Ooo, great scene. It still gives me chills years later.

The actual scene seems to have more urgency and tension, partly because Kevin Spacey is just creepy as shit but also because Mills knows what's in there but refuses to believe it.

I like how tries to calm and diffuse the situation as it's escalating, whereas in the script he's pointing his gun around, which isn't helping. It definitely came off stronger in the finished product, I thought.

Overall, great scene and I love this series.

I find it interesting that Somerset's character on the page is far more diplomatic than the end result on screen (e.g. keeping his gun trained on Mills to protect Doe.) However, in the film it's not Mills that strikes first Doe but Somerset - and we almost have more respect for him because of it.

Something also feels so childish about Mills repeatedly firing at Doe's body - in the script it's one shot, one kill and then an almost instant sense of guilt and admission. We don't get that on screen, and it feels like Doe has won out; under incredible circumstances even the best of us will succumb to violence, vengeance, 'wrath.'

The best part of the filmed scene is the elimination of the "Okay... he wins." line by Mills and Somerset's "Feel better?" comment. It plays better without them.

The worst part is the awful cutaway to the helicopter with the "Fuck, he shot him!" line after the first bullet. It totally takes us out of the scene.

I would think a more mature Fincher would not include that unnecessary cutaway would he make this film today.

What do people think about that single flashed image of Mill's wife just before he shoots JD? Not in the script. It's as if Fincher felt we (through Mills' character) needed that reminder to send Mills over the edge and shoot JD.

I wonder what the scene would play like without the musical score? Just the three guys, their dialogue and actions, no music to hammer home what we're supposed to feel.

I read somewhere that the worst thing you can write in a script is "and then he realizes" - it puts everything on the actor. Nothing to actually do but show it with your face. Here, with the elimination of the "Okay... he wins." line, that's exactly what happens. But I think Brad Pitt did a good job showing that. The flash of Gwyneth (should be a band name) is a bit unnecessary, and again, I wonder if Fincher would include it if he made the film today.

Re: Music.

Watching this scene by itself, the music is a bit overbearing, but the whole score is so heavy and dark that playing this scene any differently would probably not have worked. Howard Shore sets the tone as soon as the film starts and to shift from that would have been difficult. But I agree, it would be interesting to see the whole scene without music. Had the film been made in the 70s I bet you that's how it would've been done. On the DVD, you can watch the rainy chase scene with just the music - no dialogue or sound - and it is amazing.

Okay, that's what I originally wrote, and then I watched the scene again. I changed my mind. It would probably be better without music. Like the crop duster scene in North By Northwest. That whole scene is done without music. The music comes back when the plane crashes into the truck. This scene could've been silent with the music coming back as Mills walks away, and it would probably have been more effective.

Again, I wonder if Fincher simply didn't trust what was on screen. It usually takes a more seasoned director to strip away all unnecessary elements and still tell the story. The flashed image, the helicopter cutaway, the underscore, those things could all be eliminated. At least he had the good sense of not ending on that "Feel better?" line. That's almost like a punchline of sorts.

For the Script to Screen --

Use an earlier draft.

To me, this script version ~~is~~ what was shot. The only difference really occurred in the editing. Not the script to screen.

I'd put up the draft where Somerset kills John Doe.

And compare it to this draft.

And the final film footage.

I just think you see more actual decisions made by both the writer and director that take you from the original draft to the shooting draft. You get to see the thought process of the writer and director (as opposed to the editor).