will you all comment of my story please? The question is from the 2003 HSC "You stole my Character!" Imagine you are a central character in one of the prescribed texts. You resent the way your character has been manipulated by the compose. Write a reflection on how you think things could have unfolded.
Philip Marlowe, private detective, reached for the remote control as the final credits rolled across the television screen. The sound was abruptly cut off.
“Well, that was … enlightening. I need a drink. Business first though.”
Marlow reached across his desk and picked up the phone.
“Hello, operator? Get me Howard Hawks.”
Howard Hawks entered the café and on seeing Marlowe beckon, took a seat opposite him. Marlowe leaned forward, and braced his arms on the table.
“Pleasure seeing you again Hawks. Would you like a drink and some idle chitchat, or should I get straight to the point?”
“No thanks. Why did you want to see me?”
“Well, Hawks,” Marlowe, replied, “as a matter of fact, you stole my character.”
“Pardon...”
“You stole my character, and I want to know why you manipulated him.”
“I’m not quite sure I understand Mr. Marlowe.”
“Right then. Let me explain. That new film of yours, “The Big Sleep”, it destroys me and what I stand for. You made a mockery of my business and any decent Film Noir movie I’ve even seen. You should be ashamed.”
Howard Hawks leaned back into the worn café chair.
“In which particular scene have I offended you? I did tell you I would make slight changes to the Sternwood case after all.”
“We’ll start with that leading lady of yours – Vivian. You got her character all wrong. Contrastingly, to you auteur theory, she’s not independent. She relies on her father’s cash to pay for her gambling debts. She’s a femme fatale, and manipulated her father so slyly, he couldn’t see it. She certainly didn’t care about him, she cared about not gettin caught, and having enough money to feed her growing debt.
And while we’re on the subject, you took that whole love interest scenario a little too far. I told you I liked the girl, not that I was in love with her. I admired her … physical properties and feminine charm, not her mind! All women try to manipulate men. Vivian was no different. They are a threat to our ability to keep our heads in their presence. I certainly didn’t want to have a relationship with her, at least, not the ‘get the girl forevermore’, side of things.”
“But Marlowe, the romance widens our audience. We sell more tickets and make more money if we can create an appeal for both genders.”
“I don’t like the romance Hawks. The movie’s supposed to be film noir, not film Gris. It’s supposed to show how the world is becoming more corrupted. It’s a violent and vulnerable place to be. Organised crime is on the rise, even I can’t catch all the crims involved in a single case, and waddya mean “to make more money”,” Marlowe mimicked, “it’s the corrupting influence of money which contributes to crime. You got that part right in the film at least – the blackmail of the Sternwoods.”
Howard Hawks drew a pen and pad of paper from his breast pocket.
“OK Marlowe, what would you have done differently?”
“Well, if you really want my opinion, you left the best part out in the whole case – how I used the clues to find out whole killed Regan. I understand that changes need to be made so it would be worthwhile for the big screen, but you took the change in readership a little too far. Half the appeal of a good case is being able to solve the crime from the clues the detective finds. You should take a leaf out of them Golden Age detective novels for that!”
“I did use some clues Marlowe, in the signs and images. Didn’t you see the “Sternwood” house sign, Geiger’s notebook and the hidden camera in the Oriental head?”
“I saw em, but they didn’t tell the audience anything they could use. The cluse appeared to be significant to me alone. You only created an illusion of audience involvement.”
“Alright,” Howard Hawks replied furiously scribbling, “too much romance, not enough clues. Anything else?”
“Now, you mention it, the denouement. The murder of Eddie Mars by his own men was a stroke of genius, but Carmen shouldda been handed over to the cops. She killed Regan after all. I know what you’re gunna say, “You didn’t.” I know I didn’t and I should’ve, but Vivian had more of an effect on me than I thought. A guy can’t e immune to every pretty doll face who…”
Marlowe, paused, and reconsidered, “ who he meets.”
Howard Hawks smiled and stretched.
“I’ll go and talk it over with the production team, Marlowe. If we ever re-release the film, I’m sure we will take your... suggestions into account.”
“You won’t,”
“No. We won’t. Nice talking to you though.”
“I bet it was.”
Marlowe left his seat and strode towards the door. He called over his shoulder, “Don’t forget to pay the bill hawks. You can afford it.”
Philip Marlowe, private detective, reached for the remote control as the final credits rolled across the television screen. The sound was abruptly cut off.
“Well, that was … enlightening. I need a drink. Business first though.”
Marlow reached across his desk and picked up the phone.
“Hello, operator? Get me Howard Hawks.”
Howard Hawks entered the café and on seeing Marlowe beckon, took a seat opposite him. Marlowe leaned forward, and braced his arms on the table.
“Pleasure seeing you again Hawks. Would you like a drink and some idle chitchat, or should I get straight to the point?”
“No thanks. Why did you want to see me?”
“Well, Hawks,” Marlowe, replied, “as a matter of fact, you stole my character.”
“Pardon...”
“You stole my character, and I want to know why you manipulated him.”
“I’m not quite sure I understand Mr. Marlowe.”
“Right then. Let me explain. That new film of yours, “The Big Sleep”, it destroys me and what I stand for. You made a mockery of my business and any decent Film Noir movie I’ve even seen. You should be ashamed.”
Howard Hawks leaned back into the worn café chair.
“In which particular scene have I offended you? I did tell you I would make slight changes to the Sternwood case after all.”
“We’ll start with that leading lady of yours – Vivian. You got her character all wrong. Contrastingly, to you auteur theory, she’s not independent. She relies on her father’s cash to pay for her gambling debts. She’s a femme fatale, and manipulated her father so slyly, he couldn’t see it. She certainly didn’t care about him, she cared about not gettin caught, and having enough money to feed her growing debt.
And while we’re on the subject, you took that whole love interest scenario a little too far. I told you I liked the girl, not that I was in love with her. I admired her … physical properties and feminine charm, not her mind! All women try to manipulate men. Vivian was no different. They are a threat to our ability to keep our heads in their presence. I certainly didn’t want to have a relationship with her, at least, not the ‘get the girl forevermore’, side of things.”
“But Marlowe, the romance widens our audience. We sell more tickets and make more money if we can create an appeal for both genders.”
“I don’t like the romance Hawks. The movie’s supposed to be film noir, not film Gris. It’s supposed to show how the world is becoming more corrupted. It’s a violent and vulnerable place to be. Organised crime is on the rise, even I can’t catch all the crims involved in a single case, and waddya mean “to make more money”,” Marlowe mimicked, “it’s the corrupting influence of money which contributes to crime. You got that part right in the film at least – the blackmail of the Sternwoods.”
Howard Hawks drew a pen and pad of paper from his breast pocket.
“OK Marlowe, what would you have done differently?”
“Well, if you really want my opinion, you left the best part out in the whole case – how I used the clues to find out whole killed Regan. I understand that changes need to be made so it would be worthwhile for the big screen, but you took the change in readership a little too far. Half the appeal of a good case is being able to solve the crime from the clues the detective finds. You should take a leaf out of them Golden Age detective novels for that!”
“I did use some clues Marlowe, in the signs and images. Didn’t you see the “Sternwood” house sign, Geiger’s notebook and the hidden camera in the Oriental head?”
“I saw em, but they didn’t tell the audience anything they could use. The cluse appeared to be significant to me alone. You only created an illusion of audience involvement.”
“Alright,” Howard Hawks replied furiously scribbling, “too much romance, not enough clues. Anything else?”
“Now, you mention it, the denouement. The murder of Eddie Mars by his own men was a stroke of genius, but Carmen shouldda been handed over to the cops. She killed Regan after all. I know what you’re gunna say, “You didn’t.” I know I didn’t and I should’ve, but Vivian had more of an effect on me than I thought. A guy can’t e immune to every pretty doll face who…”
Marlowe, paused, and reconsidered, “ who he meets.”
Howard Hawks smiled and stretched.
“I’ll go and talk it over with the production team, Marlowe. If we ever re-release the film, I’m sure we will take your... suggestions into account.”
“You won’t,”
“No. We won’t. Nice talking to you though.”
“I bet it was.”
Marlowe left his seat and strode towards the door. He called over his shoulder, “Don’t forget to pay the bill hawks. You can afford it.”
