More thoughts on action genre and character

I did some more thinking about this thread where I went into some depth re Tony’s Stark’s character in Iron Man to make the point that we, as writers, need to dig into our characters in order to dimensionalize them. However, what we find there and present on the page does not have to be so complicated.

For instance, take Die Hard, possibly the paradigmatic action movie in the last 25 years. The Protagonist, John McClane (Bruce Willis), finds himself in an extraordinary situation — a lone cop versus a heavily armed group of thieves who take over a skyscraper and hold a group of employees hostage. But how emotionally connected to all that action would we be if we weren’t somehow emotionally connected to McClane? And what is the core of that emotional connection? Something simple and relatable: McClane is estranged from his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedalia). Here’s the key scene in the movie that handles their discord:

INT. ELLIS’ OFFICE — NIGHT 21

TILT UP FROM McClane’s BARE FEET. He is clenching and
unclenching his toes.

MCCLANE
(surprised, actually feeling
tension decline)
Son-of-a-bitch. It works.

Holly sits on the desk here, watches him remove his jacket, tie
shirt, etc. Begin to wash up in the private bath.

HOLLY
What are you doing?

MCCLANE
It’s a long story. You know, I
think that Ellis has his eye on you.

HOLLY
That’s okay…
(pause)
… I have an eye on his private
bathroom.

McClane’s face shows his relief (or rather, his attempt not
to show any).

HOLLY
So, where are you staying? This
all happened so fast I didn’t even
ask you on the phone.

McClane finishes drying his face and steps to the bath doorway.

MCCLANE
Well, Cappy Roberts retired out
here a couple years ago. He said I
could bunk with him.

HOLLY
Oh…Where does he live?

MCCLANE
Ramona…no, Pomona, that’s it.

HOLLY
Pomona! You’ll be in the car the
whole time…Look, let’s make this
easy. I have a spare bedroom. It’s
not huge, but the kids would love to
have you at the house.

McClane fixes her with a look.

MCCLANE
They would, huh?

HOLLY
(beat; honest)
I would too.
 
They lock eyes for a moment, but it’s an intense moment that
says a lot about how they still feel about each other.

Just then a man and a woman, both a little tipsy, open the
door to the office, see that it’s occupied and beat a hasty
retreat. The interruption temporarily dents the mood. Holly
tries to smile. But for McClane it’s the last frustration.

HOLLY
…I’ve missed you.

MCCLANE
Especially my name. You must miss
it every time you write a check. When
did you start calling yourself
‘Ms. Gennero’?

HOLLY
(caught)
This is a Japanese company, you know?
They figure a married woman, she’s on
the way out the door…

MCCLANE
Sure. It’s unnerving. I remember
this one particular married woman,
she went out the door so fast there
was practically a jetwash…I mean,
talk about your wind chill factor…

HOLLY
Didn’t we have this same conversation
in July? Damn it, John, there was
an opportunity out here — I had to
take it — 

MCCLANE
No matter what it did to our marriage — ?

HOLLY
My job and my title and my salary did
nothing to our marriage except change
your idea of what it should be.

MCCLANE
Oh, here it comes. One of those
‘meaningful relationship conversations.’
I never should’ve let you get those
magazine subscriptions — 

HOLLY
You want to know my idea of a marriage?
It’s a partnership where people help
each other over the rough spots — 
console each other when there’s a
down…and when there’s an up, well,
hell, a little Goddamn applause or
an attaboy wouldn’t be too bad.
(quietly)
I needed that, John.
(pause)
I deserved that.

There’s a clumsy pause as if she’s almost challenging him to
say…something but he sets his jaw, says nothing. Just then
the door opens and Ginny leans inside.

GINNY
Miz Gennero? Mr. Takagi is looking
for you…he wants you to say something
to the troops…

HOLLY
Thanks, Ginny. I’ll be a second.
Oh, this is — 

MCCLANE
(mock bright ‘radio’ voice)
Hi. John Gennero here. I’m the
sensitive and supportive man of the
eighties.

Ginny looks puzzled, goes out. Holly sighs, moves to the
door.

HOLLY
I’ll be a few minutes. Wait here — 

MCCLANE
Don’t I always?

She’s gone. Immediately, he slaps his forehead, contrite.

MCCLANE
(to himself)
Schmuck!

Of course, it won’t be a few minutes as the story’s Nemesis, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), and his gang are just about to take over the building — which means that McClane carries this cliffhanger of a conversation with his wife all the way through Act II and Act III. So in the External World, McClane is fighting to defeat the Bad Guys and save the Good Guys including his wife, but in the Internal World, he’s fighting to save their marriage.

Again, characters do not need to be overly complex, however, they do need to have enough emotional depth and texture that a reader will resonate and sympathize with them.

[Originally posted 5/25/08]

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