Daily Dialogue — July 19, 2013
ANNIE: Paul. I know you’ve been out.
PAUL: What?
ANNIE: You’ve been out of your room.
PAUL: No, I haven’t.
ANNIE: Paul, my little ceramic penguin in the study always faces due south.
PAUL: I don’t… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Ceramic penguin?
As he speaks, Paul searches for the knife hidden under his mattress.
ANNIE: Is this what you’re looking for?
Annie brandishes the knife.
ANNIE: I know you’ve been out twice, Paul. At first I couldn’t figure out how you did it, but last night… I found your key. I know I left my scrapbook out. I can imagine what you might be thinking of me. But you see, Paul, it’s all OK. Last night it came so clear. I realize you just need more time. Eventually you’ll come to accept the idea of being here. Paul, do you know about the early days at the Kimberley diamond mines? Do you know what they did to the native workers who stole diamonds?
Paul’s face collapses with terror.
ANNIE: Don’t worry. They didn’t kill them. That would be like junking a Mercedes just because it had a broken spring. No, they had to make sure they could go on working,.. but they also had to make sure they could never run away. The operation was called “hobbling”.
Annie positions a thick board between Paul’s feet.
PAUL: Annie… Whatever you’re thinking about doing, please don’t do it.
Annie lifts a sledgehammer.
PAUL: Annie, for God’s…
ANNIE: Shhh… darling. Trust me.
Annie raises the sledgehammer.
PAUL: God’s sake!
Annie swings the sledgehammer back.
ANNIE: It’s for the best.
PAUL: Annie, please!
Annie bashes Paul’s left ankle with the sledgehammer. Then walks around for the right.
ANNIE: (sweetly) Almost done. Just one more.
Annie bashes Paul’s right ankle.
ANNIE: (as Paul moans in agony) God, I love you.
— Misery (1990), screenplay by William Goldman, novel by Stephen King
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is horror scene, suggested by @JaimePrimak. Today’s suggestion by troyklith.
Trivia: In 1991, Kathy Bates became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a horror/thriller for her role as Annie Wilkes. The first performer to win an Oscar for a horror film was Fredric March for his performance as the title character in the 1931 version of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” The only other winner for acting in a horror film was Ruth Gordon for her performance as Mia Farrow’s new neighbor with a hidden agenda in Rosemary’s Baby (best supporting actress of 1968).
Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary from Troy: “The dialog is notable because it displays Annie’s inner conflict: a violent lunatic who imagines herself to be loving and nurturing. Annie’s language is tender and calm, while her behavior is monstrous. This is a great example of “going the other way” with a character. The obvious choice would have been to make Annie an outwardly raging maniac, but most of the time she’s the extreme opposite, which makes her all the more horrifying as the audience is left to imagine the true sickness going on inside. Like so many great horror scenes, it’s often what’s not shown that is the scariest.”
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