I think this says it all: from The Great Muppet Caper (1981), written by Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses and Jerry Ruhl and Jack Rose. [Lady Holiday has just given Miss Piggy the entire backstory for the movie Miss Piggy:] Why are you telling me all this? Lady Holiday: It's plot exposition. It has to go somewhere. Alas, I can't find the text of the full speech, or even a clip of it. The Interweb has let me down again...

CASINO (1995) directed by Martin Scorsese, screenplay by Nicolas Pileggi and Scorsese based on Pileggi's book. This scene combines two traditional no-noes (or at least use-with-cautions) in screenwriting - voice-over and exposition. But the sardonic humor (not to mention the inherent fascination with money) keeps us drawn in. ACE: (Voice-over) Who could resist? Anywhere else in the country, I was a bookie, a gambler, always lookin' over my shoulder, hassled by cops, day and night. But here, I'm 'Mr Sam Rothstein'. I'm not only legitimate, but running a casino. And that's like selling dreams for cash. I hired an old casino pal, Billy Sherbert, as my manager and I went to work. For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It's a morality car wash. It does for us what Lourdes does for humpbacks and cripples. And, along with making us legit . . . . . . comes cash. Tons of it. I mean, what do you think we're doing out here in the middle of the desert? It's all this money. This is the end result of all the bright lights and the comped trips, of all the champagne and free hotel suites, and all the broads and all the booze. It's all been arranged just for us to get your money. That's the truth about Las Vegas. We're the only winners. The players don't stand a chance. And their cash flows from the tables to our boxes . . . through the cage and into the most sacred room in the casino . . . the place where they add up all the money . . . the holy of holies . . . the count room. Now this place was off limits. Even I couldn't get inside, but it was my job to keep it filled with cash. That's for sure. NICKY: (Voice-over) They had so much fuckin' money in there, you could build a house out of stacks of $100 bills. And the best part was that upstairs, the board of directors didn't know what the fuck was going on. I mean, to them everything looked on the up and up. Right? Wrong. The guys inside the counting room were all slipped in there to skim the joint dry. They'd do short counts, they'd lose fill slips. They'd even take cash right out of the drop boxes. And it was up to this guy right here, standin' in front of about two million dollars, to skim the cash off the top without anybody gettin' wise . . . the IRS or anybody. Now, notice how in the count room nobody ever seems to see anything. Somehow, somebody's always lookin' the other way. Now, look at these guys They look busy, right? They're countin' money. Who wants to bother them? I mean, God forbid they should make a mistake and forget to steal. Meanwhile, you're in and you're out. Past the jag-off guard who gets an extra c-note a week just to watch the door. I mean, it's routine. Business as usual: in, out, hello, goodbye. And that's all there is to it. Just another fat fuck walkin' out of the casino with a suitcase. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN6mp2NjMhs&feature=relmfu

A Separation (2011) Written by Asghar Farhadi http://cli.ps/S5HD INT. FAMILY COURT – COURTROOM – DAY In a branch of the Iranian Divorce Court, SIMIN and NADER are seated across from the judge. The door to the room is open and from the room next door, the voices of people waiting to see the judge and the commotion of the corridors is heard. Nader is quiet and pensive and staring at the judge. Simin speaks continuously. JUDGE (O.S.): Madame, the things you are saying are not reasons with which you can file for a divorce, unless there is something else. SIMIN: Like what? JUDGE (O.S.): Like if he is an addict, physically abuses you or does not give you an allowance. SIMIN: No, he is not an addict. On the contrary, he is a good, decent person… JUDGE (O.S.): Then why do you want a divorce? SIMIN: Because he won't come with me. If he does I'll drop my case for a divorce… (to Nader) Will you come? NADER: No, I won’t. If it’s important for her to leave, she can. SIMIN: Your honor, ask him why he won’t, why he doesn’t want to come? NADER (to Simin): You know why. SIMIN: No I don’t. NADER (to the Judge): Let her give me one reason to convince me why we should move abroad in these circumstances. SIMIN: You give me one reason why we should stay. NADER (to Simin): I’ll give you a thousand. The first one is I can’t leave my father. SIMIN: But you can leave your wife? NADER: You brought me here! You filed for a divorce! When did I leave you?! SIMIN: Didn’t you just say she can leave if she wants to? NADER: Yes and I’ll say it again. When you don't want to live with me… I didn’t get you by force and I’m not going to keep you by force… One day you came to live with me. Today you don’t want to. SIMIN: Your honor, his excuse is his father’s illness… His father has Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t even know that his son is around. NADER: You think he doesn’t know. SIMIN: Does he? NADER: Yes I feel that he does. SIMIN: It makes no difference to him, whether it is you that is with him or a stranger. He doesn’t even know that you are his son. NADER: But I know that he is my dad. - I can't praise this movie enough. It's a masterpiece. The script opens with six and a half pages of exposition and yet it works beautifully. The choice to open the movie like this with the husband and wife arguing in front of an unseen judge is nothing short of genius. We learn everything we need to know to get into the story in one quick scene with rapid dialogue: the main characters' wants, needs and struggles, responsibilities to their family, even the legal aspects of divorce. And it's done with great efficiency. Also, I love how writer/director Farhadi frames the shot. The body language speaks volumes about the current state of their relationship.

The Ring (2002) Screenplay by Ehren Kruger, novel by Koji Suzuki. http://cli.ps/pCwU Becca: Have you heard about this videotape that kills you when you watch it? Katie: What kind of tape? Becca: A tape, a regular tape. People rent it, I don't know. You start to play it and it's, like, somebody's nightmare. Then suddenly, this woman comes on smiling at you, right? Seeing you through the screen and as soon as it's over your phone rings. Someone knows you've watched it and what they say is “You will die in seven days” and exactly seven days later... Katie: Who told you that? Becca: Somebody from Revere. I don't -- Katie: Who told you? Becca: What's your problem? Katie: I've watched it.

[...] Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Exposition | Go Into The Story [...]

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) Screenplay by Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright, graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley. http://cli.ps/UidL INT. THE BUS - NIGHT SCOTT: Sooooooo... A bemused Scott and mortified Ramona sit on the bus home. SCOTT: What was all that all about? RAMONA: Uh, I guess... Ramona takes a breath. Looks deep into Scott's eyes. RAMONA: If we're going to date, you may have to defeat my seven evil ex's. SCOTT: You have seven evil ex-boyfriends? RAMONA: Seven ex's, yes. SCOTT: So I have to fight- RAMONA: Defeat. SCOTT: -defeat your seven evil ex's if we're going to continue to date. RAMONA: Pretty much. SCOTT: So, what you're saying is... (BEAT) We are dating? RAMONA: Uh, I guess. SCOTT: Cool. Do you want to make out? RAMONA: Uh... Scott kisses Ramona. The studio audience 'awwww's. - I love how Scott only hears what he wants to hear, i.e. “We are dating.” The fact that he has to defeat Ramona's seven evil ex's barely registers. The boy is in love... My favorite piece of exposition from this film is when we learn the identity of Scott's dream girl: SCOTT (QUICKLY): Comeau, you know everyone, right? COMEAU: Pretty much. SCOTT: Do you know this one girl with hair like this? Scott sketches an incomprehensible drawing of Ramona. COMEAU: Yeah man. Ramona Flowers. Someone said she was coming tonight actually. - In the film it's even quicker with Scott whipping out the drawing seemingly out of nowhere. That exchange is featured in the trailer: http://cli.ps/VDTMw

Jim Malone explains to Eliot Ness how things really work in Chicago's underworld and what needs to be done in order to get Al Capone. That handshake signals no turning back for Ness and catapults us into the second act. Note the dialogue “The Lord hates a coward”, “blood oath” and the church setting to underscore the seriousness of the situation and their deal. The Untouchables (1987) Written by David Mamet, based on books by Oscar Fraley and Eliot Ness. http://cli.ps/6Jb8 Malone: You said you wanted to know how to get Capone. Do you really want to get him? You see what I'm saying? What are you prepared to do? Ness: Everything within the law. Malone: And then what are you prepared to do? If you open the ball on these people, you must be prepared to go all the way. Because they won't give up the fight until one of you is dead. Ness: I want to get Capone. I don't know how. Malone: Here's how you get Capone: he pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to hospital, you send one of his to the morgue! That's the Chicago way! And that's how you get Capone. Now, do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm making you a deal. Do you want this deal? Ness: I have sworn to put this man away, with any and all legal means at my disposal, and I will do so. Malone: Well, the Lord hates a coward. [They shake hands] Malone: Do you know what a blood oath is, Mr Ness? Ness: Yes. Malone: Good. 'Cause you just took one.

The Informant! (2009) Screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, based on a book by Kurt Eichenwald. http://cli.ps/3Ldw WHITACRE: What I'm about to tell you involves something very large. This Nakawara extortion thing is nothing compared to it, nothing at all. This involves price fixing in the lysine business... Shepard gets out his notebook. Fires up his pen. WHITACRE: I've been in several meetings with our Japanese and Korean competitors in the past few months where the sole purpose was to fix the prices. ADM made me go to these meetings. Shepard writes furiously, struggling to see in the dark. Most of it goes over his head. WHITACRE: That’s why they wanted me to lie. Because the Nakawara calls came in on my home line. But, so do the calls from the people we’re fixing prices with. They didn't want you to hear those conversations so they instructed me to tell you that the Nakawara calls came in on my ADM line. But, see I realized once you guys started digging around in the records you’d see that I have all these calls to Japan. And that’s what scared me. Nobody’s got more calls than me. If you ever figured out about the price fixing, I’d be the fall guy. Shepard considers the explanation. SHEPARD: Who told you to participate in these price fixing talks? Whitacre takes a deep breath -- lets the cat out of the bag. WHITACRE: I'm operating under the direction of Mick and Dwayne Andreas. EXTERIOR WHITACRE MANSION DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER Whitacre watches from the front door as Shepard turns on his headlights. WHITACRE (V.O.): He seems like a real good guy. I hope he doesn’t mind me calling him “Brian” instead of “Agent Shepard.” I might even try “Bri” out. This must be very different for him. Talking to a guy like me instead of a bank robber or a drug dealer. Whitacre waves as Shepard drives away. WHITACRE (V.O.): I could see us fishing or whatever. What a good listener -- you don’t meet one of those every day.

The Dark Knight Rises CIA Agent: [to three prisoners] The flight plan I just filed with the agency lists me, my men, Dr. Pavel here but only one of you! First one to talk gets to stay on my aircraft! [grabs a hood] CIA Agent: Who paid you to grab Dr. Pavel? [No answer, the agent fires his gun away from the prisoner's head] CIA Agent: He didn't fly so good! [pulls the hood back into the plane] CIA Agent: Who wants to try next? [grabs another prisoner] CIA Agent: Tell me about Bane! Why does he wear the mask? A lot of loyalty, for a hired gun! Bane: Or perhaps he's wondering why someone would shoot a man, before throwing him out of a plane? CIA Agent: At least you can talk. Who are you? Bane: It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan. [the Agent removes the hood] Bane: No one cared who I was until I put on the mask. CIA Agent: If I pull that off, would you die? Bane: It would be extremely painful. CIA Agent: You're a big guy! Bane: For you. CIA Agent: Was getting caught part of your plan? Bane: Of course... Dr. Pavel refused our offer in favor of yours, we had to find out what he told you. Dr. Pavel: Nothing! I said nothing! CIA Agent: Well, congratulations! You got yourself caught! Now what's the next step in your master plan? Bane: Crashing this plane... with no survivors! I love Christopher Nolan, and had a lot of fun at TDKR, but was not a huge fan - certainly not anywhere close to the appreciation I have for all of his other movies. There is a lot of exposition in the movie, and is here blended with too much of it sounding like setups instead of truthful dialog.

Good one, Mr. Earz, but allow me to suggest the bit of Scorsese exposition that everyone actually quotes.... GOODFELLAS (1990) directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicolas Pileggi and Scorsese based on the book WISEGUYS by Pileggi Henry Hill: [narrating] Now the guy's got Paulie as a partner. Any problems, he goes to Paulie. Trouble with the bill? He can go to Paulie. Trouble with the cops, deliveries, Tommy, he can call Paulie. But now the guy's gotta come up with Paulie's money every week, no matter what. Business bad? Fuck you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? Fuck you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning, huh? Fuck you, pay me. And then finally, when there's nothing left, you can't borrow another buck from the bank or buy another case of booze, you bust the joint out. You light a match. More voice-over/exposition, more profane and sardonic humor to help it go down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ydqjqZ_3oc

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Written by Clifford Odets & Ernest Lehman, based on the novella by Ernest Lehman. http://youtu.be/OKuEfnl87Sw?t=4m24s Sidney Falco, has weaseled his way into the 21 Club to talk with the powerful J.J. Hunsecker, a world renowned columnist. When Sidney arrives, Hunsecker is holding court with a Senator, a young actress named Ms. James and her manager. SENATOR: Are you an actor Mr. Falco? MS. JAMES: That's just what I was thinking. Are you, Mr. Falco? J.J. HUNSECKER: Well, how did you guess it Ms. James? MS. JAMES: He's so pretty, that's how. J.J. HUNSECKER: Mr. Falco, let it be said at once, is a man of 40 faces, not one - none too pretty, and all deceptive. You see that grin? That's the, eh, that's the Charming Street Urchin face. It's part of his helpless act: he throws himself upon your mercy. He's got a half-dozen faces for the ladies. But the one I like, the really cute one, is the quick, dependable chap. Nothing he won't do for you in a pinch - so he says. Mr. Falco, whom I did not invite to sit at this table tonight, is a hungry press agent, and fully up to all the tricks of his very slimy trade. [Pulls out an unlit cigarette and faces Falco] Match me, Sidney. SIDNEY FALCO: Not right this minute, J.J. SENATOR: May I ask you a naive question, Mr. Falco? Exactly how does a press agent work? JJ HUNSECKER: Well, answer the man, Sidney, he's trying to take you off the hook. SIDNEY FALCO: Well, you've just seen a good example of it, Senator. A press agent eats a columnist's dirt and is expected to call it manna. SENATOR: But don't you help columnists by furnishing them with items? SIDNEY FALCO: Sure, the columnists can't do without us, except our good and great friend J.J. forgets to mention that. You see, we furnish him with items. J.J. HUNSECKER: What, some cheap, gruesome gags? SIDNEY FALCO: You print 'em, don't ya? J.J. HUNSECKER: Yes, with your clients' names attached. That's the only reason the poor slobs pay you - to see their names in my column all over the world. Now, I make it out, you're doing *me* a favor?... The day I can't get along without a press agents' handouts, I'll close up shop and move to Alaska, lock, stock, and barrel. This is a very early scene, and the first time we meet J.J. Hunsecker. The dialogue gives us the anatomy of the entertainment industry press game, along with the relationship of the two main characters. But the scene crackles with tension. The key, I think, is that the conversation between Hunsecker and Falco is played out in front of an audience - the Senator's party. (As a fun side note: Years later, Gordon Gekko and Budd Fox would have an important conversation at what would appear to be the very same table at 21 in Oliver Stone's Wall Street.)