Dialogue, Part 4: The Sounds of Silence
Part 4 of our series on dialogue, focusing on the power of unspoken words:
In order to jump-start his new company, Jerry sets his sights on star collegiate quarterback, CUSHMAN, the sure-bet #1 choice in the upcoming NFL draft. Jerry lands him, or so he thinks until he finds out otherwise in this scene at the midpoint of the screenplay with Cushman and his father, MATT, who gave Jerry his word that his son is with Jerry (p. 61):
JERRY
Look, before I go back to Denver, I think we
should get something down on paper. Something
that says, “Hey, I’m with Jerry Maguire.”
He pulls out a yellow legal table. He scribbles a few lines as Matt looks
increasingly nervous.
MATT
Not right now, Jerry.
JERRY
Do I everything there is to know here?
(silent beat)
You fellas aren’t talking with Bob Sugar, are you?
More silence.
MATT
Apparently, Denver wanted to deal with him
instead of you.
JERRY
(quickly)
Said who? Sugar?
MATT
Hey, I’m learning as I go.
JERRY
So you empowered Bob Sugar to deal with Denver
behind my back?
MATT
I’m sorry, I –
JERRY
I brought Denver to twenty million. Denver deals
with me all the time. You listened to Sugar? You
let that snake in the door.
Jerry touches the coffee table. Calms himself.
JERRY
(continuing)
It’s okay. You want Denver. I’ll fix this up. You
didn’t sign anything with Sugar, right?
Another rough silence is broken by little brother Keith.
KEITH
(blurts)
Mr. Maguire, someday I’m gonna be a famous athlete
and I’m gonna sign with you’.
JERRY
Shut up!
(beat)
I’m sorry… sorry.
KEITH
(sympathy for Jerry)
S’ cool.
Shot moves in on Jerry.
JERRY
Now. Wait. You didn’t actually sign with Sugar,
did you? Tell me you didn’t sign.
(beat)
Because I’m still sort of moved by your “my word
is stronger’n oak” thing –
MATT
We signed an hour ago. You were in the lobby
with the black fella.
Jerry moans. Silently, he rises and begins to gather his things. Cush hangs on to his guitar.
CUSH
I’m sorry, Jerry.
MATT
They say it’s show “business,” Jerry, not show friends.
Jerry takes a breath before he exits. He surveys the room, settling on Cush. Visible behind
Maguire is Times Square, in all it’s neon logo glory.
JERRY
Well. Okay. Of course. You’re twenty years old,
and I’m just another guy in a suit. It’s all business.
It didn’t work out. You didn’t buy my product,
which is, unfortunately, mm. Let me see, there’s a
speech that I’m supposed to make — right! — “I’ll be
out there cheering for you.” “The door is always
open!” See? I’m a class act.
(breath, directly)
But maybe this would have all worked, us being real
human beings, coming through for each other, really,
and now I’ll never know. You’ll never know. Weren’t
you curious?
(they aren’t)
No. Okay, well, I’ll be fine. And you’ll be fine. And
Keith I hope you do call me.
Flushed and embarrassed, he exits. We hang a beat on the silent Cushman hotel living room, as Cush now continues on guitar.
Jerry’s connection to the Plotline: He gets hit smack in the gut. Connection to the Themeline: He recognizes the need for humanity here (“us being real human beings”), but is still not evolved to the point where he ‘deserves’ the trophy. Subtext: Tons. But let’s just track the silence:
· The “silent beat” as the horrible truth emerges — that Matt and his son have been talking with Sugar.
· A “rough silence” as the deeper truth emerges, that they actually signed a deal with Sugar.
· He silently gathers his things, the warrior retrieving his weapons which he used to no avail.
· And finally, the “silent Cushman hotel living room” as Jerry, defeated and embarrassed, departs.
In each of these silences, Crowe could have had Jerry saying things like, “I can’t believe you did this to me… Do you realize how this screws me over… I had everything resting on this.” But he didn’t. Why? Because he has laid out the drama in the set-up to the scene: We know all the necessary dynamics, so Crowe relies on the power of quiet moments, without hitting the reader over the head with on-the-nose dialogue, allowing us the space to absorb the emotional impact of this big turn of events.
Tomorrow our final installment and a look at one of the most memorable moments in Jerry Maguire.