Daily Dialogue — June 6, 2104

INT. PUB — DAY

Barris enters the pub alone. He’s dressed in a blonde wig and moustache and glasses. It’s crowded and he searches the room for someone. He spots a pretty young woman by herself at a table. She wears white go-go boots.

BARRIS: Excuse me, is this seat taken?
WOMAN: By you.

Barris sits across from the woman.

BARRIS: London is wonderful this time of year, isn’t it.
WOMAN: Yes it is.
BARRIS: (beat) Oh. Sorry.

Barris gets up, glances around, spots another pretty young woman in white go-go boots, sitting by herself. He approaches her.

BARRIS: Excuse me, is this seat taken?
PATRICIA: By you.

Barris sits.

BARRIS: London is wonderful this time of year, isn’t it?
PATRICIA: Especially the fog. It affords one solitude, even in a city full of people.
BARRIS: I’m Chuck.
PATRICIA: Yes, I gathered.
BARRIS: And you are?
PATRICIA: (smiles) Here you go, Chuck.

She hands him a manila envelope, and stands to leave.

BARRIS: At least give me a made-up name. Something for me to cry out during those dark nights of the soul.
PATRICIA: Cry out, “Olivia!”
BARRIS: That’s Twelfth Night.
PATRICIA: Very good, Chuck. I’m pleasantly surprised. You’re not like the other murderers.

She smiles and leaves. Barris watches after her, then opens the envelope and pulls out a black and white photo of a man.

— Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, based on the book by Chuck Barris

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Flirting, suggested by Sabina Giado. Today’s suggestion by Zach Jansen.

Trivia: This was originally set to star Mike Myers in the lead with P.J. Hogan directing.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Zach: “Even Chuck Barris, the purveyor of America’s cultural decline in the mid-1970s (at least according to some), knows Shakespeare. But this dialogue also showcases Kaufman’s frame of reference as the “Cry out, ‘Olivia!’” line comes from Viola’s (as Cesario) speech to Olivia about what she/he would do if in love with Olivia. So when Chuck asks for a name to euphemistically “cry out during those dark nights of the soul,” Patricia goes to a speech about true love — ironic since they’re both spies and what’s “true” is never an absolute (which ties into the film’s/script’s themes).

Then again, it could just be a Shakespeare/masturbation joke.”

If you have a suggestion for this theme, please post in comments.

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