Daily Dialogue theme next week: All Is Lost

The Daily Dialogue theme next week: All Is Lost, suggested by Melinda Mahaffey.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Ah, that big reversal at the end of Act Two, where the Protagonist faces an All Is Lost moment. It’s more than just a significant plot obstacle as it compels the Protagonist to reach deep down into who they are, what they’ve learned, and how they have changed. Do they have the courage, strength of will, and motivation to go forward… or admit defeat and head back home? In Hollywood movies, they always end up taking on the big challenge, even against all odds, going from All Is Lost to On The Offensive.

Next week, let’s see if we can come up with 7 great examples of All Is Lost movie moments. Not hard to find as it exists in virtually every mainstream movie. It will be interesting to see how different characters confront this major reversal in their fortunes.

The usual drill:

* Copy/paste dialogue from IMDb Quotes or some other transcript source.

* Copy/paste the URL of an accompanying video from YouTube or some other video source.

I’d also ask you to think about why the dialogue is notable. Is there anything about the dialogue which provides some takeaway related to the craft of writing? If so, feel free to lay that wisdom on us.

Consecutive days of Daily Dialogue posts: 3,089.

Be a part of the proud Daily Dialogue tradition, make a suggestion, and have your name emblazoned on a blog post which will forever hold a hallowed spot in the Go Into The Story archives!

Upcoming schedule of themes:

November 7-November 13: Embarrassment November 14-November 20: Bechdel Test [Will King] November 21-November 27: Enthusiasm November 28-December 4: Alien Invasion [Michael Waters] December 5-December 11: Excuse December 12-December 18: Fish Out Of Water [Will King] December 19-December 25: Faith

December 26-January 1: Failure [Will King and Melinda]

Be sure to post your ideas for this week’s theme: All Is Lost.

Continued thanks to all of you Daily Dialogue devotees, your suggested dialogue and dialogue themes. Grateful for your ongoing support of this series.

Comments:

Lois Bernard says:

October 30, 2016 at 10:09 AM

Castaway, by William Broyles Jr.

https://youtu.be/zaQa4ttIyNo

(This is an early draft of the script in which Chuck had two different personalities talking to each other, Good Chuck and Bad Chuck. I don’t have copy of shooting script (have to buy it). I am curious as to how this final version came to be without Good Chuck/Bad Chuck.)

EXT. OCEAN — DAY — LATER

The sky clears. The waves are still big. The fish are back.
And then come the sharks, cutting through the water. Chuck
can’t get up to get his spear, he just has to watch as blood
darkens the water.

And then the sharks are gone.

Chuck comes to his knees slowly, then a big wave hits.
Wilson is swept into the ocean!

For a moment Chuck is uncomprehending. He watches as Wilson
slowly floats away.

CHUCK
Please, no sharks.

Then he dives in to the water! Swims frantically after
Wilson.

Wilson floats away from him. He swims, but he’s so weak.
Finally he gets to Wilson. He reaches out, but only pushes
the ball farther away.

It bobs on the waves. Chuck treads water, exhausted.

Where is the raft?

CHUCK
Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

Then he turns back the other way. The raft has drifted by
him. He can go after Wilson, or he can go after the raft.

CHUCK
Shit! Wilson!

He swims toward the raft, barely moving. No matter how hard
he swims, the raft seems to recede from him.

Finally he reaches it, hangs on the side, breathing hard,
choking, crying.

He struggles to pull himself on board.

But he is weak, so weak. He can’t do it.

Summoning some primitive reserve of strength, he tries again.
This time he slides on.

He lies on the raft, panting.

Then with all his strength he pulls himself to his feet,
holds on to the mast, scans the ocean for Wilson.

CHUCK
Wilson!

Nothing but waves.

This is too much. Chuck starts to cry.