opposite ends as well. This is a great set-up that guarantees conflict now and in the future… especially if the upscale and uptight Dr Shirley is touring the Deep South. This scene is the perfect example as to whether or not the premise can work – and it does. There's a nice power dynamic shift when Tony chooses to leave because he won't polish shoes – and Dr Shirley tries to win him back. Like previous assignment scenes, a job interview is another good way to force a character to reveal backstory, which makes the scene feel more natural. The costume/set design color scheme is also interesting – Dr. Shirley in whites and golds like a messiah while Tony is in dark colors. I don't know that this scene offers me any breakthroughs, but it's a very good scene.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  karl gromelski.

[Nora B Anderson]

My insight about Green Book (and I know, I know, criminal that I have not seen the movie) – they are both fish out of water on this trip, in the environments they will be in, and with each other. Unlikely allies who have nothing in common except they would both rather stay home. Both characters are stereotypes turned inside out, turned on their heads.

[Sherry Miller]

How mismatched? Starting with small talk, we immediately know the differences between these two characters. Tony asked about elephant tusks and shark tooth. And each time he answers, Dr. Don Shirley sounds more intellectual and worldly. Tony is a bouncer and has driven many different vehicles. It’s evident he’s streetsmart. Dr. Shirley even has to clarify he has a doctorate in music, not a medical certificate in an office. Brilliant pairing, yet based on a true story. Though Dr. is educated and rich, he is black. So…needs someone to help him navigate the deep South which is so racist in the 60’s. So funny that Tony Lip, with mob experience, describes his job as “public relations.” Trying to impress, get the job. Already, there’s a bond forming. And if he’s hired, he won’t do dirty work like shine shoes. It seems like a reversal which makes this scene so interesting. It’s street-smart v.s. learned smart. When Tony’s asked, “does he have a problem working with a negro,” he replies that he and his wife just had “colored friends” over the night before. Dr. Shirley, African World-Class musician and Tony Lip, bouncer from the Bronx in the 1960’s sets us up for the future they will face in the deep south with segregation at its worst. Dr. seems way more intelligent than Tony but guessing Tony could teach and educate Shirley on a few things, especially survival. They must get past any discrimination of each other to work together. They relate because they both have a job to do, on-stage free of problems for one and protection/safety responsibility for the other. The Green Book is like a 3rd character, a guding voice for both of them. Traits: Both tell it like-it-is with different style. Shirley is cultured, confident, dignified, honest, smart, dresses well, collects artifacts, and is goal-oriented. Tony is tough, sentimental inside (he needs guidance with women and love), and strong. Different in looks: casual v.s. dressed-up. Future: Tony expresses, “You and the south, there’s gonna be problems.” He declines the job unless his terms. They come to an agreement by Dr. telling him by all accounts he came greatly recommended and that he’s the right man for the job. We know by this exchange how they will work with each other in the future. A breakthrough: they start to understand each other.
The scene is built around the home where Dr. Shirley resides. It holds power for him for now. But the deep south will take him out of this comfortable element and concert halls up north. Not sure of the wounds but guessing Dr. Shirley has faced some discrimination and is protecting himself from further provocations. He’d rather concentrate on performing. A shield. Tony may have experienced rejection so he must bargain, save face, holds his own, Wounded in love? By the mob? He must prove himself. More breakthroughs? Dr. Shirley may be learned but he’s getting a quick education about the outside world, its prejudices. And that who a person is on the outside may not tell the whole story. Tony’s breakthrough is more subtle. Think he learns more about himself here, his emotions, how he thinks about life. And that people are individuals.

[Sherry Miller]

Sorry, believe I made a mistake on period time. It was much earlier on the calendar. Thanks.