Ocean's 11 (2001) Writer: Ted Griffin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRvN2gtPiw INT. BAR - NIGHT Danny and Rusty look weary from all this recruitment. A nearby TV with the sound off plays a promo for an upcoming Tyson fight. DANNY Ten should do it, don't you think? (as Rusty shrugs) You think we need one more? (as Rusty shrugs) You think we need one more. (as Rusty shrugs) Okay. We'll get one more. Witty Banter TRIVIA via IMDB: The script was sent to Julia Roberts with a $20 bill attached. Included was a note from George Clooney that said "I hear you're getting 20 a picture now". This of course is a joke referencing Julia Roberts becoming the highest paid actress at $20 million per picture. This very short scene is one of my favorites. Clooney talks, Pitt (unlike script description) doesn't move a muscle much less speak. Maybe technically not banter, but these two pros definitely play off each other--giving the audience instant insight of a friendship with so much history that no banter is required.

My Fellow Americans, 1996 screenplay by E. Jack Kaplan, Richard Chapman and Peter Tolan. Story by Kaplan and Chapman. Jack Lemmon and James Garner play two former presidents from opposing parties who loathe each other but are forced to work together to uncover a political scandal for which they've both been framed, bickering all the while. Lemmon is Russel P. Kramer, Garner is Matt Douglas. The roles are perfectly cast and the actors have terrific chemistry, something that is out of the writer's control of course. But my takeaway from this film was to mentally "cast" my works in progress. Writing my dialogue with a certain actor's voice and mannerisms in mind helps to keep each character distinct. Russell Kramer: There was only one assassination attempt on me. You had three. Matt Douglas: Two. The woman in Phoenix doesn't count. She only had a starter pistol. Russell Kramer: I was Time Magazine's Man of the Year. Matt Douglas: So was Hitler. Russell Kramer: Not twice. In this clip, Kramer refuses to share his coffee. Russell Kramer: Oh, yeah, I'm about to share my coffee with the Washington Love Machine. No dice. You could spit in a Petri dish and start a whole new civilization. You want to lick the lid? Matt Douglas: Decaf. You pussy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLOqkmNuI4k&feature=player_detailpage

The Departed (2006) written by: William Monahan You could pretty much cut and paste anything Mark Walberg says in the movie and it'll be awesome, but I love this exchange between him and Alec Baldwin Ellerby: Go fuck yourself. Dignam: I'm tired from fucking your wife. Ellerby: How is your mother? Dignam: Good, she's tired from fucking my father. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGICutL_4os

Billy Wilder's "One, Two, Three" (1961) Comedy about Coca-Cola's man in West Berlin, who may be fired if he can't keep his American boss's daughter from marrying a Communist. http://youtu.be/o8s5W8iyV30?t=22m: James Cagney as C.R. MacNamara, head of Coca-Cola in West Berlin Lilo Pulver as Fräulein Ingeborg, MacNamara's secretary I love the dialogue for the whole movie. Below is just one example of the great banter scenes. I don't know what lessons there are - other than being Billy Wilder. Help? ________ C.R. MacNamara: Guten Morgen, Fräulein Ingeborg. Fräulein Ingeborg: Guten Morgen. C.R. MacNamara: Like freshly baked pumpernickel. Fräulein Ingeborg: Here's your mail. Here's your "Wall Street Journal", and here is my resignation. C.R. MacNamara: Resignation? What are you talking about? Fräulein Ingeborg: Now you do not work me overtime anymore. You do not take advantage of me on weekends. You have lost all interest in the umlaut - so, obviously, my services are no longer required here. C.R. MacNamara: You know my problem. We have this houseguest. Fräulein Ingeborg: You said she would be in Berlin two weeks. C.R. MacNamara: Can I help it if she caught the German measles? Fräulein Ingeborg: She's been here now two months. C.R. MacNamara: She likes it here. It's a damn nuisance, but what am I gonna do, throw her out? Fräulein Ingeborg: Doesn't she have to go home? It's August. Won't schools soon open? C.R. MacNamara: In Georgia? You never know. Come on. What is this nonsense about quitting? Fräulein Ingeborg: I have had offers for many jobs. After all, I'm bilingual. C.R. MacNamara: Don't I know it. Fräulein Ingeborg: Remember that Russian Trade Commission? They keep calling me all the time. They want me very badly. C.R. MacNamara: I'll bet, those Siberian wolves. Fräulein Ingeborg: So you better find yourself another girl. C.R. MacNamara: All right! Dictation. Classified ad to run in all Berlin papers. Quote: "Attractive middle-aged executive wants attractive, young secretary. Must be versatile and cooperative. Excellent salary, congenial working conditions... Fringe benefits." Fräulein Ingeborg: Fringe benefits? What is that? C.R. MacNamara: Little extras. For instance, this morning, I was passing that fancy shop on the Kurfuerstendamm and there was this white silk dress in the window with polka dots all over it and a matching hat. Fräulein Ingeborg: And a bag? And matching shoes? C.R. MacNamara: Why not? Fräulein Ingeborg: I'll take the job. C.R. MacNamara: You got it. Fräulein Ingeborg: Danke schön. C.R. MacNamara: You're welcome schön. Fräulein Ingeborg: Please. Not while you're chewing gum. C.R. MacNamara: That'll be all, Fräulein Ingeborg. More later Fräulein Ingeborg: Any time. ___________ While that's some of the best banter, my favorite dialogue is essentially a monologue - Cagney barks a long, non-stop series of commands for people to assemble a wardrobe and background documents for his boss' new son-in-law. http://youtu.be/o8s5W8iyV30?t=1h13m40s

“One, Two, Three” (1961) Screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond From a play by Ferenc Molnár A comedy about Coca-Cola’s man in West Berlin, who may be fired if he can’t keep his American boss’s daughter from marrying a Communist. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055256/?ref_=sr_1 James Cagney as C.R. MacNamara, head of Coca-Cola in West Berlin Lilo Pulver as Fräulein Ingeborg, MacNamara’s secretary I discovered this old gem only a couple of years ago. I love the dialogue for the whole movie. Below is just one example of the great banter scenes. I don’t know what lessons there are – other than being Billy Wilder. Help? http://youtu.be/o8s5W8iyV30?t=22m00s ________ C.R. MacNamara enters his large executive office, finds his secretary Fräulein Ingeborg arranging papers on his desk. C.R. MacNAMARA Guten Morgen, Fräulein Ingeborg. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Guten Morgen. He comes up behind her, smells her hair. C.R. MacNAMARA Like freshly baked pumpernickel. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Here’s your mail. Here’s your “Wall Street Journal”, and here is my resignation. C.R. MacNAMARA Resignation? What are you talking about? FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Now you do not work me overtime anymore. You do not take advantage of me on weekends. You have lost all interest in the umlaut – so, obviously, my services are no longer required here. C.R. MacNAMARA You know my problem. We have this houseguest. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG You said she would be in Berlin two weeks. C.R. MacNAMARA Can I help it if she caught the German measles? FRÄULEIN INGEBORG She’s been here now two months. C.R. MacNAMARA She likes it here. It’s a damn nuisance, but what am I gonna do, throw her out? FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Doesn’t she have to go home? It’s August. Won’t schools soon open? C.R. MacNAMARA In Georgia? You never know. Come on. What is this nonsense about quitting? FRÄULEIN INGEBORG I have had offers for many jobs. After all, I’m bilingual. C.R. MacNAMARA Don’t I know it. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Remember that Russian Trade Commission? They keep calling me all the time. They want me very badly. C.R. MacNAMARA I’ll bet, those Siberian wolves. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG So you better find yourself another girl. C.R. MacNAMARA All right! Dictation. Classified ad to run in all Berlin papers. Quote “Attractive middle-aged executive wants attractive, young secretary. Must be versatile and cooperative. Excellent salary, congenial working conditions… Fringe benefits.” FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Fringe benefits? What is that? C.R. MacNAMARA Little extras. For instance, this morning, I was passing that fancy shop on the Kurfuerstendamm and there was this white silk dress in the window with polka dots all over it and a matching hat. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG And a bag? And matching shoes? C.R. MacNAMARA Why not? FRÄULEIN INGEBORG I’ll take the job. C.R. MacNAMARA You got it. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Danke schön. C.R. MacNAMARA You’re welcome schön. She moves to kiss him. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Please. Not while you’re chewing gum. She kisses him, but they suddenly stop when another staff member enters. C.R. MacNAMARA That’ll be all, Fräulein Ingeborg. More later. FRÄULEIN INGEBORG Any time. ___________ While that’s some of the best banter, my favorite dialogue is essentially a monologue – Cagney barks a long, non-stop series of commands for people to assemble a wardrobe and background documents for his boss’ new son-in-law. http://youtu.be/o8s5W8iyV30?t=1h13m40s

My second post tweaks the formatting and adds some background info. Note: I could not find the script, so I stripped the dialogue from the caption data on the DVD. And so, I wrote/inserted all of the above action lines. Also, "Not while you're chewing gum" should be shown as MacNamara's line.

Errata #2: As I mentioned, I stripped the dialogue from the caption data on the DVD, so to post it here, I had to add-in the character's name for who's speaking. The entire line of dialogue, 3rd from the end, is actually not spoken by Fräulein Ingeborg, but rather by MacNamara as she tries to kiss him: C.R. MacNAMARA Please. Not while you’re chewing gum.