5 Screenwriting Lessons – Moulin Rouge!

Who Wrote It?

Moulin Rouge was written by Baz Lurhman and Craig Pearce.

How Long is It?

Moulin Rouge is 122 minutes long, including credits.

What’s It About?

Moulin Rouge is set in 1899 and follows Christian (played by Ewan McGregor), an English writer who heads to the Montmartre district in Paris seeking inspiration from. Once there, he befriends a group of Bohemian performers led by the eccentric Toulouse-Lautrec (played by John Leguizamo) and gets involved in their production “Spectacular Spectacular”. Preparing to pitch the play to Harold Zidler (played by Jim Broadbent), the impresario in charge of the Moulin Rouge nightclub, Christian falls in love with Satine (played by Nicole Kidman), a performer and courtesan who works at the venue. However, the Moulin Rogue’s primary patron, a scheming Duke (played by Richard Roxburgh), wants Satine for himself, and the combination of his interference and Satine’s declining health ensure that Christian’s belief in true love will be severely tested.

5 Screenwriting Lessons – Moulin Rouge

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Find A Consistent Tone – After its downbeat opening, which sets up the tragedy of the third act, Moulin Rouge quickly transitions towards the comedic tone that dominates the first half of the film. One of the wackiest scenes is the introduction of Zidler. It is hard to take him seriously when he is introduced performing a rap with lines such as “Outside it may be raining/But in here it’s entertaining!” during a sequence in which “Lady Marmalade” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” are sang simultaneously by the female and the male dancers at the Moulin Rouge. However, the kitsch, camp approach of the early scenes is replaced by numbers such as “El Tango De Roxanne” which are staged in a dark and restrained manner, fitting the jealousy and distrust that begins to affect Christian’s view of Satine. The dissonance between these two approaches highlight the excesses of the period and the significance of Christian and Satine’s relationship, but also create an unbalanced tone, because it is hard to enjoy the comedy when tragedy is inevitable, and the silly nature of earlier scenes distracts from the importance of later ones.

The change from a comedic approach to a serious one is epitomised in the handling of the female lead, Satine. When she interacts with Christian in her room towards the end of the first act, she makes some rather unsubtle advances towards him, and derives a substantial amount of sexual ecstasy from hearing lines of his poetry. This is followed by a scene where she tries to hide Christian’s presence from the Duke whilst simultaneously seducing him further. These moments would be well-suited to a farce or screwball comedy, and classics of the genre such as A Fish Called Wanda have used similar set pieces to generate a considerable amount of laughs. However, after she and Christian fall in love, Satine turns into a tragic figure. Her struggles with tuberculosis (known as consumption at the time) have been established by this point, but as the disease takes its toll, the depiction of her becomes far more serious. The scene in which she tells Christian that she cannot see him again features a deception that contrasts sharply with her earlier one, as she tries to hide the fact that the real motive for her actions is to protect Christian from the Duke. In contrast to the uninhibited behaviour she demonstrated earlier on, she is very quiet and solemn, which proves that the events she has been through have had a considerable impact on her. This transformation in her character reflects the sombre nature of the second half, and the increased difficulty of sustaining the idyllic relationship with Christian.

Understand the Importance of Fairy Tales– Although it is set in Paris during 1899 and features the iconic painter Toulouse-Lautrec as a central character, Moulin Rouge makes little use of its time period. The only other reference to contemporary France is a brief mention of the French actress Sarah Bernhardt, whilst significant political events such as the Dreyfus Affair go unmentioned. This is done to highlight the timelessness of Christian and Satine’s story. Focusing too much on wider events would make the film about the time period rather than the story and messages it provides. The appeal of a compelling story and a strong message have helped fairy tales to endure centuries after their initial publication, and Moulin Rouge exploits these important aspects in order to ensure that it is just as durable.

Another way in which the story reflects classic fairy tales is through Christian’s show. He and the rest of the personnel behind “Spectacular Spectacular” improvise a story about a courtesan in ancient India, torn between a poor Sitar player and a wealthy Maharajah. The parallels to the existing love triangle between Christian, Satine and the Duke are apparent throughout, and the message that goodness and optimism will triumph reflects the worldview of the protagonists. In the second half of the film, the Duke is alerted to the similarities between the story of the play and his current situation, and decides to change the ending to one where the courtesan ends up with the Maharajah. He defends this alteration by claiming that it is more realistic, but, at the climax of the film, Christian invades the play, eventually managing to defeat the Duke and giving “Spectacular Spectacular” its happy ending. The typical fairy tale provides a fantasy that defies the harsh and cynical nature of the world to present a hopeful and idealised vision of love, in line with the views of Christian and his friends. By proving that this fantasy can triumph over the conventions of reality, the film highlights its value in the modern world.

Music is Key – Christian’s status as a writer is integral to the film’s story. Although the writing he does at the beginning is very traditional, he soon demonstrates an unusual talent for improvising songs. He earns a job as a playwright by helping Toulouse-Lautrec and his troupe write “The Sound of Music”, and wins over Satine with a rendition of “Your Song”. The reason for using songs that would not exist until decades later is to make the film seem more relevant to modern audiences whilst further distancing it from its time period. Because both “The Sound of Music” and “Your Song” fit the character singing them and the context in which he does so, they feel like appropriate songs for the situation. The incongruity between the time period and the music highlight the impact of the latter, as the songs are powerful enough to be applied to an unusual time whilst not feeling out of place. This proves that Christian and Satine’s relationship is not based on the conventions of the time, but the emotions and sensations which inspired the music they sing.

One of the most notable musical numbers in the movie is the “Elephant Love Medley”. In this sequence, Christian sings lines from a wide range of songs, including tracks by the Beatles, U2, and Dolly Parton, in an attempt to serenade Satine. At the beginning, Satine starts out with a cynical outlook, but soon the tone changes, as she begins to engage in the duet with Christian. A rendition of David Bowie’s “Heroes” represents the main turning point, as the two sing together for the first time at the chorus, instead of merely addressing lyrics to one another. Satine’s decision to embrace the defiance and naive optimism conveyed by the lyrics of “Heroes” proves that she is in love with Christian and willing to discard the pragmatic approach that had previously defined her. The gradual change in emotion makes Satine’s love for Christian seem more credible, as it indicates that her primary reason for loving him is his personality rather than his looks.

Create Memorable Characters – Moulin Rouge’s characters are mostly stereotypical – Christian is the wide-eyed innocent, Satine is a beautiful diva torn between dreams of acting and her love for Christian, and the Duke is a moustache-twirling villain. The Bohemians are defined by a handful of traits, with only Toulouse-Lautrec and a narcoleptic Argentine strongman having a substantial amount of lines. The characters are simplistic in nature, but their quirks are emphasised throughout the film, allowing them to stand out. This lack of complexity works to the movie’s advantage, as it reinforces the fairy-tale approach, with characters who are purely good and purely bad. As a result, the film is able to place more emphasis on its main selling points, namely its visuals, music and message.

Make your Visuals Colourful – Moulin Rouge opens with a scene in black-and-white, stylized like a silent movie, in which Toulouse-Lautrec sings the song “Nature Boy” whilst peering out of an open window. As the camera goes through the streets of the Montmarte suburbs, the colours, particularly the shades of red, become increasingly apparent, and by the time we are introduced to Christian, writing about the events of the movie, the visuals are now in full colour. The purpose of the sequence is to transition from the artifice of the black-and-white sequence to the reality of Christian’s story. This means that the audience become immediately involved in his tale, and, as a result, are far more engaged in it than they would be if the opening did not have such an immersive effect.

The use of colour to reflect emotional states is also apparent in “Spectacular Spectacular”, as it is staged for the first time during the climax. Bollywood musicals were a major inspiration behind Moulin Rouge, and this is indicated through the bright colours, gaudy costumes and elaborate stunts that define the genre and are in full display during the performance. Another example of the visuals matching the tone of the story occurs when Santine’s character appears in the production. In Satine’s scenes, the colour is replaced by dark blue lighting and a spotlight focusing on her. This conveys a shift towards a darker tone, as the character she plays sells herself to the Maharajah, and reflects the growing intensity of the movie, as Christian tries to find Satine in order to break up with her, whilst evading the Duke’s henchman. As a result of the ominous mood created by the colour change, the scene turns highly suspenseful, as the chances of Christian rekindling his relationship with Satine become increasingly remote.

Conclusion

Moulin Rouge is full of flaws, but enjoyable nonetheless. The characters are stereotypes, and the film alternates between over-the-top comedy and grand romantic tragedy when it should have prioritised one of those approaches. However, Moulin Rouge is focused on its visuals, soundtrack and story, and these are all very good. Whilst the visuals are unusually bright and the soundtrack is unusually modern, the basic story is inherently appealing, and, for all the excess surrounding it, is conveyed very well. Therefore, it manages to succeed in its primary purpose of being a modern-day fairy tale.

5 Screenwriting Lessons – Croupier

Who Wrote It?

Croupier was written by Paul Mayersberg.

How Long is It?

Croupier is 94 minutes long, including credits.

What’s It About?

Croupier follows Jack Manfred (Played by Clive Owen), an aspiring writer seeking to create a successful novel. On the advice of his father, he gets a job as a croupier in a seedy London casino. His experiences provide him with plenty of material, but his relationship with his girlfriend Marion (Played by Gina McKee) comes under strain. Furthermore, Jack gets involved in affairs with two women: the cynical dealer Bella (Played by Kate Hardie), and the mysterious Jani (Played by Alex Kingston), thus violating one of the central rules of the casino – Never talk to the other croupiers or the players.

5 Screenwriting Lessons – Croupier

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Get into the Protagonist’s Head – One of the most important aspects of the film is Jack’s Voice-over, which he provides in the third person, as if he were narrating his own story. This serves two purposes. First of all, it sets up Jack’s obsession with writing, as he is aiming to make his narrative seem as dramatic as possible. This sets up the theme of duplicity, as he is hiding his knowledge and observations from the unsuspecting gamblers at the table. Because of this, the audience is left wondering how many secrets Jack conceals, and how relevant these will be to the story. Furthermore, the use of Voice-over also makes the viewer interested in seeing what happens to him. Jack is an aloof character, and needs to be depicted in an accessible manner in order to be worth following. By allowing him a way to communicate with the audience in a manner that retains his introverted personality, but permits an insight into how he really feels, the script succeeds in doing this.

Jack’s desire to craft an appealing narrative is consistent throughout the story. At a party with Jani and his publisher, he offers to deal the cards in a round of poker, and gives everyone an increasingly impressive hand, with Jani winning. From this, it is possible to sense the fact that he has feelings for her, but also that he is interested in the world of the casino because he the thrill of watching the gamblers blow a fortune far more fascinating than anything his publisher wants him to write. This fascination with victory and defeat is the main motivation for his actions at the party. Although Jack ditches the stifling world of publishing in favour of his job on the casino floor at the end of the movie, he retains his fascination with observing the world around him. The fact that Jack is defined by this very common and interesting trait allows him to be a compelling anti-hero.

Simple Things Can be Very Interesting – In the third act, Jack gets himself implicated in a robbery by Jani. She offers to pay him if he provides a distraction on the casino floor. All he needs to do is call out a cheater at his table, which he had done earlier in the movie. The fact that the entire robbery hinges on something that Jack normally does without hesitation increases suspense because the plan is too perfect; it involves attaining large rewards with very little effort. If such a routine action has such significant consequences, then the audience can expect the possibility that something must go wrong. The inevitability that their suspicions will be proven correct encourages them to keep watching, as they want to know what will happen to prevent the plan from working.

Give Characters Unique Personalities – Croupier contains three distinctive female characters, Marion, Bella and Jani. All of them have their personalities developed in a simple and effective manner. Marion is introduced via Voice-over with classical music playing in the background, Bella is first seen undressing in a mirror behind Jack, and Jani is a particularly alluring customer at the tables, standing out due to her expensive look and her confident behaviour. As a result of these vivid and contrasting quirks, this group of characters manage to seem unique and developed in spite of the film’s short runtime.

Jack’s father is also introduced in a manner that conveys his mischievous personality. Whilst Jack is struggling for inspiration, he receives a call from his father recommending that he gets a job at a casino. Jack Sr.’s fast and energetic tone contrasts sharply with Jack’s slow and deliberate style of speaking. The viewer can sense that they are in some sort of conflict, as the two are very different in spite of their family relationship. This generates a number of interesting questions. How did Jack and his father drift so far apart, and will there will be any developments that provide further insight into them? The desire to see these questions answered entices the audience to continue watching.

The Audience Should Be Allowed to Observe Things with the Characters–Initially, Jack is unwilling to take up his father’s job offer, but over the course of the film, he gains an increasing affinity for the world of the casino. His natural ability to function in the casino environment is set up in his first scene there, in which he demonstrates his skills as a croupier. Instantly, he observes that the casino is not replacing chips as often as it should, and passes a test of his dealing skills with flying colours. This shows that he understands the basics of gambling better than the people in charge, and this advantage generates both inspiration for his story and the increasing addiction to the atmosphere of the casino.

Little details can serve to develop characters, but they can also generate suspense. Jani reveals the robbery to Jack in a lavish party in a country house. When she takes him, she has her arm in a cast, and tells Jack that it is because she owes a debt to some mysterious enemies, providing an effective pretext to get Jack involved. The next time we see Jani, her injury has healed. However, a bad bruise which Jack gained in a brawl with a disgruntled gambler remains. The viewer can figure out that Jani was faking her injuries and cannot be trusted. This sets up the intriguing mystery of what her real motivations are, and the prospect of finding these out drives the climax.

Make Your World Unique – One of the most unique features of Croupier is the fact that it is based in London, as opposed to a more traditional gambling location such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City. This allows it to demonstrate a different approach to the subgenre of gambling-based movies, whilst providing truths about that industry which are equally applicable in all casinos everywhere. The wide variety of London scenery is used throughout the film. Key interactions with Bella and Jani take place in Piccadilly, a particularly affluent area of the city. The juxtaposition of the vast spaces there and the drab, confined casino highlights the artifice inherent in the latter location. It relies on extravagance just as much as the expensive London shops, but the casino and its employees do not have the ability to make this seem natural, and, as a result, the seediness and desperation that the place relies on is emphasised instead of concealed.

There is also substantial focus on the life behind the tables. Given the cold and formal manner in which croupiers are expected to conduct themselves, their behaviour once their shift is over is revealing. Many of the dealers frequent a club ran by one of the customers – a clear violation of the rules established at the start of the film. The casino is required to project an image of efficiency and professionalism, in order to encourage patrons to gamble away as much money as possible, and this forces the employees to hide their true personalities. Jack’s ability at doing this allows him to thrive in the casino environment.

Conclusion

Although often regarded as a Thriller due to its neo-noir style, Croupier is closer to a character-based Drama. In spite of its short runtime, it manages to create a cast of characters who are memorable and engaging in spite of their unsympathetic nature, and its focus on the mundane reality of ordinary casinos is unique, generating a number of fascinating insights. There is also a significant attention to detail, with the most ordinary things being depicted in a manner that can grab the audience’s attention and arouse their curiosity. This means that Croupier is worth a watch, as it proves that even the shortest movies can be complex and elaborate without becoming boring or incoherent.

5 Screenwriting Lessons – The Imitation Game

Who Wrote It?

The Imitation Game was written by Graham Moore, and based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma, written by Andrew Hodges.

How Long is It?

The Imitation Game is 114 minutes long, including credits.

What’s It About?

The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch), a gifted mathematician who gained a job as a codebreaker during the Second World War. Hired to decrypt messages sent by the Germans using the Enigma coding machine, he annoys his superiors with his anti-social manner, but soon comes up with an elaborate machine to crack the Enigma code. The film also deals with Turing’s homosexuality, illegal in Britain during his lifetime, his ill-fated relationship with fellow code breaker Joan Clarke (played by Kiera Knightley), his arrest for “Gross indecency” in 1952, and his eventual suicide.

5 Screenwriting Lessons- The Imitation Game

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Use Flashbacks and Flash-forwards – The Imitation Game begins in 1952, with police responding to the break-in that would expose Turing’s sexuality and lead to his arrest. The initial meeting is full of foreshadowing that sets up Turing’s downfall. When the detectives investigating the case first see him, he is cleaning up poisonous chemicals. As well as foreshadowing his suicide, which is not depicted in the film itself, it sets up Turing’s awkward and unsociable nature, which create as many obstacles for him as his homosexuality does. The subsequent interrogation of Turing provides a framing device for his narration. The detective conducting it, Detective Nock, serves as a stand-in for the audience, as he listens to the narration and gains an increased understanding of Turing as a person. This technique is used to emphasise the secrecy involved in Turing’s life, as the story he tells was known only to those directly involved at the time. In recent years, the tale has become more familiar, but the depiction of a time when it wasn’t highlights the levels of mystery that defined both Turing and the project in which he was involved.

As well as the scenes set after the war, there are also a number of flashbacks to Turing’s past as a student at a boarding-school. These serve to develop his character in a number of ways. He is implied to have Asperger’s syndrome or a similar condition, which manifests itself in his obsession with separating peas and carrots in his school dinner. This leads to him being mercilessly bullied by a number of fellow students, and sets up the fact that he is a misfit who nobody is able to understand. The flashbacks also depicts his friendship with, and growing attraction towards, Christopher, an older student who introduces him to the world of cryptanalysis. This ensures that he is a more relatable protagonist, and provides motivation for his actions throughout the rest of the film.

If A Line of Dialogue is Significant, Echo It Later - There are a number of instances in the film where a minor detail or exchange is used again later to emphasise its effect. Some of these are comedic in nature. For example, when Turing is hard at work designing his decryption machine, he refuses a request to go out for lunch, claiming that he dislikes sandwiches. Later, one of his fellow codebreakers steals a sandwich from him, citing this earlier comment when doing so. Though the sequence is entirely humorous, it demonstrates that Turing’s colleagues are ambivalent in their opinions of him. They accept his skills, but still regard him as a loner and therefore treat him in a disrespectful manner. This indicates that Turing is yet to fully win the approval of his team, and provides a personal motive for Turing to succeed, in addition to the wider need to save Britain.

However, the majority of echoes in the story are far more direct. One significant line is “Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” This is used three times in the movie. It is first used Christopher, then Turing himself, and finally Joan in the last scene. This reflects and reinforces the message of the movie, which is that the Second World War was not won on the battlefield, but by an introverted mathematician who was “agnostic” towards violence. The contrast between Turing’s anonymous nature and his highly valuable contribution is inherently fascinating, and this is at the heart of both the quote and the movie itself.

Protagonists Don’t Have to be Likeable – The film places a significant amount of focus on Alan Turing’s flaws. He was anti-social, overconfident, obtuse and lacking inhibition. These traits are made particularly apparent in his interview with Commander Denniston, the head of Britain’s Government Code and Cipher School, the organisation for which Turing worked. For example, he tells Dennison “You would need me a lot more than I need you.” The purpose of an interview is usually to win over the person conducting it, but Turing’s blunt comments show that he regards himself as being superior to Dennison, which is hardly an endearing statement to make in such a serious context. However, because Turing’s judgements turned out to be correct, the audience are on his side, because they are aware that he will be an essential member of the team and hope Denniston will recognise this. Turing’s confidence in his abilities make him a compelling character, and this ensures that the audience more inclined to follow him and see what effects his positive and negative characteristics have on his success.

Use the Period – The majority of the film takes place during the Second World War, and this creates a significant degree of tension. The extent of the threat posed by the Germans and their apparent invulnerability makes Turing and the codebreakers seem like underdogs, and this is highlighted through the menacing depiction of German ships and planes advancing on their enemies. Furthermore, they represented a more immediate threat through “The Blitz”, their bombing campaign against British cities. The attacks are depicted in a quick montage which focuses on the effect that they had on the ordinary British public. This conveys how destructive the conflict was and raises the stakes – If Turing and his team don’t succeed, Britain might be destroyed. Due to the distance between the codebreakers, based in the country estate Bletchley Park, and the battlefields on which the war was fought, the decision to show the impact of the fighting on those directly involved creates an increased sense of urgency, and this is what forces the team at Bletchley Park to work together in order to find the secret behind the Enigma machine as quickly as they can.

The German’s apparent dominance soon becomes an advantage for Turing, but this generates an ethical dilemma. After he succeeds in cracking the Enigma machine, the British now have a complete understanding of German strategy throughout the world. However, Turing realises that if this advantage is revealed, it would undo all the progress he has made. Therefore, he chooses not to warn the British government about an impending attack on a ship.  Even though one of his fellow codebreakers has a brother on board the doomed vessel, Turing stands by his decision. Although this is a pretty unlikely coincidence, it does highlight the effects that concealing all knowledge of German activities had. Because the depiction of the code breaking process omits almost all developments after Turing’s breakthrough, the story needs to find another way of demonstrating the obstacles the codebreakers faced from this point, and highlighting the problems generated by the newfound insight into German activities provides a striking way of doing this.

Relationships are Key – The story of the Imitation Game is structured around Turing’s relationship with Clarke. The first act ends with Turing inviting her to join the codebreakers at Bletchley Park, his decision to propose to her occurs at the midpoint of the story, and the second act ends with the revelation of his sexuality.  This is important because whilst the cracking of Enigma was a significant event, the majority of the process saw Turing use skills that he already possessed, namely his tenacity and mathematical knowledge. In contrast, his relationship with Joan forces him to change as a character and develop a close relationship with another person – his inability to do so is at the centre of his personality. This growth not only makes him into a more developed character, it enables him to enjoy greater success. For all his prowess as a mathematician, it is being able to listen to others provides Turing with the information needed to solve the German code.  Biographical dramas can risk emphasising facts over character, and by focusing on Turing’s inability to interact with his team, the script creates a story that can be applied to any time or place, but is enhanced by the people and events involved.

Verdict

The Imitation Game succeeds as a biopic because it focuses on characters instead of events. The Second World War is kept firmly in the background, and the focus in in Alan Turing himself. He is a highly flawed character, but has enough relatable traits to make him a protagonist worth rooting for. The period is well depicted, and the flashbacks and flash forwards are incorporated into the story effectively. The dialogue is strong, and in spite of the lack of action, the various conflicts Turing and other characters face are engaging. The screenplay provides a solid foundation for a talented cast and crew, and this is the main reason why the film is a prominent contender in this years’ awards season.