Daily Dialogue — March 1, 2012

INT. SMART OFFICE — DAY

Ben is sitting opposite his boss, Mr. Simpson, who is very upset. He hands Ben an envelope. Ben opens it and pulls out a check. He looks at the amount.

BEN (genuinely moved): This is too generous Peter.

SIMPSON (close to tears): Well… we liked having you around, Ben, but you know how it is.

BEN (ashamed): Sure thing… and I’m sorry.

Ben takes a swig from his coffee cup.

SIMPSON (trying to cheer things along): Well… what are you going to do now?

BEN: I thought I might move out to Las Vegas.

Simpson looks puzzled.

BEN: The bars never close.

— Ben (Nicholas Cage), Simpson (Thomas Kopache), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), screenplay by Mike Figgis, based on a novel by John O’Brien

http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=7U5t

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is getting fired, suggested by lizswan. Today’s suggestion is from Lois Bernard.

Trivia: Author John O’Brien, on whose novel this movie is based, committed suicide two weeks after the movie went into production. Director Mike Figgis contemplated abandoning the project, but decided the film would make a good memorial for O’Brien.

Dialogue On Dialogue: What is the point of the scene? From a structural perspective, it’s Ben’s firing. From an emotional point of view, it’s Ben’s declaration that he is heading to Las Vegas, essentially sealing his fate — death by drink.

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