Daily Dialogue — October 21, 2012

Wanda: Ken, somebody just called! They said that the police know that the loot is in a garage in Fulham somewhere. You and I have to go get it right now, Ken. You and I have to go move it before the police find out where it is!
Ken: No, no, no.
Wanda: What?
Ken: It’s all right!
Wanda: What?
Ken: Ge-Ge-Ge…
Wanda: George.
Ken: M-m-m…
Wanda: Moved. George moved the loot?!
Ken: Yes.
Wanda: Where’d he move it, Ken?! Where did he move it?!
Ken: K-k-k… I don’t know where it is. There’s a key. I don’t know what it’s for. It’s in the…
Wanda: Don’t tell me. It’s better that you don’t tell me. Oh, you know, if it wasn’t for George…
Ken: Otto… tried to k-k-kiss me.
Wanda: I thought he might.

— Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), Ken (Michael Palin), A Fish Called Wanda (1988), written by John Cleese, story by John Cleese and Charles Crichton

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is tongue-tied, suggested by Annika Wood. Today’s suggestion by Teddy Pasternak.

Trivia: Michael Palin’s father stuttered, so Michael used a lot his real life experience when playing Ken, including the fact that Ken’s stutter is less pronounced around people he trusts (Tom and Wanda) and worse around people he is uncomfortable with (Otto).

Dialogue On Dialogue: Teddy’s commentary: “Ken’s stutter could have easily been just a gimmick to get some funny scenes (which we do, in spades), but his speech impediment is cleverly tied to his character development. It shows in this scene as Wanda kisses him and also in the scene where Ken finally gets his revenge after Otto made fun of his stuttering the whole movie. After Ken steamrolls Otto we get this:

Ken: “K-k-k-k-Ken.” You bastard. Hey, I’ve lost my stutter. It’s gone. I can speak. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?”

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