Miller's Crossing. Bernie played by John Turturro. [Tom holds Bernie at gunpoint, and walks him out deeper into the forest] Bernie: Tommy, you can't do this! You don't bump guys! You're not like those animals back there. It's not right, Tom! They can't make us do this. It's the wrong situation, they can't make us different people than we are. We're not muscle, Tom. I... I... I... never killed anybody. I used a little information for a chisel, that's all. It's my nature, Tom! I... I... I... can't help it, somebody gives me an angle, I play it. I don't deserve to die for that. Do you think I do? [Tom doesn't answer, he just keeps walking] Bernie: I'm... I'm... I'm just a grifter, Tom. I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm an nobody! But I'll tell you what, I never crossed a friend, Tom. I never killed anybody, I never crossed a friend, nor you, I'll bet. We're not like those animals! This is not us! Th... th... this is some hop dream! It's a dream, Tommy! I'm praying to you! I can't die! I can't die... out here in the woods, like a dumb animal! In the woods, LIKE A DUMB ANIMAL! Like a dumb animal! I can't... I can't... I CAN'T DIE OUT HERE IN THE WOODS!... like a dumb animal. I can't... die! [Bernie falls to his knees, praying] Bernie: I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart... [Tom slowly aims his gun at Bernie] Bernie: I'm praying to you! Look in your heart. I'm praying to you... look in your heart... look in your heart! You can't kill me... look in your heart.

"A Fish Called Wanda" (screenplay by John Cleese) [Ken drives at Otto with a steamroller. Otto laughs, until he realizes his feet are trapped in cement, and his gun is empty] Otto: Ken! Ken! Wait, wait, Ken! Kenny! I... may I call you Kenny? Ken: Remember Wanda! Otto: I got the deal of a lifetime! Fifty-fifty, you and me, what do you say! Okay, okay, okay, sixty-forty! That's my final offer! Ken: REVENGE! Otto: Wait, I got an idea! You take it all! Yeah, here's my boarding pass, Ken! Ken: I'm gonna, I'm gonna k-ka, kill you! Otto: Okay, fine, Ken! Come at me, give me your best shot! Go on, Ken! You don't have the guts, admit it! [the steamroller bears down on him] Otto: Okay, you have the guts, good... wait! Ken: Death! Otto: Okay, I'm-sorry-I-ate-your-fish, okay? I'm-sorry! Ken: Revenge! Otto: Jesus, I said I'm sorry! What the fu-? [He goes under the steamroller] Otto: AAAAHHHH! Ken: Got him! I love how Otto tries different strategies as he tries to be spared by Ken and how they all fail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUicKV8vYI

The Princess Bride (William Goldman, book & screenplay) COUNT RUGEN: Kill the dark one and the giant, but leave the third for questioning. (Inigo goes wild. The fourth warrior is dead before the first one has even hit the floor.) INIGO: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. (Unexpectedly Rugen turns and runs the hell away. Inigo chases him through corridors. Hurls his body against a locked door.) INIGO: Fezzik, I need you— FEZZIK: (Re: Westley) I can't leave him alone. INIGO: He's getting away from me, Fezzik. Please. Fezzik! FEZZIK: (to Westley) I'll be right back. (finds Inigo and breaks the door down) INIGO: Thank you. (As Inigo catches up to Rugen, Rugen throws a dagger into Inigo's stomach.) INIGO: Sorry, father. I tried. I tried. COUNT RUGEN: You must be that little Spanish brat I taught a lesson to all those years ago. Simply incredible. Have you been chasing me your whole life, only to fail now? I think that's the worst thing I've ever heard. How marvelous. (Inigo struggles feebly, pulls the dagger from his stomach.) COUNT RUGEN: Good heavens. Are you still trying to win? You've got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance. It's going to get you into trouble someday. (Rugen stabs Inigo’s left shoulder, then his right. Inigo doesn't seem to feel it, his other agonies are so much worse. Just before the Count strikes again, Inigo manages a little flick of his own.) INIGO: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. (Rugen attacks, but Inigo defends vigorously.) INIGO: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. (a more vigorous bout) HELLO. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. COUNT RUGEN: Stop saying that! INIGO: (stabs Rugen's left shoulder, then his right) HELLO. MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA. YOU KILLED MY FATHER, PREPARE TO DIE. COUNT RUGEN: No— INIGO: Offer me money— (slashes Rugen’s left cheek) COUNT RUGEN: Yes— INIGO: Power, too. Promise me that— (slashes Rugen’s right cheek) COUNT RUGEN: All that I have and more— Please— INIGO: Offer me everything I ask for— COUNT RUGEN: Anything you want— INIGO: (runs his sword through Rugen's stomach) I want my father back, you son of a bitch. (Twists sword and throws Rugen against a table.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adVOWBDM-_8 This is technically 3 scenes, which is longer than I meant to do. But they work together towards the theme, are cut together nicely in this clip, and offer several takeaways. The turnarounds are fantastic, with the probable victor switching multiple times. When Inigo easily dispatches the warriors, Rugen doesn’t even beg for his life – he just flees, seemingly without end, and in a complete parody of what appeared to be “the final confrontation.” In this case, lack of dialogue wins. Then when it seems that Inigo must beg for his life, the same dialogue over and over wins. Rugen holds his own and shows no sign of begging for his life until the line reaches its most powerful iteration. Also interesting: Christopher Guest (Rugen) never chooses to interpret the dialogue as pathetic or desperate, instead staying irritated, pissed off, even arrogant nearly to the end. And Inigo’s repeated line has a beautifully intuitive, musical rhythm to it.

From Twitter: @Bookmanfilm and @tiffanyleigh recommend Miller's Crossing as per bigjonslade. @tiffanyleigh recommends Princess Bride as per asmara bhattacharya. @tiffanyleigh recommends Glengarry Glen Ross, albeit Shelly Levine begging for his livelihood / job.

The Blues Brothers (Writers: Dan Aykroyd, John Landis)(and probably a little John Belushi in this scene) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-Lzu01olY [Mystery Woman starts shooting at Elwood and Jake] Elwood: Who is that girl? Mystery Woman: Well, Jake! You look just fine down there... slithering in the mud... like vermin. Jake [to Elwood]: No problem... Mystery Woman: You're not going to get away from me this time! [She shoots machinegun at Jake and Elwood again.] Jake: [gets up] It's good to see you, sweetheart. Mystery Woman: You contemptible pig! I remained celibate for you. I stood at the back of a cathedral, waiting, in celibacy, for you, with three hundred friends and relatives in attendance. My uncle hired the best Romanian caterers in the state. To obtain the seven limousines for the wedding party, my father used up his last favor with Mad Pete Trullo. So for me, for my mother, my grandmother, my father, my uncle, and for the common good, I must now kill you, and your brother. [Jake walks forward a few steps and falls to his knees] Jake: Oh, please, don't kill us. Please, please don't kill us. You know I love you, baby. I wouldn't leave ya. It wasn't my fault. Mystery Woman: You miserable slug! You think you can talk your way out of this? You betrayed me. Jake: No I didn't. Honest... I ran out of gas! I--I had a flat tire! I didn't have enough money for cab fare! My tux didn't come back from the cleaners! An old friend came in from out of town! Someone stole my car! There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!!! [Elwood covers his head in anticipation of more gunfire. Jake removes his sunglasses to make a wordless appeal, and the Mystery Woman visibly softens] Mystery Woman: Oh, Jake... Jake, honey... [Jake embraces the Mystery Woman and they kiss] Jake: [to Elwood] Let's go. [He drops the Mystery Woman and walks off] Elwood: [to the Mystery Woman as he steps past her] Take it easy.

i was going to suggest that one, too! couldn't find the clip, tho.

Me neither, but I thought it was a great dialogue on true character...spoken and unspoken.

Reflection on screenwriting: This is a comedic take on begging for one's life, a classic one at that. Plot-wise, it's here so that Elwood and Jake's pursuers can continue pursuing them - the Mystery Woman firing her machine gun alerts them to where the Blues Brothers are as the clip makes clear. This scene couldn't work in a drama, but as comedy it's perfect. It fits both main characters' personality, a comedy can stand a one-off character like the Mystery Woman (since we can all imagine such a person in Jake's past), and Jake triumphs over her in a beautifully comic way. The mission from God can proceed.