Daily Dialogue — December 2, 2014
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…
— Star Trek (2009), screenplay by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, characters by Gene Roddenberry
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Leadership. Today’s suggestion by Lynelle White.
Trivia: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and J.J. Abrams personally called upon Leonard Nimoy’s home to request for his role in the film. According to Orci, the actor gave a “Who are you guys and what are you up to? manner” before being told how important he was to them. He was silent, and Nimoy’s wife Susan Bay told the creative team that after their conversation he had remained in his chair, emotionally overwhelmed by his decision to return as Spock after turning down many opportunities to revisit the role. He decided to act in this film as he was turned on by the script’s scope and its detailing of the characters’ histories: “We have dealt with Spock being half-human/half-Vulcan, but never with quite the overview that this script has of the character’s entire history, his character growth, his beginnings and his arrival into the Enterprise crew.”
Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Lynelle: “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.”
If you have a suggestion for this week’s theme, please post in comments. Thanks!