Daily Dialogue — September 23, 2016
LEWIS: Sergeant Ross, this is the most pathetic group of trainees I have ever laid my eyes on.
ROSS: Ma’am.
LEWIS: Ladies, my companies are the best-trained, the best-disciplined soldiers on this base–
BENJAMIN: Excuse me.
LEWIS: Huh?
BENJAMIN: Um, I hate to interrupt you, but, um, could I speak to you for a sec?
LEWIS: Oh, my Lord. Sergeant, would you look at this?
ROSS: I’ve seen it, Ma’am.
LEWIS: What’s…what’s your name, Princess? Huh?
BENJAMIN: Judy.
LEWIS: Judy.
BENJAMIN: Judy Benjamin.
LEWIS: Judy Benjamin.
BENJAMIN: Um, I think they sent me to the wrong place.
LEWIS: Uh huh.
BENJAMIN: See, uh, I did join the army, but I joined a different army. Uh, I joined the one with the condos, and the private rooms. (Lewis and Ross laugh.) What? No, really. My…my…my recruiter, Jim Ballard, to me that–
LEWIS: I don’t care…I don’t care what your lousy recruiter told you, Benjamin. Now, I’m telling you there is no other army.
BENJAMIN: Wait a minute. I don’t want to have to go to your boss, or anything, okay? I just– look, to be truthful with you, I can’t sleep in a room with twenty strangers.
LEWIS: Oh, dear.
BENJAMIN: And, I mean, look at this place. The army couldn’t afford drapes? I mean, I’ll be up at the crack of dawn, here.
LEWIS: Oooh.
BENJAMIN: And I have to tell you I am frankly a little shocked.
LEWIS: You’re shocked?
BENJAMIN: Yes.
LEWIS: Why?
BENJAMIN: This place is a sty.
LEWIS: It’s a sty?
BENJAMIN: Yeah. I mean, look…look. Look at these…look at these stains. God knows where this has been. And, have you seen the bathroom?
LEWIS: Well, ah, do you think that the latrine…do you think that it’s unsanitary?
BENJAMIN: Oh! It’s disgusting!
LEWIS: Disgusting.
BENJAMIN: There are urinals in there.
LEWIS: Well, that’s because this is the army, Benjamin, it’s not a sorority house. Um, may I see your toothbrush, please? Please?
— Private Benjamin (1980), written by Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer and Harvey Miller
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Military Moments, suggested by Will King who also recommended today’s selection.
Trivia: This movie was the first ever movie screenplay especially written and tailored for actress Goldie Hawn.
Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Will: “What’s interesting to me in this exchange is how understated it’s kept. Judy is the sheltered rich girl who meets the by-the-book worldly Captain Lewis, and the clash of outlooks could be overplayed to make either character too melodramatic. But here Judy plays out as innocent and out of touch without becoming the “dumb blonde” and Lewis’ sarcasm comes across quietly rather than being in-your-face nasty. It sets up the upcoming battle of wills between the characters.”