Daily Dialogue — December 17, 2014

Dalton Russell: I got a question for ya’. You get it right, I give you more time.
Keith Frazier: And?
Dalton Russell: You know what happens if you don’t. Which weighs more: all the trains that pass through Grand Central Station in a year — or the trees cut down to print all U.S. currency in circulation? Here’s a hint. It’s a trick question.

They both hang up.

Keith Frazier: What the hell was that? Playing games, now?
Captain John Darius: [realizing] It’s the trains. U.S. money isn’t printed on paper at all. It’s cotton.
Mobile Command Officer Berk: Yeah, that’s, that’s right.
Captain John Darius: No trees were cut down.
Mobile Command Officer Rourke: Are you sure?
Captain John Darius: Yeah. One hundred percent.
Keith Frazier: Okay.

He dials Dalton’s number again. The phone rings. Dalton picks it up.

Keith Frazier: I got it.
Det. Bill Mitchell: Wait a second, wait a second.
Keith Frazier: Call you back.

Both Frazier and Dalton hang up their phones.

Det. Bill Mitchell: It’s a trap. They both weigh the same. Tell him they both weigh the same. They both weigh nothing.
Keith Frazier: They both weigh nothing or they both weigh the same?
Det. Bill Mitchell: Tell him they both weigh the same. Tell him they both weigh the same. Do it now.
Keith Frazier: They both weigh the same. Got it.

Dalton picks up the phone.

Dalton Russell: Well?
Keith Frazier: They both weigh the same.
Dalton Russell: [with evil nonchalance] This time, send sandwiches.

— Inside Man (2006), written by Russell Gewirtz

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Negotiation.

Trivia: According to Spike Lee, he and Willem Dafoe met in the men’s room during the intermission of the play ‘Julius Caesar’, in which Denzel Washington appears. As they were standing side by side in the men’s room, Spike said: “We should work together” and Dafoe replied: “Yeah, Spike, we should” and that was it. Later on, Spike sent him the script.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Hostage negotiation has a storied history in Hollywood movies. What other ones can you think of?

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

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