Great prompt! I’ve always been dialog-centric.
Rear Window – I recently just watched this for the first time and I have to say the cynicism of marriage and their perceived differences is done with refreshing intelligence. The argument between Jeffries and Lisa about suitcases is a great representation of a real struggle a lot of couples in the world face. And man, Stella just has about the best perspective on the world — ALL of her lines were so witty and amazing!
Notorious – Gosh, Ingrid Bergman’s character spoke gorgeously whether it was in pessimism or as a romantic! Cary Grant’s dialog also delivered some great responses.
Charade – I thought the first ten minutes was one of the best openers ever and I have it almost memorized.
The Heiress – When the characters share their anger at each other, I think you get one of the most honest scenes of revenge ever. To this day, I still fawn over how raw the characters become in those moments.
Now, Voyager – As a spinster-turned-beauty, Charlotte Vale is probably one of the greatest characters who display vulnerability and the way that she emotionally matures throughout the film - she gives some BEAUTIFUL lines all throughout!
All About Eve – Sharp script. This movie no doubt deserves its status.
Sabrina – I loved that this was Bogie’s softest role. I love when Sabrina and him are on the boat and they talk about bad memories. And I also adore how “La Vie en Rose” and that banana song are reinforced throughout the movie. Also, Lionel and David’s father is HILARIOUS. What’s great about this movie is that the lines change to fit the mood of the scene. They can be incredibly romantic, sad, wistful, witty, etc.
Some Like It Hot – Comedy Classic. In “Billy Wilder Speaks”, Billy Wilder was explaining the “science” behind the movie which was that he created this grand atmosphere of where the situation, dynamics, and characters were already funny. Thus, the script just feeds on that energy and can be taken in any way and still be successful. Billy Wilder also said that he hardly gave any lapses for the audience to rest with their laughter but kept the humor in designated beats. For example, if Tony Curtis’ character was going to say something extraordinary funny, Billy Wilder would make Jack Lemmon wait 5 seconds before saying his line so that the audience wouldn’t be so busy laughing that they would deafen themselves to the next line. I know that’s more of an aspect of directing than the script but that pacing means that the audience is more involved in each line of the script because they can process all of them.
I was also impressed with the King’s Speech. Geoffrey Rushing’s character was very endearing and given the best lines in the movie which really display the range of the movie too!
Freddie
Share your most memorable experiences of viewing a film and being most involved, fascinated or intrigued in what was going on, mainly due to the excellence of the script.