Scott: This is the most useful description of theme I've seen. Thanks.

kjb: It has always struck me as peculiar how so much of the focus re screenwriting is on structure when that's probably the last thing a typical moviegoer thinks about. I mean when was the last time you heard someone emerging from a movie theater exclaiming, "Wow, that movie had a great structure!" No, they remember moments... characters... and whatever emotional connection they made to the film. That's one reason why writers should spend more time digging into the thematic material of their stories. Not as some theoretical exercise related to a proposition ("Love conquers all"), but how that comes to life in the characters, and by extension in the hearts and souls of moviegoers. In "Gladiator," we have a Protagonist who begins in a state of Disunity: He is literally disconnected from his family -- has been for 2 years -- while he's been off fighting a war. In effect his family has evolved into a fantasy goal -- 'family' -- something the movie zeroes in on to solid effect with the bookend visuals of Maximus waving his hand over the fields of grain leading up to his home. Concurrently there is this idea of 'Rome,' not the city itself but the concept of what Rome once was before it went emperor-crazy. Maximus subscribes that idealized version of Rome, made all the easier because, as it says in the script, he has never actually been to Rome. So you have this fantasy idea of an idealized 'Rome.' And you have this fantasy idea of an idealized 'family.' In effect, they serve as dual pistons to drive Maximus' 'engine' toward his goal of defeating Commodus. Once the insurrection against Commodus is squelched, one piston breaks. But there is still the other one: Revenge for the murder of his 'family.' And that's as it should be. Whereas 'Rome,' the ideal state, is entirely a fantasy, Maximus' family is not, he has actual life experience with them. He may embrace the idea of 'Rome' with his mind, but he loves his 'family' with his heart. And that is what makes the finale so powerful [much more so in the movie]. In "Braveheart," by comparison, there is the theme of freedom clearly at work in the story. It's William Wallace's last word as he dies. But his last conscious image is that of his secret wife who had been killed by the king's men. So the political freedom for which he had been fighting becomes a spiritual freedom as he dies -- to be reunited with his lover. Similarly in "Gladiator," the concept of 'Rome,' an idealized version of 'family' in a way, transforms into the specificity of Maximus' family as he lay dying, spiritually set free to reunite with them. We do not know the how and why the filmmakers had in mind when they changed the ending of the movie from the draft of the script we read, however whether conscious or not, I choose to believe that someone in that process realized the thematic importance of Maximus dying so he could reunite with his family, not go off to live in Spain with a substitute version of his dead son. He died fighting for two ideals: 'Rome' and his 'family.' He could achieve closure only by dying to be reunited in death with his wife and son. There are other themes in "Gladiator": violence and non-violence, trustworthiness, how absolute power corrupts absolutely, but to me the dual pistons of the idealized states of 'Rome' and 'family' are the main ones -- and both (especially the latter) carry significant emotional meaning.

***I wrote this before any posts had been made. Sorry if I repeat anything!*** Ah, the meaning of Rome. I think I’ll circle back to that. There a few things I picked up on. I know I mention father-son relationship as a recurring theme through out, but I think this can be broadened out to family. Family Maximus (who, if you think about it, is slave at the beginning of the story as he wouldn’t have been allowed to leave if Marcus had his way) desperately wants to get back to his own family. Marcus sees Maximus as the son her really wanted and pities his own children – Lucilla for being a woman, and Commodus for being corrupted by the cursed bloodline. Lucilla hates her father for having her husband killed, and Commodus craves his fathers love and approval which is never forthcoming. Instead, upon becoming Emperor, he tries to fill that void by attempting to gain the love of the people (even at the expense of the future, so he couldn’t have loved them much in return – just like his own father didn’t care about him). Maximus tells Valerius that he has never been to Rome, but that it lives in his heart, and that it is something that came from their ancestors, and that they shall pass it on to their children. Jube later says, “And if we die that day – we die free men worthy of our ancestors.” This also ties in with Maximus’ ancestor figures to which he prays – a continuation of family and the loving support and comfort they can give, even after death. So there is definitely a strong family undercurrent. Being remembered. Marcus ask Maximus, “How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The Tyrant?” Promixo tells Maxiums, “All we can choose is how we die. And how we are remembered. Be remembered proudly.” Maxiums repeats these words back to Proximo toward the end which causes Proximo to take up his old armour and die a proud death protecting a child. Like I mentioned before, this desire to be remembered well ties in with the ancient Greek idea of Kleos. Wikipedia states that it is, “often translated to "renown", or "glory". It is related to the word "to hear" and carries the implied meaning of "what others hear about you". A Greek hero earns kleos through accomplishing great deeds, often through his own death.” The Colour Red It’s hard with a script such as this not to compare it to the final film. I’m still going to watch it this weekend, but one thing I remember about it that was not clearly noted in the script, was the use of the colour red. There is a red-chested robin seen at the beginning (at which Maximus smiles), as well as the scene with the red dye, and I recall red petals falling on Maxims when he is in the Coliseum. I’m sure I will notice more when I watch the film again. I imagine all this red is symbolism for blood. Does this have a dual meaning? Blood is shed often in this story, so it could mean death. Yet blood is needed to flow in order to survive, so does it mean life? And now back to Rome. Marcus describes Rome as, “A dream that was Rome,” and “The true glory of Rome is a fragile idea…a place devoted to the rights of man.” This is what both he and Maximus have been fighting for all those years, so you can understand Maximus’ confusion upon reaching Rome only to find it a corrupt cesspool of humane depravity. But Maximus believes that Marcus was right, and fights (eventually) not just for revenge, but to keep the dream of Rome alive. I guess Rome as a theme is hope. Hope for mankind. It can be awful most of the time, but there is always hope that it can drag itself up from the gutter and shine like the brightest star in the sky, and become a place devoted to the rights of man.

@Sean: Good stuff there. Father-son. Yes, you're absolutely right that is very much in play in the script. The color red: Hadn't picked up on that at all. Perhaps I'm color blind [at least in script form]. But that's got me thinking not only of "Gladiator," but also the use of red in "The Sixth Sense" and "American Beauty." Interesting... Thanks for those observations.

ditto!

MORTALITY If I had to choose one overarching theme, I'd probably go with *mortality.* As a slave, or even as a General who is a servant of an empire, what is the most important freedom we can exercise? In Gladiator, our most significant choice is that fundamental staple of the action film, the choice of who/when we choose to kill and the choice of how we die. Through his misguided use of this ultimate power, Commodus becomes the nemesis and object of Maximus's quest for vengeance. Commodus makes the ultimately fateful choice to kill his (already dying?!) father. Then Commodus chooses to assassinate Maximus and Maximus's family. Maximus goads Proximo into helping the revolt (an ultimately suicidal, if noble, move for Proximo as much as Maximus) by accusing Proximo of similarly misusing this crucial choice, of killing "the man [Marcus Aurelius] who set him free." Our hero Maximus, on the other hand, never forgets the true importance, the right reasons for this all important choice of how to die. Maximus is "a man who will die for honor, die for Rome, die for the memory of his ancestors." Maximus's mortality is the weapon he can use whether he is a Roman General defeating the Germans or a Gladiator slaughtering his deadly opponents in games; in both arenas he becomes the "Savior of Rome." In the former arena, he protects through his ferocity, through "unleashing hell"; in the latter arena he keeps alight the ideal of Rome through a combination of ferocity and mercy. From that first shot of the wheat fields--and Maximus's first conversation with Marcus--we know that Maximus will die. "Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back." The central question thus becomes *how* will Maximus die? It is the driving propulsion of the movie. Will Maximus be able to fulfill his choice to die "with honor, die for Rome, die for the memory of his ancestors"? And finally, that we are vulnerable to death, that we are mortal, is to suggest that we are everything the gods are not. We are not immortal. Heaven is where we wish to go, we wish to achieve immortality, but while an artist may find immortality in their art, a politician in their good guidance of the Republic, a soldier can only find his immortality in blood, in death, and in gifting to others his own mortality. In fighting for those here on earth, Maximus is fighting for his place in the Afterlife. Immortality is inextricably linked to our mortality. To give the last word to Maximus: "what we do in life echoes in eternity." LOVE AND FAMILY My second choice would be, as @Scott and @Sean have beautifully explained already, Love and Family. Fatherly love (or lack thereof) between Marcus and Commodus, Marcus and Maximus; Marcus and Lucilla; but also between Commodus and Lucius; between Maximus and his own son and his substitute son (Lucius) Brotherly love between Maximus and Commodus (ironic); Maximus and Juba (true); the conflicted love a sister has for her treacherous albeit weak and occasionally sympathetic brother; Romantic love: the incestuous love a brother has for his sister; the mostly unseen love between Maximus and his wife Love of Country Love of Ancestors HOME My final choice would be the theme of Home. At the danger of recrossing overly trod ground, I'd only add that I love all those shots (perhaps hokey to others but not to me) of Maximus clenching the soil between his fingers--the soil of the battleground, the soil at his villa home, the soil of the arena, the bloody soil. As someone who grew up in farming country, I just loved this touch. Home in life (and death) is the dark earth. Home in immortality/heaven (and the righteous city) is the light. Gladiator is a dark film shot through with certain slants of light on the home worth fighting for, the home worth dying for, the home to which we all must inevitably return.

Not too much to add to the conversation, which I'm continuing to enjoy and learn much from. The two overarching themes of the script from my point of view are 1) the ideal of the Republic of Rome and 2) the importance of family. The ideal of Rome as a republic - an empire governed, for the most part, by the people with elected officials looking out for the common good of the people - is what Marcus knows has been lost and also what he believes Maximus can help restore. The populus can be swayed: Commodus steers them toward the enjoyment of vengeance and violence, hatred and senseless murder, while Maximus, even in the gladiatorial ring, steers the people toward mercy. With the right leader, the dream of a republic will remain alive. Maximus knows either the dream dies or Commodus dies. As has already been addressed, the importance of family is also a strong recurring theme: Maximus' love for his wife and son, as well as his reverence for his ancestors; Marcus' love for his children, and perhaps a greater love for Maximus as a "son"; Lucilla's love for her son; even Juba's longing to be reunited with his family. Harking back to the discussion of character yesterday, this theme permeates strongly in the contrast between Maximus and Commodus - Maximus is willing to fight to the death for his family, to kill the emperor to avenge the senseless murder of his family, while Commodus portrays the opposite, the dark impulse, by being willing to kill his family and anyone else in service of his selfish ambition. I would agree that the best movies are those in which the theme is the basis of every character and every scene - some that come to mind quickly in addition to Gladiator are The Shawshank Redemption, Dead Poets Society, and The Devil Wears Prada. It seems the most recurrent themes for successful movies are freedom, redemption, and fortitude. Stories with those themes resonate deeply with all humans, I believe.

@DAF and Chris: Good points all. That's the thing about great stories: They will have multiple themes -- some big, some small -- but all of them somehow interwoven together into a complex emotional tableau. That reflects life, yes? Life comes at us from all directions, we deal with multiple 'themes' in our own experience every single day. One of the marvels of a movie is how it can distill things down to a coherent whole. And yet because of the multiple layers of meaning, and each of our different backgrounds, we can experience the same movie in different ways. So here is "Gladiator" with themes such as home, family, father/son, honor, mortality, being remembered, the color red, and let's not forget revenge, all shades that contribute to the overall palette we experience. Tomorrow: Dialogue.

Great analysis, everyone. All these comment are really opening our eyes to elements we've missed in the script. Here's a list of the themes (both meaning) I observed in the second draft of the gladiator: Dramatic Premise: Empires come and go. Cities crumble to dust. Only family matters. Dramatic Need Mortality vs. Immortality Act I He wants to die and reunite with his family. He sinks into unconsciousness, praying for death. Act II Thinks he wants revenge: to die avenging his family. In this life, we all die. All we can choose is how we die. And how we are remembered. I AM FATHER TO A MURDERED SON AND   HUSBAND TO A MURDERED WIFE AND LANDLORD TO A MURDERED WORLD – AND I WILL HAVE VENGEANCE! Act III In fact he wants to honor Marcus by dying for his dream Because one night an old man whispered to me about a dream. I will die for that dream. Dramatic Situation Succession Empire vs. Republic  The dying Caesar afraid of how the world will remember him whispers a fragile dream of a Rome the people of which have a true voice. This wind of change is soon diverted by Commodus who finds out about his father's plans to deprive him of his rightful throne. Story Points (Concerns/Themes) Family/Love Empires come and go. Cities crumble to dust. Only family matters Father and Son Ancestors People of Rome Brotherhood of soldiers Lucilla and Maximus Royal Family Perverted Love Fictitious Bonds Lack of trust Feign Respect Mortality vs. Immortality In this life, we all die. All we can choose is how we die. And how we are remembered. Immortality of a god Immortality of the name Immortality in eternity/ in death Honor Commodus honoring Caesar Soldiers Honoring General Honoring ancestors People Honoring Gladiator Honor of home soil No honor in killing without a reason Honoring family Honoring father Honoring a dream Power §  M: I have more power as a slave in the arena than I could ever have as a free man. §  C: A God is more powerful than a man. §  C: You think this is power? I could show you power, slave… M: No, Caesar... I will show you. Home /soil / dream of a Home §  I’m going home. §  [Rome] isn’t my home. §  [The Arena] is the new home you cursed me to. §  Take [my men] home. §  [The vineyard] doesn't look it now... but soon... It will be alive. §  J: Among my people we honor the soil of our home. Our ancestors are in that soil. All their dreams live there. I will never see my home again. The soil is dead and no one honors them, so the dreams die. Rome Empire Succession Republic Senate City The Great Whore will suckle us until we are fat and happy and can't suck another drop. That is Rome. Law and order People He knows who Rome is. Rome is the mob. Love, respect, honor Ideal Rome for us lives here…  (he touches his heart) … it’s a thing inside us that came from our ancestors and that we give to our children. There was a dream that was Rome. This isn't my home. Rome... you are better than this. Look inside yourselves. I challenge you to find your true voice. Father That is what it is to be the daughter of Rome. Mercy When a man kills for no reason, he has lost himself. Hope It doesn't look it now, but soon… it will be alive. Strength (In movie) Strength and Honor L: I am tired of being strong.

sorry about the formatting. I've mentioned 9 story points what follows these headings are examples of them in the script or movie. 1.Family/Love 2.Mortality vs. Immortality 3.Honor 4.Power 5.Home /soil / dream of a Home 6.Rome 7.Mercy 8.Hope 9.Strength (In movie)

Anna, excellent work. Your breakdown demonstrates a point I made previously: that stories often have multiple themes at work. In "Gladiator," we have your basic revenge plot. It's interesting then to look at each of those 9 thematic areas you've noted above, each as a lens through which to look at the central dynamic of revenge, e.g., Family/Love & Revenge, Mortality vs. Immorality & Revenge. I often wonder how much of themes in a story derive from the writers and filmmakers' conscious efforts to work them, and how much emerge through their creative connection to the subconscious or the 'collective unconscious.' For example, all the references to soil in the script, was the screenwriter intensely aware of Maximus' sense of himself as a farmer and landowner... or were they just word that emerged into his head as being spoken by Maximus? That's one of the magical aspects of themes as when filmmakers are in the groove with a story, all sorts of themes will come into being whether the filmmakers know it or not. I can't tell you how many times I've seen interviews or panels with filmmakers, where a person in the audience noted some thematic dynamic they saw in the movie, then the filmmaker says something to the effect, "Interesting because I had no thought of that whatsoever, but thanks for pointing it out because I think you're right... it is there." Thanks again for your detailed analysis, Anna. That depth of thoughtfulness should help you in your own writing.

@Scott So glad you brought this up. That was a question I had exactly. We clearly are analyzing stories differently than we write them. But in what way differently? And what should we most take away from the exercise? For example, I went with *Mortality* as an overarching theme because it seemed to me that for a gladiator/soldier like Maximus, that that's the theme that provides the story its DNA or emotional thruline (as you articulated so helpfully for us earlier.) In practically every scene, whether Maximus is General, Slave or Gladiator, we know he has the potential to kill and the potential to die. The question becomes how will he die? So mortality seemed like a pretty self-conscious choice on the part of the filmmakers, if not writers, to serve as a central organizing propulsion engine for the story. And as you say, it could be that that's just my reading into the script things that aren't "consciously" there (though I think Ridley Scott in interviews articulates both the theme of mortality and those soil shots as distinct choices; ditto for the wheatfields as heaven/Afterlife open and closing shots.) But yeah, what I'm really interested in is translating all this backwards to writing itself. So to return the question I had, was how do we think about theme when we are writing. How do YOU think about theme when you are writing? How is it different than how you think about theme when you are analyzing? (Does that make sense?)

@DAF: Yours is one of those 'rubber meets the road' questions where we attempt to take what we learn from all our reading, all our watching, all our analysis, and bring that to bear in our writing. Let's face it, part of our learning and putting it into practice is a Gestalt thing, that is immerse ourselves in movies and stories, and at some level we just start to intuit this stuff. That either manifests itself in our stories consciously through choices we make and insights we garner as we develop characters, plot, etc, or subconsciously. In this respect, much of what goes on really involves a writer having faith in their process... you just believe that if you... ahem, go into the story... you will source critical aspects of it including thematic content. However if you accept the idea that theme = emotional meaning, then we do have some pragmatic ways to go about developing the thematic ideas and dynamics in our stories. Most notably by going all the way back to the beginning of the process and asking those fundamental questions: * Who is my Protagonist? * What do they want (conscious goal)? * What do they need (unexpressed goal)? * Who is opposing them (Nemesis)? * Who is most aligned with their emotional development (Attractor)? * Who is most aligned with their intellectual development (Mentor)? * Who tests them, switching allegiances, ally to enemy, enemy to ally (Trickster)? If you look at a story through the lens of it being [in part] a psychological journey, that is the metamorphosis process of a Protagnist's psyche, then you should find all sorts of indications of thematic material. Consider "Gladiator". Who is the Protagonist? Maximus. What does he want? To gain revenge against Commodus. What does he need? To be reunited with his family. Just that simple articulation of the story's foundation indicates some of its core themes [frankly I'm speaking more about the movie version than the script we read because the movie really focuses the central theme around his family]. So as always, the question comes back to the characters. If you're interested in exploring this subject further, I will be teaching a new SMC course: Core VII: Theme. A two week online class beginning September 19. To my knowledge, nobody has a class like this. As I suggested, it's because there is a lot of confusion about the concept of theme. What I am doing in the course, six lectures, is attempting to wrangle the subject per my core idea (theme = emotional meaning) and show how it all goes back to the characters.

Thanks @Scott. I love this: "that is immerse ourselves in movies and stories, and at some level we just start to intuit this stuff." Let it be so. And yes, I see exactly what you mean about how it all comes back to *characters.* Going into the story of Maximus, this loyal general/gladiator who is also an almost perfect archetype of a soldier I *felt* this in a way that I usually only intellectualize it. So yes, maybe the intuiting is already happening. Thank you so much @Scott for such a wonderful week of script analysis and immersion. Thank you everyone. What a wonderful experience this has been!

@DAF: And this is just week 1. In theory, we could do this every week with a different script. It all just depends upon the response of the GITS community. So far, it looks promising.