Week 4 Day 2: Character Profile in Dialogue — MOLLY’S GAME

[jay miracle]

It’s amazing how deep and rich this scene is: within 8 minutes so much of both characters are revealed through their want/need, subtext – their flaws and wounds.

It is a phenomenal scene with a powerful emotional arc.

I am reassessing every confrontational scene in my script but in particular have rewritten their first encounter to have them banter and reveal so much more through subtext.

[Anna Burroughs-Merrill]

This was a rather heartwarming scene of inter-family conflict and resolution. I’ve never seen this movie and would like to watch it now.

Watch 1st time for basic scene components:

Scene arc: Molly’s father seeks her out on the ice rink. She reluctantly talks to him, as she doesn’t like him. He offers to give her “3 years of therapy in 30 minutes.” He cuts through her defense mechanisms in each “year” until they get to the crux of the situation, “why doesn’t her father like her?” He then explains that he knows that SHE knows he’s been cheating on her mother since she was 5 years old, and that his reaction wasn’t to her, but to his own shame that he knew she knew, and he could see the contempt in her eyes. He then states that he will hire somebody to hurt or kill whichever mobster is after her, and they embrace.

Situation: Molly’s father seeks her out to talk after he learns she is going to jail.

Conflict: Molly hates her father.

Entertainment value: This is an exaggeration of a father-daughter conflict which many people can relate to (minus the “going to federal prison” part).

Moving the story forward: I’ve never watched this movie, but this appears to be some kind of midpoint moment where Molly deals with her inner wound and decides to come out swinging.

Setup/payoffs: this scene sets up Molly getting emotional and financial support from her father; and perhaps a motivation NOT to plea-bargain, but to fight in court.

Watch 2nd Time for:

What makes this scene great? The way the characters reconcile at the end. It’s one of those heart-warming “awwww” moments.

Notice the difference in their dialogue. Molly is disrespectful. Her father is authoritative and demands respect. She is trying to get a rise out of him, and her speech is contemptful. Her father, on the other hand, is trying to get through to her and its reflected in his speech, but from a “tough love” viewpoint.

What parts of his profile do you see coming through? What parts of hers? He is brilliant – authoritative – successful – distant. Molly is smart – rebellious – resourceful – and comtemptuous.

Interesting dialogue that makes this scene powerful. This is the kind of verbal sparring you expect between family members who are estranged, and it is very realistic (though much better than the cat-fights you see families have).

What insights did you have into Character Profile Dialogue? I’ve never seen this movie, but through their dialogue, I have a pretty good idea of the dynamics between these two characters and where this relationship is going.

[Susan Willard]

Week 4 Day 2: Character Profile in Dialogue —

Scene: “MOLLY’S GAME”

SET UP: Molly, charged with a federal crime for running an illegal poker game worth millions of dollars, and waiting for prosecutors to decide her fate, she runs into her dad…who she has despised while growing up.

Watch first for:

Basic scene components —

Scene arc:

The hurting father, who searched for his daughter, confronts her to connect and start a better father-daughter relationship with her.

Situation:

Molly, a hurt, angry, rebellious daughter, doesn’t want to have a discussion or relationship with her father. However, she respectfully listens to his words.

Conflict:

Molly, an angry, hurt, and rebellious daughter, doesn’t want her father to interfere in her life now. Her father, a hurting, shameful, sinful father, urgently desires to confess his sins, and shame, to reconnect and build a new relationship with his daughter.

Entertainment Value:

The scene delivers fiery and leading dialogue that pulls our attention to the end of the scene so that we can see the result.

Moving the Story Forward:

The ping/pong method of intent in dialogue of both characters compel the scene forward, directing our attention to every action on stage.

Setup:

Molly, charged with a federal crime for running an illegal poker game worth millions of dollars, and waiting for prosecutors to decide her fate, she runs into her dad…who she has despised while growing up.

Payoff:

By the end of the scene, Molly, and her dad, have an improved understanding of each other and their behaviors. They have taken the first step to a new and growing relationship.

Setup:

The relationship connection with the father/daughter sets up for a change in both characters’ lives.

Payoffs:

Payoffs are possible, further into the story, due to this scene’s set up.

Watch second for:

What makes this scene great?

The change in the relationship, through their dialogue back and forth, resulting in a plot change in the lives of both, as well as the direction of the story – makes the scene great.

Notice the difference in their dialogue.

The daughter’s dialogue is pushing back, dismissive, and negative, while the father’s dialogue is authoritative, determined, urgent, persistent. The dialogue dynamics make for an entertaining, informative, and process of change for both characters.

What parts of his profile do you see coming through?

§ Authoritative Father and psychiatrist.

§ Sinful, Shameful Father, who treated his daughter differently from his sons.

What parts of her profile do you see coming through?

§ An independent, successful women in trouble and distress.

§ A raw, hurt, angry, father dismissing, resistant daughter.

Interesting dialogue that makes this scene powerful.

Interesting Quotes, (to me), not listed in
context or in order.

Molly: “Old man, do you really not recognize sarcasm?”

Father: “I’m just admiring my watch.”

Father: “I’m indifferent as to whether your father lives or dies.”

Father: “Ok, we’re going to do three years of therapy in three minutes.”

Molly: “Do you think you were a good husband?”

Father: “I did. It’s only that from time to time it appeared that I didn’t.”

Molly: “You turned into a different person. Your voice… Your face…”

Father: “You saw me in the car, and you didn’t know what you saw.”

Father: “You tripped over a stick.”

What insights did you have into Character Profile Dialogue?

§ The father’s dialogue and actions show his urgency to get his message across so that they can get along better.

§ The daughter’s dialogue and actions demonstrate her reluctance, frustration, and rejection of her father’s visit and message.

What I learned in rewriting my scene.

In rewriting my scene, I realized that I could improve the
interaction of my characters by bouncing the ideas of the dialogue back
and forth between the characters in a more normal way of talking.
I also noticed that my dialogue needed more meaning, and to come from
a deeper place within each character’s profiled person.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Susan Willard. Reason: Added the analysis of "What I learned in rewriting my scene."

[Zev Ledman]

Week 4 Day 2: Character Profile in Dialogue — MOLLY’S GAME

Even if you don’t know a character’s profile, you can see parts of their profile in their dialogue — traits: Molly- resentful, bitter, scared, hurt. Father- Confident, caring, ashamed, seeks redemption, loves his daughter. Subtext: Doesn’t give a shit about her but will give her a quick, direct therapy session. In reality, cares deeply about her well-being and loves her. Molly has disdain and contempt for her father. In reality, she is insecure and wants her father to love her as much as the brothers. Want/Need: Father wants to protect his daughter/ needs her to want to be his daughter. Molly wants her father’s/ love/ Needs to know her father cared for her as much as her brothers. Subtext, flaw, wound, what makes them special, etc. Father got caught cheating on the mother by a young Molly and seeks redemption. Molly resented her father for loving the brothers more. A strong character will speak and act from their profile.

1. Please watch this scene and provide your insights into what makes this scene great from a writing perspective. Transformational scene. A lifelong schism exists between them at the start. By the end, they both understand each other and renew the father-daughter relationship.

2. Read the other writers comments and make notes of how you will increase the amount of profile that shows in your character’s dialogue.

3. Rethink or create a great scene filled with character profile dialogue for your script using your new insights and rewrite the scene. Then post the answer to the question, “What I learned rewriting my scene…?” and post it in the 6 PM daily post here.

Molly’s Game — 3 Years of Therapy in 3 Minutes

SET UP: Molly has been charged with a federal crime for running an illegal poker game worth millions of dollars. While waiting for prosecutors to decide, she runs into her dad…who she has despised for most of her life.

Watch 1st for:

<ul type=”disc”>