Daily Dialogue — October 22, 2012

EXT. VACANT, WEEDY DRAG RACETRACK — DAY

CLOSE ON a souped-up tractor-wheeled monster truck, its ENGINE ROARING before a starting line, itching to cross it. Now take a step back…

That souped-up monster truck stands a foot-and-a-half off the ground and sprouts an antenna from its back bumper. It’s a remote-controlled toy.

The ROARING ENGINE comes from the vehicle next to it: an actual monster truck. Both vehicles peer down the track at a finish line a hundred yards away. This is a race.

The drivers stare each other down: TURK (behind the wheel of the truck) and VIRGIL (track-side, remote control in hand) MALLOY. They’re nice boys. Really. Peckerwoods, sure, but nice.

RUSTY (V.O.): I talked to the Malloys yesterday.
DANNY (V.O.): The Mormon twins?
RUSTY (V.O.):They’re both in Salt Lake City, six months off the job. I got the sense they’re having trouble filling the hours.

Turk: Waiting sweetheart.
Virgil: Good. Go.
Turk: I’m waiting.
Virgil: Why?
Turk: You’re a little girl!
Virgil: Relax.
Turk: I’m going to get out and drop you like third period French.
Virgil: Relax.

Lights flash red-to-yellow-to-green and while the TRUCK COATS RUBBER on the track, Virgil’s toy zips to a lead. It’s looking to be an embarrassment for Turk until he jerks his wheel a little and — ka-thunk — flattens his brother’s vehicle.

Virgil pouts as he plucks up the wreckage of his entry.

— Danny (George Clooney), Rusty (Brad Pitt), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), screenplay by Ted Griffin, 1960 screenplay by Harry Brown and Charles Lederer, 1960 story George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is sibling rivalry, suggested by Traci Nell Peterson who also suggested Ocean’s Eleven.

Trivia: Stephen Carpenter wrote the original draft of the screenplay.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Traci: “This is classic, two brothers fighting to be King of the Hill, or track. I love the taunting, the name calling, the threats, cheater start and the ultimate ‘cry Uncle,’ when Virgil telescopes his antenna down in defeat.”