Great Scene: “Metropolitan”
October is Great Scene month at Go Into The Story whereby we put a spotlight on notable movie scenes, then analyze and discuss them. Their structure, themes, character dynamics. Why do they work? What are their narrative elements that elevate them to greatness? Let’s face it: In a fundamental way, screenwriting is scene-writing, so the more we learn about this aspect of the craft, the better.
Today: The 1990 movie Metropolitan, written by Whit Stillman. IMDB plot summary:
A group of young upper-class Manhattanites are blithely passing through the gala debutante season, when an unusual outsider joins them and stirs them up.
Another gathering of the group — the Sally Fowler Rat Pack. Two minutes into the clip, Charlie (Taylor Nichols) pontificates yet again from upper class perch.
Here is the text to Charlie’s rant:
“The term bourgeois has almost always been one of contempt. Yet it’s precisely the bourgeoisie that has been responsible for nearly every good thing that’s happened in our civilization over the last four centuries. You know that French film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. I thought, ‘Finally someone’s going to tell the truth about the bourgeoisie. What a disappointment.”
I just returned from the 2014 Austin Film Festival where I moderated the Conversation With Whit Stillman panel. It was terrific, Whit providing all sorts of insights into Metropolitan and his creative process. It also provided me the opportunity to watch the movie again after about 20 years. It’s even better than I remembered when I first saw the movie at the WGA Theater in Beverly Hills two decades ago.
You could pluck out dozens of scenes from Metropolitan as examples of great scenes. I chose this one because it is so damn funny, combining the myopia of the 1% and with the lack of cultural awareness.
If you haven’t seen Metropolitan, you really should. It’s funny, smart, and polished, remarkable on all fronts considering the film’s microscopic budget (approximately $250K) and tight production schedule.