STAR TREK (2009) Jim Kirk has just gotten into a bar fight and Captain Pike encourages a bloody faced Kirk to enlist in Starfleet. It is the moment where the mentor encourages the "hero" to begin his journey/quest. Here's the dialogue from the actual script: PIKE So your daddy dies... you can settle for a less-than-ordinary life. (beat) Or do you feel like you're meant for something better? Something special? And that just hangs there for a beat. Because Pike just hit a nerve. Kirk does his best not to show it -- still absentmindedly fiddling with STARFLEET SHIP SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. KIRK Come to think of it, I do want to feel special. You know what? I'm gonna go start a book club-- PIKE Enlist in Starfleet. KIRK Enlist. You must be way down on your recruiting quota for the month-- PIKE If you're half the man your father was, Jim, Starfleet could use you. You could be an officer in four years, have your own ship in eight. He's getting under Kirk's skin -- but Kirk keeps up the 'tude, grabs his jacket, stands -- KIRK We're even, right? I can go. PIKE Riverside shipyard. Shuttle for new recruits leaves tomorrow, 0800. (Kirk turns, Pike grabs him) Your father was Captain of a Starship. For twelve minutes. I dare you to do better. Eyes lock... and it's now Pike who stands and walks off. And that's where it hangs. Off Kirk, brooding... And here's the actual scene from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caUo3FQkRPM Notice the dialogue differences between the script and the film version. Listen closely and you can hear where certain lines from Bruce Greenwood (Pike) were added in ADR - e.g. - The line about what Starfleet is and the line about how many people Kirk's dad saved. Which goes to show that rewrites continue even through post-production. I chose this scene as an example of leadership since the established leader (Pike) is beckoning the potential leader (Kirk) accept the call and be "more" than what he currently is.

Movie: Independence Day Youtube: http://youtu.be/QoLywiaM6PA [the President briefs the pilots before the final attack] President Thomas Whitmore: Good morning. [PA doesn't work. Turns it on] President Thomas Whitmore: Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day! [crowd cheers] Comment: A great Leader needs to be able to inspire the troops. But this is a great scene because we, as viewers, are also inspired and roused and ready to kick some alien ass.

Gone with the Wind (1939) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn26pEDEhyY SCARLETT: As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again. Here's a strong female leader, Scarlett O'Hara. This scene marks the beginning of her bucking cultural norms and taking over as head of her broken family. She isn't rallying the troops per se, but declaring (to the only higher leader she knows) her determination to survive the ends of war and into a new reality. If leadership is resolve and follow-through, Scarlett has them in spades.

Saving Private Ryan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvAIBDGIYE0 School Teacher Scene: After losing a member of the squad when attacking a bunker, Capt Miller lets one of the surviving Germans go free. This creates a divide amongst his squad, boiling into an almost life or death situation where some don't want to follow orders and think the mission is extremely FUBAR. This is probably the low point of this movie and morale is extremely low with the characters. SCENE: Private Reiben: Well put your money where your mouth is and do it! Do it! Pull the trigger already! Sergeant Horvath: You don't know when to shut up. You don't know how to shut up. Corporal Upham: Captain, please! Captain Miller: Mike? What's the pool on me up to right now? What's it up to? What is it three hundred dollars -- is that it? Three hundred? I'm a school teacher. I teach English Composition in this little town called Addley, Pennsylvania. The last eleven years, I've been at Thomas Alva Edison High School. I was coach of the baseball team in the spring time. Back home when I tell people what I do for a living, they think, well, that, that figures. But over here its a big, a big mystery. So I guess I've changed some. Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much my wife is even gonna to recognize me whenever it is I get back to her -- and how I'll ever be able to tell her about days like today. Ryan -- I don't know anything about Ryan. I don't care. Man means nothin' to me. It's just a name. But if -- you know -- if going to Ramel and finding him so he can go home, if that earns me the right to get back to my wife -- well, then, then that's my mission. You wanna leave? You wanna go off and fight the war? Alright. Alright, I won't stop you. I'll even put in the paperwork. I just know that every man I kill the farther away from home I feel. This scene accomplishes several things. IMO, every war movie needs this pivotal scene where the troops question the mission and it's up to the leader to motivate them. It's a call back to an earlier scene where it's just, we do it because we were ordered to, no questions asked. The leader needs to motivate the troops and delve into why it's really important. Second, it gives more back story into the main character, Capt Miller, without sounding too expository. Third, by explaining why and giving some back story it motivates and refocuses everyone back on the mission. It also, refocuses, us the audience and serves as a nice reminder of what the characters need to do. Finally, it answers that mystery set up in the beginning of what Captain Miller did back home, school teacher, he coaches baseball, he has a wife he wants to get back to. It's also, a nicely written monologue and potential Oscar bait for that A-list actor you're trying to get to play your main character. Perhaps, the biggest take away is to be economical in your writing. This probably took up a page and a half and yet accomplishes so much. I also noticed that Private Reiben is the biggest dissenter in the bunch. He grows to hate Ryan and in the end respects him for staying to fight instead of taking his easy ticket home. Ryan/Reiben... I'm not sure if that's a coincidence.