From Happiness (1998) by Todd Solondz 35. INT. HAPPY'S RESTAURANT - DAY. 35. HELEN and TRISH sit together. HELEN (picking at her food) Uch. I don't know why I suggested this place. Joy recommended it… TRISH: Well, at least we're together. I never get to see you, you're so busy. HELEN: No, you're so busy. TRISH: No, you are… HELEN: Well, I guess I am. TRISH: Me too. HELEN: In fact, if I have to do one more interview… TRISH: I guess it's hard, all this success. HELEN: It's just I'm so tired of…of being admired all the time. All these men… I mean, they're all beautiful, artistic minds, great sex, the whole package…but hollow, you know what I mean? I feel nobody's really honest with me. Nobody wants me for me. TRISH: They're not family. HELEN: Oh, Trish. If only I had your husband, kids, carpool. TRISH: Well, I may "have it all," but sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if I'd actually tried to write a novel. HELEN: Oh, I'm sure it would have been good. TRISH: Maybe I will write one. HELEN: Oh, you should… Just try… Pause. TRISH: No, I don't need that kind of success. HELEN: Uch, listen to us. We who have everything while Joy… What does she have? TRISH: You're right. And she's just getting older. HELEN: Last night she called – I was in bed with Vilmos – no, Huraki – and she was in tears. She told me she'd quit her job… TRISH: Oh, but…but that's her lifeline! HELEN: She said she wanted to "change" her life. Do "good" work with the poor, the needy… TRISH: I don't get it. HELEN: Don't even try. She understand she already is good. She doesn't need to do good. TRISH: And what about her music career? HELEN: I don't know, but don't hold your breath. Anyway, listen. This is all top secret. She doesn't want anyone to know. TRISH: Oh. (a beat) But she told you. HELEN: She felt she could trust me. TRISH: 'Cause I always thought I was someone she could confide in. A BUSBOY comes by, refills their water glasses, leaves. TRISH: Did you speak to Mom? HELEN: You mean about the split-up? TRISH: Oh. I-I thought it was top secret. HELEN: Just for Joy. Sensitive Joy. Everyone else knows. TRISH: Oh. A WAITER comes by. WAITER: Can I help you with anything else? HELEN: Oh, no thanks. The WAITER leaves the check, clears the plates, goes off. TRISH picks up the check, looks at it. HELEN: Thanks for lunch. I really enjoyed this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqx5Zio2BCM&feature=related

Saturday Night Fever (1977) http://cli.ps/NKDnw TONY Frankie! How are you doing? FRANK JR. How are you, kid? FRANK JR. It's good to see you. FRANK JR. You too. TONY You look good. FRANK JR. No, I don't. You do. You look wonderful. TONY Checking out my trophy? FRANK JR. Oh yeah. That's you, huh? TONY First prize. FRANK JR. Looks just like you. TONY Hey, what did you say to them? They look like zombies, like somebody died or something! FRANK JR. I think they're in shock, Tony. TONY In shock? Why would they be in shock? FRANK JR. I'm leaving the Church, Tony. TONY Yeah, sure. Leaving the Church. Tell me another one. FRANK JR. I'm leaving the priesthood. TONY Oh, come on, Frank, don't fool around like that. You think I'm losing my hair? It looks awful thin right here and here. Are you serious? FRANK JR. Can I borrow your clothes until I buy some? I don't want to wear the uniform. TONY I'm sorry, Frank. I really am. I'm sorry. FRANK JR. What are you sorry about? TONY You got fired, huh? FRANK JR. I didn't get fired, I quit. TONY You quit? FRANK JR. Yeah, you can do those things, you know? TONY Well, what did Mom say? What did she say about it? FRANK JR. She said: "Dear Lord, what am I going to tell Theresa and Marie?" TONY And Dad? What did he say about it? FRANK JR. They're ashamed. Both of them. They're ashamed, right? Are you ashamed of me, Tony? Yeah... TONY Didn't ask why or nothing? FRANK JR. No. I think they're afraid to. Like I might say, "Celibacy". But... TONY Are you going to sleep here tonight? In my room? FRANK JR. Yeah, I thought I would. TONY All right, I'll get blankets for you. Frank, how come you left, really? FRANK JR. It's not easy to explain, Anthony. A lot of things. One day you look at a crucifix, and all you see is a man dying on a cross. But that's only a backdrop to something else. Mama and Papa, their dreams of pious glory. They turn you into what they wish at the time. You can't defend yourself against their fantasies. All I ever really had any belief in was their image of me as a priest, so... TONY I guess we'll have to take your picture down from the mantle. You know what's weird? I always felt I was the shit and you were perfect. FRANK JR. Now that I'm the disgrace to the family, I'm not so perfect any more. So maybe you're not shit any more. TONY Yeah, maybe if you're not so good, then I'm not so bad. FRANK JR. Yeah.

This movie made me want to explore the sibling relationship a lot more in my own writing. It was the first movie I had ever seen that reminded me of my own siblings in such a real and sometimes heartbreaking way. You Can Count On Me- Screenplay by Kenneth Lonergan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP71dJlnLJQ&feature=related TERRY I've actually got to confess to you, Sammy... that the reason you may not have heard from me for a little while is that I've been kind of unable to write... on account of the fact that I was in jail for a little while. SAMMY You were what? A couple of people in the restaurant look at them. Terry notices but Sammy does not. TERRY Well, I did a little time, I guess, in Florida. For, uh, just for bullshit... SAMMY What?! TERRY It was just bullshit... SAMMY What did you do? TERRY I didn't do anything. Does it occur to you that maybe I was wronged? SAMMY No! TERRY Well, could I please -- SAMMY Oh my God! -- TERRY Would you please let me -- SAMMY -- What happened?! TERRY I got into a fight in a bar down in Florida. Which I was not the one who instigated it, at all. But they worked up all this bullshit against me and they threw me in the pen for three months. I didn't write you because I didn't want you to get all upset about it. I just figured you'd figure I was on the road for a little while. I know it was stupid and I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to make you worry. But you know what? I can't run around all the time doin' stuff or not doin' stuff because it's gonna make you worry! Because then I come back here, and I tell you about my fuckin'... traumas, and I get this wounded little "I've Let You Down" bullshit, over and over again, and it really just -- cramps me! Like I just want to get out from under it!... And here I am back in this fuckin' hole explaining myself to you again! SAMMY OK -- Can you please stop cursing at me? TERRY I mean, I realize I'm in no position to, uh, basically say anything, ever -- But it's not like I'm down there in some redneck bar in Florida having an argument with some stripper's boyfriend and I suddenly think, "Hey! Maybe this'd be a good time to really stick it to Sammy and get myself locked up for a few months." SAMMY I'm sorry. TERRY Me too, man. I mean "welcome home." SAMMY Hey -- You don't write me for six months, I have no idea where you are -- TERRY I'm sorry -- SAMMY -- I don't know if you're alive or dead -- TERRY I'm sorry -- SAMMY -- and then you show up out of nowhere and tell me you were in jail? TERRY I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Sammy, I'm really sorry...!

It's funny, I never really thought about it until now, that pic from TWINS really illustrates a fundamental of siblings in films and literature. They're almost always EXACT opposites. AVATAR - Jake is a lowly paralyzed grunt. His brother was a scientist and a genius. GAME OF THRONES - Sansa is prim and proper, a princess. Arya is wild and boyish. They even describe them as one looking like her father while the other like her mother. ON THE WATERFRONT - Brando is kind of the loser longshoreman brother that never made anything of himself. While his brother did. GOODFELLAS - Not literally brothers, but Henry Hill considers himself "family" and then constantly talks about how he is an outsider. That he could never be a made man -- essentially Joe Pesci's character is everything he wishes he could be. THE GODFATHER - Fredo is passive, dumb, almost a non-entity. Sonnie is brash, confrontational, reckless. Michael is cool and calculating. TWINS - Arnold is beyond naive, almost to the point of Greek mythology raised on a desert isle by some wise old man status. DeVito is a crook and a con man. These stories really nail siblings by making them opposites, as it keeps putting them at odds with each other. Another trope of siblings is the "good" one usually gets into trouble/dies -- and it's the "bad/failed" sibling that has to bail them out. (This may just be a sign of our times -- as it is a simple reverse of the more straight forward cop bailing out his criminal brother trope -- works both ways). It's really simple tricks, that are almost so simple they're easy to overlook.

CINDERELLA - Beautiful, hardworking, under appreciated. Her sisters are ugly, lazy, and unduly praised. I just find it amazing how strong this trope of siblings is. And the stories aren't subtle about it either.

Of course in The Godfather, Tom Hagan is also considered to be a brother to Sonny, Fredo and Michael.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE The sibling relationship between George and Harry probably isn't what most people think of when they consider this movie, but I've always loved how much is expressed between these brothers with what isn't said. This is a great scene: EXTERIOR RAILROAD STATION –– DAY –– FOUR YEARS LATER MEDIUM SHOT –– Characteristic activity; a number of people waiting for the train. Uncle Billy is seated on a baggage wagon eating peanuts as George paces up and down in front of him. JOSEPH'S VOICE George got four years older, waiting for Harry to come back and take over the Building and Loan. GEORGE Oh, there are plenty of jobs around for somebody that likes to travel. Look at this. (takes some folders from his pocket) There . . . Venezuela oil fields –– wanted, man with construction experience. Here's the Yukon, right here –– wanted, man with engineering experience. The WHISTLE of the approaching train is heard. GEORGE (cont'd) Thar she blows. You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are? UNCLE BILLY Uh-huh. Breakfast is served; lunch is served; dinner . . . GEORGE No, no, no, no! Anchor chains, plane motors, and train whistles. UNCLE BILLY Peanut? WIPE TO: EXTERIOR TRAIN –– DAY MEDIUM SHOT –– The train comes to a stop, and Harry is among the first to get off, followed by an attractive girl about the same age as he is. George rushes into the shot, and as the brothers embrace: GEORGE (joyously) There's the professor now! Old professor, Phi Beta Kappa Bailey! All American! HARRY Well, if it isn't old George Geographic Explorer Bailey! What? No husky dogs? No sled? (to Uncle Billy) Uncle Billy, you haven't changed a bit. UNCLE BILLY Nobody ever changes around here. You know that. GEORGE Oh, am I glad to see you. HARRY Say, where's Mother? GEORGE She's home cooking the fatted calf. Come on, let's go. HARRY Oh, wait. Wait . . . Wait a minute. CLOSE SHOT –– the group, including Ruth Dakin. This is the young lady who came off the train with Harry. In the excitement of greetings she has been momentarily forgotten. She stands, smiling, waiting. GEORGE Hello. UNCLE BILLY How do you do. HARRY Ruth Dakin. RUTH Ruth Dakin Bailey, if you don't mind. George and Uncle Billy stare, astounded. UNCLE BILLY Huh? HARRY Well, I wired you I had a surprise. Here she is. Meet the wife. George is thunderstruck. He takes Ruth's hand. UNCLE BILLY Well, what do you know –– wife. GEORGE Well, how do you do. Congratulations. Congratulations. What am I doing? He kisses Ruth. CAMERA MOVES WITH them down the platform. GEORGE Harry, why didn't you tell somebody? (to Ruth) What's a pretty girl like you doing marrying this two-headed brother of mine? RUTH (smiling) Well, I'll tell you. It's purely mercenary. My father offered him a job. George stops, with a sinking feeling. Uncle Billy and Ruth continue out of shot. Harry stops with George. UNCLE BILLY (as he moves off) Oh, he gets you and a job? Well, Harry's cup runneth over. HARRY George . . . about that job. Ruth spoke out of turn. I never said I'd take it. You've been holding the bag here for four years, and . . . well, I won't let you down, George. I would like to . . . Oh, wait a minute. I forgot the bags. I'll be right back. He runs out of the shot, George watching him. CLOSE SHOT –– George slowly moves after Uncle Billy and Ruth. He is thinking deeply. UNCLE BILLY'S VOICE It was a surprise to me. This is the new Mrs. Bailey, my nephew's wife. Old, old friend of the family. RUTH'S VOICE Oh, of course. I've heard him speak of you. UNCLE BILLY'S VOICE And I want to tell you, we're going to give the biggest party this town ever saw. CAMERA MOVES WITH George as he comes into the scene. Ruth detaches herself from the group and offers George some popcorn. RUTH (to George) Here, have some popcorn. George, George, George . . . that's all Harry ever talks about. GEORGE (quietly) Ruth, this . . . what about this job? RUTH Oh, well, my father owns a glass factory in Buffalo. He wants to get Harry started in the research business. GEORGE Is it a good job? RUTH Oh, yes, very. Not much money, but a good future, you know. Harry's a genius at research. My father fell in love with him. GEORGE And you did, too? Ruth nods, smiling.

Totally agree! Michael and Tom are the most alike in mentality, particularly in the first Godfather. Tom is the obvious choice who should run the family, but has no blood. Michael is the obvious choice due to bloodrite, but Don doesn't want the same fate for his "good" son. The conflict isn't one of sibling rivalry, rather bloodrite. Layered stories can fire on all cylinders. I was trying to think of the brothers in GAME OF THRONES to see how their relationships play off one another. It's not as cut and dry as the sisters. Jon is the bastard and most like his father, Ned. Loyal to a fault. Rob is probably the purest mix of both parents. A strict sense of honor and duty, yet the impulsiveness that is attributed to his mother. Bran seems to be altogether different. A free spirit, not to sound cliche. There is also -- crap blanking on his name -- the kid whose life they spared and took into their family, raising him as one of his own. Although, this plotline seems much more oriented towards the conflict between the families rather than brothers. But mirrors many similarities to Tom and Michael. The outsider "brother." All characters are constructions to drive conflict, it just seems that the familial roles in story tend to be the ones that drive the most direct conflict. And I guess it makes sense. The bonds of parent and child, brother and sister are sacred. What is the driving conflict in Oedipus without the familial bonds? It's not just a king and a queen. It's his mother and father. To go back to TWINS -- would it be a different movie if you changed one tiny almost insignificant fact? What if they find out in the end that they aren't brothers? Would that change the story? Why are some of the biggest reveals in cinema history (or at least the Star Wars universe) "No, I am your father." and "He's my brother." They seem so trite to the point of cliche by themselves. But experiencing the journey of the characters, these reveals are everything.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is a GREAT example! George is living in his brother's shadow. He's living his brother's life because he felt he could never be good enough on his own. But it has trapped him. It's that "good/bad" brother thing again. It's interesting, because we are getting something that I don't think Scott really intended (I think he was going a little more for onscreen siblings, correct me if I'm wrong -- I often am lol!), but it's really interesting to also look at films in which the siblings aren't even present, but the effects of their existence are so ever-present. It's weird to think that the brother we never see (maybe we do briefly in a flashback?) in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE has so much more impact than say, the sister in GREMLINS, who I'm guessing many of you are going -- there's a sister in GREMLINS?

The first one that came to mind was the Godfather - so many moments... Fredo and Michael Corleone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg8jODlrka0 Fredo: I haven't got a lot to say, Mike. Michael: We have time. Fredo: I was kept pretty much in the dark. I didn't know all that much. Michael: What about now? Is there anything you can help me out with? Anything you can tell me now? Fredo: They got Pentangelli, that's all I can tell you. I didn't know it was gonna be a hit, Mike. I swear to God I didn't know it was gonna be a hit. Johnny Olin bumped into me in Beverly Hills and he said that he wanted to talk. He said that you and Roth were in on a big deal together and that there was something in it for me if I could help them out. He said that you – he said that you were being tough on the negotiations but if they could get a little help and close the deal fast…it…it'd be good for the family. Michael: You believed that story? You believed that? Fredo: He said there was something in it for me…on my own. Michael: I've always taken care of you, Fredo. Fredo: Taken care of me? You're my kid brother and you take care of me? You ever think about that, huh? You ever once think about that? "Send Fredo off to do this, send Fredo off to do that. Let Fredo take care of some Mickey Mouse nightclub somewhere. Send Fredo to pick somebody up at the airport." I'm your older brother, Mike, and I was stepped over. Michael: That's the way Pop wanted it. Fredo: It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle things, I'm smart. Not like everybody says – like dumb. I'm smart and I want respect! Michael: Is there anything you can tell me about this investigation? Anything more? Fredo: The Senate lawyer – Kristatt - he belongs to Roth. Michael: Fredo – you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't wanna know you or what you do. I don't wanna see you at the hotels. I don't want you near my house. When you see our mother I wanna know a day in advance so I won't be there. You understand? (He leaves the room.) Fredo: Mikey..

RAGING BULL (1980) directed by Martin Scorsese screenplay by Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader based on the book by Jake LaMotta, Peter Savage and Joseph Carter Jake: I heard some things. Did Salvy fuck Vickie? Joey: What? Jake: Did Salvy fuck Vickie? Joey: Now Jack, don't start your shit. Jake: Joey, I asked ya. Didn't I ask ya to keep an eye on her? Joey: And I did keep an eye on her. Yes, I did. Jake: How come you give him a beatin'? Joey: I told you that. I told you what that was all about. That it had nothin' to do with you. He, he thinks he's a wise guy now. Jake: Joey, don't lie to me. Joey: I'm not lying. Jake: What do I look like to you, huh? Joey: Hey, I'm your brother. You're supposed to believe me. Don't you trust me? Jake: No, I don't. Joey: Oh, you don't? That's nice. Jake: I don't trust you when it comes to her. I don't trust nobody. Now tell me what happened. Joey: I told you exactly what happened. He got out of line, I slapped him around. Tommy straightened it all out, and it's all over. Jake: Don't you give me that look, Joey. I gotta accept your answer, you know. But I'm tellin' you now, if I hear anything, I swear on mother, I'm gonna kill somebody. I'm gonna kill somebody, Joey. Joey: Well, go ahead and kill everybody. You're the tough guy. Go kill people. Kill Vickie. Kill Salvy. Kill Tommy Como. Kill me while you're at it, what do I care? You're killin' yourself the way you eat. You're a fat fuck. Look at ya. Jake: What d'ya mean? I don't understand. What d'ya mean, kill you? You? Joey: Me. Kill me. Start here. Kill me first. Do me a fuckin' favor, 'cause you're drivin' me crazy. Jake: Excuse me, what d'ya mean by "you," though? Joey: So? What does that mean? It don't mean nothin'. Jake: You don't even know what you meant by "you." Joey: Don't mean nothin'. Jake: Joey, that meant somethin'. You mentioned Tommy, you mentioned Salvy, you mentioned you. You included "you" with them. You could have said anybody but you said "you" and them. Joey: You really let this girl ruin your life. Look at ya. She really did some job on ya. You know how fuckin' nuts you are? Look what she did to you. Jake: You fucked my wife? Joey: What? Jake: You fucked my wife? Joey: How could you ask me a question like that? How could you ask me? I'm your brother. You ask me that? Where do you get your balls big enough to ask me that? Jake: Just tell me. Joey: I'm not answerin' ya. I'm not gonna answer that. It's stupid. Jake: You're very smart, Joey. You give me all these answers, but you ain't givin' me the right answer. I'm askin' ya again. Did you or did you not? Joey: I'm not gonna answer. That's a sick question, you're a sick fuck, and I'm not that sick that I'm gonna answer it. I'm not tellin' ya anything. I'm going to leave. If Lenore calls, tell her I went home. I'm not stayin' in this nuthouse with ya. You're a sick bastard. I feel sorry for you, I really do. You know what you should do? Try a little more fuckin' and a little less eatin'. You won't have troubles upstairs in your bedroom and you won't take it out on me and everybody else. Do you understand, you fuckin' wacko? You're crackin' up! Fuckin' screwball, ya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fEIn_5OkoY

My goodness, so many good suggestions. There's enough for two weeks here.

Don't forget - Jake and Elwood. http://youtu.be/EHV0zs0kVGg Elwood: We certainly hope you all enjoy the show. And remember, people, that no matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there're still some things that makes us all the same. You. Me. Them. Everybody. Everybody.