Daily Dialogue — July 3, 2012

INT. DOCTORS’ OFFICE — DAY

Inside a small doctor’s office, Hal, Oliver and Dr. Long have a meeting.

DR. LONG: Hal, you don’t need to come in for any more treatments.

Stoic and irreverent, Hal feigns surprise.

HAL: Have I done something wrong?

DR. FLASTER: It’s best that you stay home. Hospice can help you more now, any more treatments would just… cause more pain.

HAL: I see.

DR. LONG: I’m sorry, I wish we could do more.

HAL: You did an excellent job Dr. Long. Thank you… for… for coming to the party.

— Dr. Long (Jodi Long), Hal (Christopher Plummer), Beginners (2010), screenplay by Mike Mills

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The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is gallows humor suggested by churnage. Today’s suggestion by Teddy Pasternak.

Trivia: The film is partly autobiographical: many of the events that happened to Hal and Oliver are based on Mike Mills’ experiences when his own father came out as gay and began a homosexual relationship after Mike’s mother died.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Perhaps the modern day version of a gallows is a character hearing she or he has cancer. How would they respond? In a movie, oftentimes with a sharp comic retort.

So what line would you give Hal at the end of this scene? Here’s mine:

Hal: Well… I guess it’s time for me to take up smoking.

What’s yours?

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