Daily Dialogue — September 5, 2017

MIRANDA: Even when I try to do something fun, you have to do it ten times bigger! I bring home a birthday cake and few gifts. You bring home the goddamn San Diego Zoo! And I have to clean up after!
DANIEL: I’m sorry, but it’s not toxic waste, it’s a few party plates!
MIRANDA: Why am I the only one that feels there has to be rules?
DANIEL: Oh, please.
MIRANDA: Why do you always make me out to be the heavy?
DANIEL: I don’t make you out to be anything. You do it yourself quite naturally.
MIRANDA: You set me up, Daniel, every time to be the bad guy.
DANIEL: Oh, lighten up, will you? Just realize you’re spending too much time with those corporate clones you used to despise.
MIRANDA: I spend too much time with you, Daniel. It’s over! It’s over.
DANIEL: Come on, Miranda. Listen, we’ve got problems, but who doesn’t? We could work them out. What are you talking about it’s over?
MIRANDA: We’ve been trying to work them out for 14 years.
DANIEL: Come on, please. Listen. Maybe we need some help, OK? Maybe we can go to a family therapist, I help us do this together.
MIRANDA: It’s too late for that.
DANIEL: Well, let’s take a vacation together with the kids, as a family. Get you away from work. You’re a different person. You really are. You’re great.
MIRANDA: Oh, Daniel, our problems would be waiting for us right here when we got back.
DANIEL: We’ll move, and hopefully our problems won’t follow us.
MIRANDA: Daniel, please don’t joke.
DANIEL: OK.
MIRANDA: We’ve just grown apart. We’re different. We have nothing in common.
DANIEL: Oh, sure we do. We love each other. Come on, Miranda. We love each other. Don’t we?
MIRANDA: I want a divorce.
DANIEL: No. We can’t. We’re a family. You know?
MIRANDA: I’m so sorry.

— Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), written by Randi Mayer Singer and Leslie Dixon, novel by Anne Fine

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Break-Up. Today’s recommendation by Gisela Wehrl.

Trivia: According to one biography, Robin Williams decided to test out the believability of his Mrs. Doubtfire character during filming by going, as Mrs. Doubtfire, into an adult bookstore and making a purchase. He was able to do so without being recognized.

Bonus Trivia: Robin Williams, dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire, says “Carpe dentum. Seize the teeth.” while trying to fish his dentures out of his wine. This is a play on his famous line from „Dead Poets Society“ (1989): “Carpe diem. Seize the day.”

Dialogue on Dialogue: Commentary by Gisela: “It starts as a kind of ‘normal’ fight for them. Something both had have many times as you get the feeling that they repeat the stuff they blamed each other for years. Miranda’s “It’s over“ it’s the turning point of the scene and makes it a general discussion about their marriage. Daniel calms down and tries to convince his wife for another try. He is still hoping that ‘over’ aims for the fights and the feeling of misunderstanding. That Miranda doesn’t love him anymore, hasn’t ever came to his mind before. And we observe him and his outspoken thoughts, when this idea becomes a certainty. Miranda’s break-up is non-verbal. The word ‘divorce’ just nails it down as it doesn’t leave any room for interpretation. That their three kids witness this scene from the staircase, makes this even more heartbreaking.