Oh yeah, as usual when we talk about subtext we have to include Sideways (2004) Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, based on a novel by Rex Pickett. http://movieclips.com/JY7cd-sideways-movie-miles-misses-the-moment/ MAYA Can I ask you a personal question? MILES (bracing himself) Sure. MAYA Why are you so into Pinot? It's like a thing with you. Miles laughs at first, then smiles wistfully at the question. He searches for the answer in his glass and begins slowly. MILES I don't know. It's a hard grape to grow. As you know. It's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's not a survivor like Cabernet that can grow anywhere and thrive even when neglected. Pinot needs constant care and attention and in fact can only grow in specific little tucked- away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing growers can do it really, can tap into Pinot's most fragile, delicate qualities. Only when someone has taken the time to truly understand its potential can Pinot be coaxed into its fullest expression. And when that happens, its flavors are the most haunting and brilliant and subtle and thrilling and ancient on the planet. Maya has found this answer revealing and moving. MILES I mean, Cabernets can be powerful and exalting, but they seem prosaic to me for some reason. By comparison. How about you? MAYA What about me? MILES I don't know. Why are you into wine? MAYA I suppose I got really into wine originally through my ex-husband. He had a big, kind of show-off cellar. But then I found out that I have a really sharp palate, and the more I drank, the more I liked what it made me think about. MILES Yeah? Like what? MAYA Like what a fraud he was. Miles laughs. MAYA No, but I do like to think about the life of wine, how it's a living thing. I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing, how the sun was shining that summer or if it rained... what the weather was like. I think about all those people who tended and picked the grapes, and if it's an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I love how wine continues to evolve, how every time I open a bottle it's going to taste different than if I had opened it on any other day. Because a bottle of wine is actually alive -- it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks -- like your '61 -- and begins its steady, inevitable decline. And it tastes so fucking good. In the book, Miles explains to Jack why Pinot Noir is so special. This happens in the car while they're driving to the Santa Ynez Valley. After calling the grape "thin-skinned", "finicky" and "elusive", Jack wonders: "Similar to a high-maintenance woman?" Payne and Taylor expanded the speech, moved it to the date with Maya and added the layer of subtext. According to Rex Pickett: "In the first draft, Miles’s self-absorbed speech rhapsodizing about Pinot Noir was met by silence..." "Second draft: same deal. Silence. It didn’t feel right to me. In the margin I wrote to Payne and Taylor: 'Wouldn’t it be lovely if Maya had a complementary speech.' That’s all I wrote." " I didn’t write it; I only nudged them to write it. Then, in post-production, Payne wanted to cut it. He’s gone on record in many interviews opining that he hates sentimentality. He thinks it dates movies. I remember being in the sound mix the day they were mixing that scene. Knowing that this was his last chance to change anything, Payne was pacing up and down the aisles complaining, if memory serves, that [Maya's] speech on wine had to go..." "...because it was too mawkish. I remember telling him that he would be a fool to cut it, that he had seen it too many times in the editing room, that he had lost objective perspective, that anyone would find it maudlin after 100 viewings, but that the audience would be seeing it for the first time, with fresh eyes, with open hearts. Others in the mixing studio chimed in with the same opinion." I love this film. It's a terrific screenplay based on a terrific book.

Out of Sight (1998) Screenplay by Scott Frank, from the novel by Elmore Leonard http://movieclips.com/J6cC-out-of-sight-movie-wanting-to-tussle/ KAREN You're a fighter? KENNETH How you know that? KAREN I can tell. KENNETH I was... He moves his head in what might be a feint. KENNETH (CONT'D) Till I got my retina detached two time. He's standing so close to her, Karen has to look up at him. KAREN What'd you fight, middleweight? KENNETH Light to super-middleweight, as my body developed. You go about what, bantam? KAREN Flyweight. KENNETH You know your divisions. You like the fights? Like the rough stuff? Yeah, I bet you do. (moves closer) Like to get down and tussle a little bit? Like me and Tuffy, before she got run over, we use to get down on the floor and tussle. I say to her, "You a good dog, Tuffy, here's a treat for you." And I give Tuffy what every dog love best. You know what that is? A bone. (real close) I can give you a bone, too, girl. KAREN You're not my type. KENNETH Don't matter. I let the monster out, you gonna do what it wants. KAREN Just a minute. Her hand goes into her bag next to the chair. KENNETH Bring your own rubbers with you? Her hand comes out of the bag holding what looks like the grip on a golf club. Kenneth grins at her... KENNETHN (CONT'D) What else you have in there, mace? Have a whistle, different kinds of female-protection shit? Karen pushes out of the chair to stand with him face-to-face. KAREN I have to go, Kenneth. She gives him a friendly poke with the black vinyl baton that's like a golf club grip. KAREN (CONT'D) Maybe we'll see each other again, okay? She steps aside and brushes past him. He grabs her left wrist... KENNETH We gonna tussle first. Karen flicks the baton and sixteen inches of chrome steel shoots out of the grip. She pulls an arm's length away from him and chops the rigid shaft at his head, Kenneth hunching, ducking away... KENNETH (CONT'D) God damn... He lets go of her and Karen gets the room she needs, so that when he comes at her, she whips the shaft across the side of his head and he howls, stops dead, presses a hand over his ear. KENNETH (CONT'D) What's wrong with you? KAREN You wanted to tussle, we tussled.

There Will Be Blood (2007) Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson, based on a novel by Upton Sinclair http://movieclips.com/DLZQc-there-will-be-blood-movie-im-finished/ "I'm finished!"

The Aviator (2004) Written by John Logan http://movieclips.com/CYSQ-the-aviator-movie-dinner-with-the-hepburns/ Mrs. Hepburn: Do you read much, Mr. Hughes? Howard: I try to stay up to snuff on the trade journals, yeah. Mrs. Hepburn: Snuff? These would be flying magazines? Howard: What was that? Katharine: Oh, he's a little deaf. Mrs. Hepburn: You read flying magazines? Howard: Trade journals. On engineering. Aviation. Mrs. Hepburn: We read books. Katharine: Howard has to read the trade pieces, Mom, because he's designing a new aeroplane. Ludlow: Oh, really? Do tell. Howard: Well... it's quite exciting, actually. It's a spy plane for the Air Corps. A twin-engine plane with some - I must admit - some rather unique design features. You see, it has these two booms at the back-- Mrs. Hepburn: Luddie built a birdhouse once. You remember that, dear? Ludlow: Yes, well, a mere trifle, darling. Helen: I remember the painting! The painting, it's called May – something. Anyway, Goya's vastly overrated. All the Spaniards are. Katharine: Nonsense! Picasso is sacred. Dr. Hepburn: I'm a urologist. Katharine: It was quite aesthetic, really. A sacred monster. Mrs. Hepburn: The birds don't care for it much, but the bats do. Howard: I'll bet. Katharine: That's such bunk! Mrs. Hepburn: Do speak up, dear. Howard: Nothing, nothing, Mrs. Hepburn. Nothing. Mrs. Hepburn: Then why did you speak? I can't abide people who speak but have nothing to say. Ludlow: Did you go to mechanic school to learn all this airplane guff? Howard: No, no, I didn't, Luddie. No. Katharine: Well, Howard just flew round the world in three days. Uncle Willy: I think we've had enough about airplanes. Ludlow: Then how did you make all that money? Mrs. Hepburn: We don't care about money here, Mr. Hughes. Howard: Well, that's because you have it. Mrs. Hepburn: Would you repeat that? Howard: You don't care about money because you've always had it. Ludlow: How did you make all that-- Howard: Excuse me, I'm speaking. Ludlow: Okay. Howard: Thank you. Ludlow: All right. Howard: Some of us choose to work for a living. Speaking of which, I have more of that airplane guff to attend to. Excuse me. Ludlow: Well, seems a rather high-strung chap. Katharine: You're a fine bunch of bullies, aren't you?

The Prestige is my favorite Nolan film (an adaptation of the Priest novel). I read the writing process between Nolan and his brother lasted five years. It definitely shows. Some of the best exchanges in the film take place between Borden (either Alfred or the twin) and his wife, Sarah. This is one of my favorites. It's obviously the twin, drunk, angry their devotion to the art of magic has cost him his identity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9HGbHM_Pf8#t=74m36s The dialogue below is not exactly what ended up in the film. I copied and pasted from the screenplay. You can download it here: http://media.nolanfans.com/screenplays/theprestige_script.pdf INT. ELEGANT RESTAURANT -- EVENING Sarah sits by herself at a table for two. Borden ENTERS with a swagger, Olivia beside him, Fallon behind. The MAITRE D' hurries over, signaling WAITERS. Sarah looks up. UNCOMFORTABLE. SARAH I didn't know we'd be joined for dinner. BORDEN Absolutely. We're celebrating. The Waiters spirit another table and chairs to join Sarah's. Borden pulls out a chair for Olivia. SARAH Miss Wenscombe. Mr.Fallon. Olivia smiles cheerfully. Fallon nods, embarrassed. BORDEN (to wine waiter) Champagne. Your finest. SARAH What are we celebrating, dear? BORDEN Well, we've hit upon a new trick, haven't we, Fallon? OLIVIA What trick, Freddy? SARAH (brittle) Yes, "Freddy". What trick? The WAITER presents a bottle of champagne. Borden nods without looking at it. BORDEN (loud) I'm going to bury myself alive. Every night. Then someone's going to come along and dig me up! OTHER DINERS are glancing over. The waiter uncorks the bottle with a muffled POP and pours champagne into Borden's glass. SARAH (to waiter) I'm not sure my husband needs- BORDEN Who are you to tell me what?! Awkward silence. Olivia shifts in her seat. OLIVIA Perhaps- SARAH Perhaps, Mr.Fallon, you might escort Miss Wenscombe home. My husband's being a bore. I see no reason for the two of you to suffer as well. Fallon is on his feet, pulling back Olivia's chair. OLIVIA Good-night, Mrs.Borden. Good-night, Freddy. They leave. Borden glares at his wife. SARAH "Freddy"? BORDEN It's my name. SARAH Not at home. BORDEN I'm not always at home. Sarah is clearly on the verge of tears. SARAH Alfred, why are you being like this? Borden, seeing her fistress, softness. BORDEN Sarah, I had a terrible ordeal today. I thought I'd lost something very precious to me. Borden looks at her speechless. Shrugs helplessly. SARAH I see. More secrets. BORDEN Secrets are my life, Sarah. Our life. Sarah brushes away a tear. SARAH When you're like this, Alfred, I'm not seeing the real you. You're treating me like your audience. Performing. I can't live with that. Borden just sits there. Offering nothing.

Double Indemnity. http://youtu.be/r69dQZHjkm Phyllis: Mr. Neff, why don't you drop by tomorrow evening about eight-thirty. He'll be in then. Walter Neff: Who? Phyllis: My husband. You were anxious to talk to him weren't you? Walter Neff: Yeah, I was, but I'm sort of getting over the idea, if you know what I mean. Phyllis: There's a speed limit in this state, Mr. Neff. Forty-five miles an hour. Walter Neff: How fast was I going, officer? Phyllis: I'd say around ninety. Walter Neff: Suppose you get down off your motorcycle and give me a ticket. Phyllis: Suppose I let you off with a warning this time. Walter Neff: Suppose it doesn't take. Phyllis: Suppose I have to whack you over the knuckles. Walter Neff: Suppose I bust out crying and put my head on your shoulder. Phyllis: Suppose you try putting it on my husband's shoulder. Walter Neff: That tears it.

Thanks for including subtext - Scott I am trying to get my head around the subject = so this week will really help. I have posted two - both from classic films. Double Indemnity clip - Neff and Phyllis aren't really talking about insurance or traffic violations. Second - Born Yesterday - card game - the subtext I see is who real possess power and intelligence and I love how this clip shows character without using dialogue.

Born Yesterday http://youtu.be/GVtxrGOJzOs Sorry couldn't find the script of the dialogue.

Encroaching on the Woody Allen series to come, but this is Subtext 101: ALVY (pointing toward the apartment after a short pause) So, did you do shoot the photographs in there or what? ANNIE (Nodding, her hand on her hip) Yeah, yeah, I sorta dabble around, you know. Annie's thoughts pop on the screen as she talks: I dabble? Listen to me-what a jerk! ALVY They're ... they're... they're wonderful, you know. They have ... they have, uh ... a ... a quality. As do Alvy's: You are a great-looking girl ANNIE Well, I-I-I would-I would like to take a serious photography course soon. Again, Annie's thoughts pop on: He probably thinks I'm a yo-yo ALVY Photography's interesting, 'cause, you know, it's-it's a new art form, and a, uh, a set of aesthetic criteria have not emerged yet. And Alvy's: I wonder what she looks like naked? ANNIE Aesthetic criteria? You mean, whether it's, uh, good photo or not? I'm not smart enough for him. Hang in there ALVY The-the medium enters in as a condition of the art form itself. That's- I don't know what I'm saying-she senses I'm shallow ANNIE Well, well, I ... to me-I ... I mean, it's-it's-it's all instinctive, you know. I mean, I just try to uh, feel it, you know? I try to get a sense of it and not think about it so much. God, I hope he doesn't turn out to be a shmuck like the others ALVY Still, still we- You need a set of aesthetic guide lines to put it in social perspective, I think. Christ, I sound like FM radio. Relax https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLblwVUEHyw

Great stuff. That made me think of this scene from Steven Soderbergh's Schizopolis (1996): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcPsZkcO9ys Fletcher Munson: Generic greeting. Mrs. Munson: Generic greeting returned. Fletcher Munson: Imminent sustenance. Mrs. Munson: Overly dramatic statement regarding upcoming meal. Fletcher Munson: Ooh. False reaction indicating hunger and excitement.