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Lesson 15
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Sunil Pappu’s Height of the Emotion (15A)
“What I learned doing this assignment is…to identify the height of the emotion to deliver lines that have a deeper meaning.”
Pattern # 1 – Height of Emotion:
Emotional Moment # 1: Daisaku’s elder brother Kiichi is drafted into the war. He doesn’t want to leave, and his younger brother knows something is not right
Essence: We will always remain connected in our hearts.
Profound Line: Kiichi gives one-half of the broken mirror to Daisaku and tells him leaning over to look into it: “This is no ordinary mirror Dai, see… when you feel lonely… use it… you will always find me… and I have the other half so I can always be with you.”
Emotional Moment # 2: Daisaku’s home has been destroyed in an air raid once again. Daisaku rummages through the rubble and manages to pull out a suitcase that survives. He opens it only to find that it’s stuffed with pink dress dolls and nothing of any practical value. Daisaku cries holding the dolls, but his mother picks up the dolls and smiles nostalgically.
Essence: Everything has meaning for someone. There is always hope.
Profound Line: Daisaku’s mother looks at the dolls and carefully rearranges them back into the suitcase and says: “Huh! I almost forgot we still had these… Did I tell you I came with only one suitcase when I came to live with your father after marriage? This was my mother’s gift. Thanks for saving it Dai. They will look wonderful on display at our new home.”
Emotional Moment # 3: A US pilot parachutes off his plane when it catches fire and lands on the streets. Passerby crowd around and Daisaku pushes through them to get a closer look. It’s a frightened American boy barely 17 who asks for help. The crowd becomes an angry mob and starts beating him up – the enemy. The Military police pull up in their van and take the boy away in handcuffs. Daisaku shares this incident with his mother when he reaches home.
Essence: War divides people. Mothers have a vast heart.
Profound Line: Daisaku’s mother hears the story and shakes her head to say: “Poor boy, I’m sure his mother must be so worried…”
Emotional Moment # 4: Daisaku rushes out of the munitions factory to join his friend on the Morgasaki beach. His friend tells Daisaku that he wants to join a religion and asks Daisaku for his advice.
Essence: A good friend and a good philosophy is essential to living a full life
Profound Line: Daisaku feels helpless as he has no answers for his friend and expresses his pain in a poem with the lines: “My friend in lonely sorrow / I too /but with one boundless aspiration:/ Make a promise with me / we’ll face life / whatever pain it brings! / My friend smiles / “I’ll go along with that!…”
Emotional Moment # 5: Young Daisaku is earnestly searching for a sound life philosophy and a mentor to guide him, yet, like others his age, he had lost all trust in authority. Daisaku meets his mentor Josei Toda and asks him several questions including “What is a true patriot?” and “What is the correct way of life.” Instinctively he feels he can trust Mr Toda and recites an impromptu poem.
Essence: Sincerity builds trust and inspires others
Profound Line: Toda replies to Daisaku: “When I think of our family, our country and our turbulent world,” Mr Toda continues, “I want to eliminate all misery and suffering from the face of the earth. This is what the movement for kosen-rufu is all about. Will you join me?”
Emotional Moment # 6: Toda in his frail condition rushes to meet Daisaku at the Haneda airport before Daisaku presents himself voluntarily for questioning by Osaka police and is interrogated for false charges of election interference.
Essence: A true mentor is willing to give his own life to protect his disciple
Profound Line: Toda said to him: “Shin’ichi, should death overtake you, I will rush to your side and throw myself upon you and accompany you in death.”
Emotional Moment # 7: January 8, 1945—Mr. Toda is summoned to an officer’s room and is urged once again to discard his faith. He refuses. The officer tells him that there is not a single Soka Kyoiku Gakkai member other than him. “No,” Mr. Toda responds. “It’s me and Mr Makiguchi!” The officer coldly shoots back, “Makiguchi is dead!” Listless, Mr Toda returns to his cell and weeps all night.
Essence: Toda vows to avenge the death of his mentor
Profound Line: Toda makes the following determination: “I will be like the Count of Monte Cristo! Should I ever leave this prison, I will avenge the death of Mr Makiguchi. Striking a blow for justice against those who persecuted him, I will prove to all the world his greatness!”
Emotional Moment # 8: Toda at the memorial of his mentor Makiguchi
Essence: Toda is grateful to his mentor
Profound Line: Toda says: “In you vast and boundless compassion, you let me accompany you even to prison.”
Emotional Moment # 9: Toda on his deathbed recalls his dream to Daisaku
Essence: Daisaku must fulfil his mentors’ dreams
Profound Line: Toda says: “They were all waiting. Everyone was waiting. They were all seeking Nichiren Buddhism. I want to go—to travel the world on a journey for kosen-rufu” urged his young disciple to carry on in his stead. “[Daisaku], the world is your challenge; it is your true stage. It is a vast world”
Emotional Moment # 10: Daisaku Ikeda is appointed as the third president of Soka Gakkai
Essence: Daisaku Vows to fulfil his mentor’s vision
Profound Line: Daisaku in his inaugural speech begins with: “Though I am young, from this day I will take leadership as representative of President Toda’s disciples and advance with you another step towards the substantive realization of kosen-rufu.” He then reiterates Toda’s vow: “This I will state. Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still, I will give my life for the sake of the Law.”
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Sunil Pappu Builds Meaning with Dialogue (15B)
“What I learned doing this assignment is…to identify and build meaning over multiple experiences with a profound line of dialogue.”
Pattern # 2 – Build meaning over multiple experiences.
Line # 1: “Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel.”
Arc & Essence for the Line:
Beginning: Lamenting
Scene Essence: Daisaku is eager to speak to his elder brother whose been on the frontlines of the war. Kiichi outwardly portrays a heroic front but when Daisaku keeps pestering him to share details says: “Dai. There is no glory in war. Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel.”
Middle: Justification
Scene Essence: Daisaku with his friend gets into an argument about the occupation by US forces when Daisaku repeats his brother’s words in the end: “It is what it is. We lost they won. Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel. There is no glory in war, is there?”
End: Determination to stop it all costs
Scene Essence: Daisaku visits the US missile base on Okinawa and sits at his desk in the Okinawa Culture Centre to write his novel The Human Revolution. He begins the first chapter with: “Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel.”
Line # 2: “Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still, I will give my life for the sake of the Law.”
Arc & Essence for the Line:
Beginning: Skeptical
Scene Essence: Daisaku walks into the tiny living room where Mr Toda is giving a lecture on Buddhism and hears these words for the first time. He seems cynical and doesn’t understand the profound vow that the Buddha is making with these words.
Middle: Inspired by his mentor
Scene Essence: When he hears Mr Toda repeat these words when he is reinstated as the second president of Soka Gakkai while Daisaku looks on from the floor of the auditorium that is overflowing beyond capacity and feels inspired by his mentor’s call.
End: Makes it his own vow with conviction
Scene Essence: At the inauguration of as the third president of Soka Gakkai Daisaku recalls his mentor’s vow and makes it his own with a powerful conviction.
Line # 3: “Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing brings more happiness.”
Arc & Essence for the Line:
Beginning: Despair
Scene Essence: Dialogues with world leaders during the Cold War. In search of a way to unite humanity, Shin’ichi engaged in dialogues with many leading world thinkers, not least the historian Arnold J. Toynbee. At a moment of heightened tensions between the Soviet Union and China, he made repeated visits to both countries, meeting with Soviet Premier Aleksey Kosygin and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. He traveled to the United States, where he met and spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Later, he also met and spoke frequently with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, with whom he developed a warm friendship.
Turning point: Resonance & Hope
Scene Essence: Daisaku visits the UN headquarters in New York on 14 Oct 1960, where he recalls the lines on the UNESCO charter “Since wars begin in the minds of women and men, it is in the minds of women and men that defences of peace must be constructed.” These lines resonate with his conviction that “Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing brings more happiness. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind.”
Middle: Remonstration
Scene Essence: When the Nichiren Shoshu tries to subjugate the lay organisation of Soka Gakkai and issues a call to disband after a notice of excommunication.
Turning Point: Self-doubt
Scene Essence: Daisaku struggles to chronicle his journey, each day was a battle into which he poured his heart and soul. Calling to mind precious fellow members in Japan and around the world striving so earnestly in faith, he tapped the deepest recesses of his being to write my tale, as if he were sending a letter of encouragement to each one of them. At the same time, he was also engaging in an inner dialogue with his mentor as he wrote. His voice would echo in Daisaku’s mind, urging him to transmit the Soka Gakkai spirit for posterity and fulfill his mission in this life. That would sweep away all weariness and fill him with courage.
End: Determination and Legacy
Scene Essence: Daisaku completes documenting his journey for peace for posterity in 30 volumes of The New Human Revolution beginning with the words “Nothing brings more happiness. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind.” He starts writing the novel on 6th Aug 1993 48 years to the day the world and Japan witnessed the devastating nuclear weapons and brings it to completion exactly on Sep 8, 2018, the anniversary of the day his mentor Toda made his declaration calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons in 1957 – marking the starting point of Soka Gakkai’s peace activities.
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Deb’s Height of the Emotion
What I learned doing this assignment is that the height of emotion can be built on wounds. Sometimes the essence of the scene has to do with a character’s wound and what they say comes from that. Also – we can shape those words to be interesting and expressive; rhythmic, poetic, and even extreme.
Since I’m starting from scratch, this was a challenge because I had to write the scenes and then change the lines. It was revelatory to realize who these characters are and how I can continue to build the story around them.
1. When Jack finds Bram’s (his father’s) notes on the priceless treasure, Bram becomes emotional and reflective. Jack questions him about it.
· Emotion: sorrow
· Deeper Meaning: This is something Bram looked for but couldn’t find but he still believes it’s possible. This is Bram’s wound. He never found it – but he wanted to. He tried to get there with his emotions and intellect. Yet, he never stopped believing. He still believes.
Old line: I looked. I never told anybody. But I looked for it. I tried. I did.
New line: It was a delicate thing, really. A puzzle. It’s not something you talk about.
2. Jack’s fight/argument/admonition from his wife to get out there and go look for the treasure.
· Emotion: frustration/angst
· Deeper meaning: Jack doesn’t know what it will take to please his wife.
Eva says “Just get out there and do. I’ll tell you when it’s enough.”
Old line: (Jack says nothing – end scene.)
New line: Jack says: “I remember when we talked about being millionaires. Now we’ve got to be billionaires.”
Eva: “How bout’ we just skip right to trillionaires.”
3. Jack and Ables’ realization that they’ve discovered fool’s gold – their disappointment.
• Emotion: disappointment/upset
• Deeper meaning: Able doesn’t have the fortitude to keep going. He can’t believe they failed.
Jack has just told Able that what they’ve discovered it fool’s gold.
Old line: Able says, “Are you sure?”
New line: Able says, “Just hit me with a hammer.”
4. Jack and Ables’ discovery of the priceless treasure – their wonder and awe.
· Emotion: Wonder/awe
· Deeper meaning: this is what they’ve been looking for and they finally find it.
This is going to be a line that builds meaning over multiple experiences. The deeper meaning is that when they find the priceless treasure, it’s like a revelation and they can finally see for the first time.
Old line: We found it!
New line: I can see it. I see it.
5. Jack’s fight/argument/rejection from his wife when she doesn’t believe he’s found the treasure.
· Emotion: sadness
· Deeper meaning: Jack has been insulted – his wound is that he wouldn’t be a failure/crazy person like his father – but it appears that way to Eva. Jack finally owns his past failure.
Eva says, “You are just as bad, no worse, than your father.”
Old line: I thought you’d be happy for me. For us. It’s incredible. I wish you could see it.
New line: True. All true. But so is the treasure.
Deb Builds Meaning with Dialogue
What I learned doing this assignment… I love to play with words, and this is a fun exercise; to take a word or phrase and give it a deeper meaning. I don’t know if I will use these or not, but they were fun to unpack and discover the possibilities.
1. “I can see it. I see it.”
Scene 1 – When Jack first finds the map to the treasure – he says this to his son – saying that he understands what lies ahead of them and how it’s possible for them to find it. (a naive undertaking)
Scene 2 – Jack says this again when they find the fool’s gold. It’s clear to him that it’s not the treasure. (a disappointment)
Scene 3 – Jack and Able finally lay eyes on the priceless treasure. (Confirmation that this is the real thing.)
2. “King me.”
Scene 1 – Able and his mom, Eva play a game of Checkers. Ables’ move demands that Eva promote his piece to “king” which gives the piece more power.
Scene 2 – Eva tells Jack to get out there and find the treasure. She says “king me” to indicate that she wishes to be promoted/advanced by Jack in this way (do something for me so I can be elevated and more powerful)
Scene 3 – When Able sees the priceless treasure he says “king me” – in a reflective way – meaning he feels he has been empowered by the discovery.
Scene 4 – Jack sells off everything he owns (to obtain the land that holds the treasure). When his last possession is sold (which looks very foolish to the person he sells it to) he says “king me,” meaning, he’s finally in a position of power.
3. “Blessed”
Scene 1: Jack is in church and receives holy communion – the “blessed” sacrament. (holy)
Scene 2: An old woman asks Jack how his “blessed” father is doing. (worthy of admiration – this is irony because his father is not someone to be admired)
Scene 3: When Jack meets with one of his associates, they ask him; ‘how were you blessed with this journey?’ (blessed meaning favored) (they are being sarcastic – because they don’t believe it’s worth the pursuit)
Scene 4: Eva always talks about how ‘blessed’ she is whenever she refers to her money and possessions. (meaning blissfully happy or content). The people of Y will also use this expression when they refer to their fool’s gold.
Scene 5: When the expert from X sees that Jack has a map to the treasure – he calls the map blessed (endowed with favor) – Jack thinks the map is worthless because it led him to fool’s gold – but the expert is going to tell him how to read the map correctly.
Scene 6: When Jack realizes that it was all happy accidents that led him to the treasure he reflectively says “Bless me” – indicating that he has received unmerited favor.
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Deb: wanted to see if you want to exchange homework assignments on Lesson 16? I will have mine available on Sunday, August 27th @5pm PDT. let me know. Thanks, Bob
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Bob – Yes – let’s exchange. I’ll send you an email.
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Deb: Excellent. I will look forward to your email.
Bob
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Bob Kerr: HEIGHT OF EMOTION FIRST ASSIGNMENT
What I learned doing this assignment is the multiple ways to strengthen the emotion from these key scenes. As I am just now starting to write the script from my outline, these are the first actual attempts at writing the lines.
5 MOST EMOTIONAL SCENES:
FIRST SCENE: The players are sitting in a church reflecting on the events of the day went Coach Conti steps in from of then and starts reading off the names of the occupants on the Gold Plane. As he starts listing off those who have survived, Yeros is counting on his fingers and realizes the others have all perished in the plane crash. 14 players in all.
Emotion: Stark realization of grief and pain
Original Line:
Okay men here is the status and condition of those who have survived.
New Line:
Brace your selves men, there is no way to soften the blow. It’s really bad.
SECOND SCENE: The players are getting off the bus that drove them from Logan, Utah to Salt Lake Airport. Yeros steps off the bus and is greeted by his aunt and uncle and his high school coach.
Emotion: Reunited with family during a horrible time of grief.
Original Line:
We are so glad to see you John. How are you holding up?
New Line:
Can’t even imagine what you’ve been through! Your parents are eager to hug you when you get to Denver.
THIRD SCENE: Yeros is attending the funeral of John Duren in Oklahoma City. The sanctuary is filled with flowers, there is no casket. There are several hundred young people in the audience. After the funeral, John Duren’s father and mother greet Yeros
Emotion: Reaching out for comfort at a time of loss.
Original Line: We are so pleased you could attend John. It means a lot to us that you are here.
New Line: Take care of yourself. We can’t lose you too!
FOURTH SCENE: The players are struggling to get ready for their first practice since the crash. The painful reminders of empty lockers where there use to be teammates haunts everyone and there are a few tears among the players.
Emotion: The struggle to go on in spite of the tragedy they’ve experienced
Original line: Coach Seaman enters the locker room and addresses the players. “I know it is tough but we have to move forward. We have work to do if we’re going to beat Arkansas>”
New Line: Coach Seaman calls the freshman into the varsity locker room. ” Men, we’ve buried our dead and now we must prepare for the next battle. We are going to beat Arkansas now let’s get ‘er done!
FIFTH SCENE: The players and coaches enter the War Memorial Stadium to have 40,000 Arkansas fans give them a standing ovation.
Emotion: Awe struck and overwhelmed at the compassion and generosity of the Arkansas faithful.
Original Line: Marv Kellum looks in awe at the standing ovation. ” Do you believe this. They are actually cheering for us”.
New Line: Marv Kellum turns his head to get the old picture of this standing ovation. ” I’ve never seen this many people in one place ever in my lifetime! I’ll never forget this ever!
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Robert Kerr.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Bob Kerr Assignment #2 – BUILDS MEANING WITH DIALOGUE
What I learned doing this assignment is, as I am just now at the beginning of writing my script, this assignment has shown me how and where to build profound dialogue that I can carry through the story. The assignment itself was hard because the script has not yet been written.
1) ” Get ‘er done”.
Beginning: Get the players back to Wichita. It is a sorrowful line as Coach Seaman must leave Logan, Utah ahead of the remaining players and travel to Denver, Colorado to be with the survivors of the plane crash.
Middle ” We’ve buried our dead and now we must prepare to win at Arkansas, Now, get ‘er done” This is a hopeful a statement for the team that is left can resume practice and build on it’s confidence to practice hard despite the distractions.
Ending: It’s time to go to war men. We may be undersized but you can’t measure heart. I believe in you , now get ‘er done”. This is Seaman’s pregame speech. This is a declarative statement that he believes in them and knows they will upset the #9 Arkansas because this team has more heart and is underestimated by every one in the country
ARC: This phrase follows the team from the time they have just been told about the crash and the loss of their head coach and teammates, to the resuming of practice despite the overwhelming distractions of attending multiple funerals to now starting practice then ends with a rousing speech that inspires the team to go out and upset the #9 team in the country.
2) “Reading the list of names of players who are supposed to be on the plane.
Beginning – Seaman has just learned of the plane crash and now must confirm who is on board the flight. He learns one of the players, Randy Kisseau, changed planes in Denver and now is onboard the plane that crashed.
Middle: Coach Conti reads the list of injured and deceased at the church the night of the crash. He struggles with each name that “didn’t make it” including Randy Kisseau.
Ending: Coach Seaman reads the list of players who will play at Arkansas as they prepare for take-off from Wichita to Little Rock. The list is filled with freshmen that were not allowed to play before the crash according to NCAA rules.
The ARC this process of reading the names follows the team from the initial discovery that one of the players switch planes, without telling the coaches, to the second reading of a list of names that were injured in the crash and those that died to finally the reading of a list of names including freshmen who would have never been on the list under normal conditions.
3) ” We can’t lose you too”
Beginning: When John Yeros is met in Salt Lake at the bus before boarding the plane to Denver. His aunt, uncle and high school coach are there and greet him with the relief that he is alive and the initial radio reports were wrong that there were no survivors.
Middle: At John Duren’s funeral, his mother and father meet John Yeros and greet him with tearful eyes and heartfelt hugs. Duren’s mother wants Yeros to know that he is still a part of the family and tells him to ” …keep in touch, we can’t lose you too” The emotion is one of reaching out and connecting and asking Yeros to stay in touch.
Ending: As the plane is loading for the trip to Arkansas, Yeros is told by one of the upperclassmen that is not on the travel squad, ” we can’t lose you too” This is an appeal to stay safe and avoid injury. The emotion is one of warning and hope.
The ARC is one of discovery that Yeros is still alive to a plea to stay in touch to a warning not to get injured in the game.
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ASSIGNMENT 15.1
Susan McClary’s Height of the Emotion
What I learned doing this assignment is:
I jam packed the opening few scenes with emotion. I’ll need to make sure each scene after that has some real emotional content, and then go all out at the end.
Make a list of the 5 most emotional moments in your screenplay.
With each of those scenes, go to the height of the emotion and brainstorm lines that can deliver the deeper meaning of the scene.
Give us a quick explanation of the emotion and meaning of the scene, then the new line that you are going to place there.1) Opening scene at brother’s house after GG was kicked out of his own house, brother’s response.
GG rings doorbell. His brother answers, “Got kicked out of your own house huh… what did you do this time?”2) GG learning that he is to care for his brother’s pets for 6 months (or more).
“I don’t want any new pets, I don’t want any pets at all.”
“I know nothing about how to take care of pets!3) Pets totally acting out right away after GG’s brother leaves.
They won’t eat their food, and they’re all running/flying around with zoomies. GG closes himself in bedroom with his laptop, in desperation, “God help me!”4) That same night remembering times when his X cut him off, turned his words around, never listened to him, blamed him for her own BS stuff, gaslighted him, made him into a villain, projected her own insecurities onto him. GG sobbing, I’m a wuss!”
5) Waking up the next morning (crack of dawn) with a pet face directly in GG’s face, GG screams and pet screams, GG screams, pet screams…. “Oh my god! Am I still sleeping? Is this a nightmare?” Pet licks his face. “I guess not.”
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ASSIGNMENT 15.2
Susan McClary’s Builds Meaning with Dialogue
What I learned doing this assignment is:
I’m not happy with the lines, I’ll need to work on them.
Select three (3) lines (from your script or lines you make up) that you want to build deep meaning around.
Create an arc for each line — Beginning meaning to ending meaning.
With each line, look through your script to find opportunities to build the line into at least three scenes that work for the arc.
For each one, tell us the line, the arc, and the different meaning you gave the line in the scenes it appeared.1) “…. new pets.”
New pets line: i) brother says, “pretend you got a bunch of new pets,” ii) GG says, “I don’t want any new pets, I don’t want any pets at all.” iii) When remembering his X girlfriend she said something about never wanting to get any new pets (a physical realization that maybe he took on her feeling about it). iv) GG says to pet store clerk, “I have some new pets and I want to get the best foods for each one.”…. v) Clara?/Handy woman says… “I got everything ready for your new pets, I think I may find a new pet soon myself,” touching his face gently.2) “…. kicked out of your own/my own house”
i) “Got kicked out of your own house huh… what did you do this time?” ii) GG with Handy woman explaining the situation… “I got kicked out of my own house…” iii) explaining the situation to the pets… “Can you imagine? She kicked me out of my own house?” iv) X reading Fedexed letter… “… I own this house, I allowed you to live in it temporarily, but when you didn’t get your way you kicked me out of my own house. You are now on notice. You have 30 days to vacate.”3) “I (know/don’t know/am learning) how to take care of pets!
i) Opening when told his brother will be gone for 6 months or more. GG “I know nothing about how to take care of pets! ii) When getting new foods for the pets, GG ” “I am just learning how to take care of pets, could you help me?” iii) Pets singly and together, “Boy you really know how to take care of pets/me/us!” licking and snuggling GG. iv) Clara? handy woman, “I’ve never seen anyone so good with pets.” -
Ray’s Height of the Emotion
What I learned doing this assignment is how to use a perfect line to build on an emotional situation.
Assignment 1
1. Death of Eve’s fiance.
Go back to your first love. Adam is my first love… but you took him from me. My child, I am your first love. Go back to the time when you were thirsty to learn more of me.
2. Eve meeting Ava for the first time.
Find somebody else.
3. Ava’s room being trashed.
The dolls did it.
4. Eve seeing the doll come to life.
Forgive me Lord. I know you will never forsake me because I would not forsake you.
5. Eve adopting Ava.
We are family. Fam, I Love You!
Assignment 2
1. The dolls did it!
a. Eve says it to break the ice
b. Ava says it to be comical
c. Caleb says it, Eve and Ava know that the bad dolls came to life
2. We are family!
a. Eve questions the CPS agents
b. Ava explains to Caleb why she is living with Eve
c. Eve confirms to Ava that she can stay with her forever
3. Faith never fails
a. Love says it to help Eve deal with her loss
b. Eve says it to Ava to help her deal with her loss
c. Eve says it to the Butlers so they can deal with their unruly child
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Gord’s “Height of Emotion” – Assignment 1
What I learned: Revisiting an emotional moment to create lines that deliver the deeper meaning of the scene.
Screenplay: TMS (abbreviated title) NOTE: Usual formatting is changed to share the scenes without taking up lots of space.
Emotional Moment 1
Jess thinks he overheard, just a couple of tables away, the voice and identical message he would never forget hearing on the radio just after the bomber pilot killed his friends. In a German accent, the stranger says to his friends in a bar when parting from them, “Good night my friends.” OMG, it’s him – the bomber!
Jess confronts. They fight. Jess’s anger prevails. But the woman with the bomber comes running over to stop the fight. It turns out to be Greta, Jess’s lover. (What a twist!) Turns out the bomber, to Jess’s shock, is Greta’s brother. (Another wild twist!) In the shock that envelopes Jess because of these revelations, Jess doesn’t hurt the guy more, but makes it clear he would not survive if he drops another bomb. And when hearing her brother is, in fact, the bomber, Greta is likewise shocked.
But the emotion that simmers in subtext is that Jess can no longer live with, or be with one whose brother just killed his friends. He’s incredibly torn up over it because he’s fallen in love with Greta. And she likewise has fallen in love with Jess.
In this moment Jess struggles to tell her that it’s over. But how?
JESS – Can’t go on living with the sister of the murderer of our friends. Of children.
Jess and Greta lock eyes.
JESS – I’ll take your things to the airport locker. Pick them up there. And…
(hesitates)… stay away.
Greta, stunned, looks at her brother then casts her stare longingly toward Jess who, with Bull, heads to the bar.
Retrieving the bottle and glasses Jess and Bull, licking wounds, unsteadily walk into the street. Bull raises a glass.
BULL – To pay back.
Jess continues with a conflicted stare, not responding.
Emotional Moment 2
Couple days later Jess is in the pilot’s locker room when Greta enters to pick up her stuff. It’s awkward at first where they were not supposed to meet. But then:
Greta lowers her stare, walks determinedly to the same locker, takes the padlock, turns the dial, pulls the lock open, then abruptly turns, faces him.
GRETA – (blurts, emotional) Jess, I… I don’t know where to begin. Other than to say…
She searches for words.
GRETA – … There’s so much to tell, but ––
In the next moment their embrace is spontaneous. Their kiss exudes love, passion. Her tears stream. He hides his.
JESS (soul searching) Greta. Just don’t know what to do, what to say. How this could ever ––
She pulls him in for another passionate exchange. Pulling apart again, her loving stare softens him more.
GRETA I can’t tell you everything. Or why I’m even here. Not yet anyway. But in due course should you change your mind.
He stares off. She pauses, reflects with a tear.
In the next moment she tells him a horrific account of her brother’s past that confirms he’s a monster at heart, and that she hasn’t had anything to do with him in years. Even so, this a goodbye moment. The locker room scene ends with this:
Closing the locker she faces him, wipes a tear.
GRETA I’ve loved you ever since we were on our first beach date. Remember?
She smiles, hides tears before turning to leave. He reaches, his mouth opens but there are no words. His stare fills with confusion as she disappears out the door.
Emotional Moment 3
Jess and Augie’s plane is down because of a blown engine. They use that time to have too much to drink. By now Jess trusts Augie with anything. When Augie inquires why Jess is not with family, Jess finally relents with the help of alcohol.
Extended silence. Augie contemplates.
AUGIE You never finished tellin’ me. What really brings you here. Doin’ this risky business. Away from family. (focuses) What makes you tick man?
Jess stares off. Silence extends. His confident air fades. Augie concentrates as Jess deflates into his seat.
JESS Ever felt scared of choices? How they create irretrievable paths? Alter opportunities, relationships, others lives? Even love?
Jess’s eyes darken, shift with thought.
JESS Ever been afraid to apologize? Of confronting life’s mistakes? Making amends to those you’ve harmed?
Beads of sweat form on Jess’s furrowed brow.
JESS I’m living proof that… (reflects) … cowards would do most anything, even face death, to avoid confronting their true fears, their ghosts, their past.
Augie sobers.
JESS Guess I’m here fixing my own mess in a way that hasn’t really fixed anything.
Emotional Moment 4
Through a flashback Jess shares why he’s ashamed to go back home, confirming in scenes, not words, why he’s scared to apologize to those he hurt. Then returning to the scene, Augie provides wisdom that is “out of the blue” for the character of this “change agent,” but cogently accurate:
Augie studies Jess carefully a long moment.
AUGIE (reverent) May be wrong. But seems the first step is to forgive yourself.
Jess looks up, his expression steeped in confusion.
AUGIE Some stuff ain’t your fault. But most is. If you face it, forgive yourself, maybe you’ll find that peace that avoids you.
Jess’s eyes consider. Augie peers out the window screen before returning his gaze on Jess.
AUGIE Forgive yourself. Then just do it. Go home. Face your family. Apologize like you’ve never apologized before.
Augie locks eyes, has Jess’s undivided attention.
AUGIE Find Clayton. Be in his life. Never be afraid to apologize.
Long pause as Jess reflects, EXHALES.
For the first time Augie sees Jess’s eyes well up in the extended silence.
Emotional Moment 5
Jess is headed home. But something interferes. He becomes torn again with life choices even after he’s committed to leaving the war to head home to make amends with his family.
EXT. TARMAC – CONTINUOUS
Packing the duffel he wastes no time crossing the tarmac.
EXT. BASE OF STAIR RAMP, TRANSPORT PLANE – CONTINUOUS
When the final passenger heads up the ramp Jess takes a long look about before finally handing papers to the attendant.
As Jess nears the top of the stairs a military Jeep SCREECHES to a halt creating COMMOTION among ground crew. Two men jump out, sprint toward the plane YELLING, waiving.
AUGIE (yells) Jess. Wait.
BULL (yells to attendant) Hey stop that man.
The confused attendant glances up toward Jess who likewise confused, freezes. Bull is first at the base of the ramp.
BULL (to Jess, loudly) The call you made. Your friend?
Jess drops bag, scrambles back down. Augie arrives alongside the confused attendant who listens back and forth.
AUGIE (chuckling) Hey whatever you did, he came through in a big way. There’s just one catch.
BULL He’s adamant. Won’t give it to us. Only you.
JESS (surprised) The Frenchman. He’s here?
BULL What he brought? It’s a game changer. Would seriously change the course of the war. Make it a fair fight.
Jess glances longingly toward the transport plane. The flight attendant focuses inquiringly toward Jess.
AUGIE (understandingly) Either way man, wouldn’t blame you.
Jess and Augie lock eyes a long moment before Jess exchanges warm handshakes, hikes the ramp, picks up his bag, takes a final look about, faces the door, drops head, SIGHS.
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