by Jeff Kitchen
Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One — Darcy finds out near the end of the movie that Nick has stolen her ideas and robbed her of her job.
Crime Pursued by Vengeance — Nick feels a great injustice has been done when Darcy is hired in his place: She’s a woman and she’s from outside the firm. Not only is he seeking vengeance, but he’s going at it with a vengeance. Meanwhile, when Darcy finds out that he’s undone her (a crime), she fires him (vengeance). Also, Erin perceives that the whole world is against her—more specifically, the way she’s treated at the ad agency is a “crime”—and suicide is her intended vengeance.
Madness — Losing the corner office to Darcy is madness for Nick. But this bizarre ability to read women’s minds also drives him crazy. It’s madness for Darcy as Nick keeps trumping her best efforts to transform the agency. It’s madness for Nick as he falls in love with Darcy while still busy stealing her ideas. Plus, the suicidal Erin is bordering on insanity, and Nick’s assistant, Annie, is losing her mind because she isn’t getting work commensurate with her abilities.
The Enigma — Nick has to figure out how to get rid of Darcy, an especially demanding challenge since she’s so brilliant at her job. He also has to deal with the difficulties of being able to read women’s minds and being in love with his sworn enemy. Meanwhile, Darcy has to solve the mystery of Nick outmaneuvering her at each step.
Disaster — It’s a disaster when Nick loses his job to Darcy, as well as when he’s overwhelmed by hearing the thoughts of all the women around him. It’s a disaster for Darcy as Nick keeps mysteriously undermining her. These build to a major disaster when Nick’s sabotage gets Darcy fired, and when Darcy learns that he has stolen all her ideas.
All Sacrificed for a Passion — Nick gives up his whole aberrant, chauvinistic persona in the end for his love of Darcy.
The Use of the 36 Dramatic Situations in Minority Report
Minority Report presents us with Madness, Disaster, Pursuit, The Enigma, Conflict with a God, Loss of Loved Ones, Crime Pursued by Vengeance, Rivalry of Superior and Inferior, Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune, Revolt, An Enemy Loved, Daring Enterprise, Supplication, Abduction, Deliverance, and Rivalry of Kinsmen. Let’s take a look at how each of these situations is active.
Madness — The Precogs predict that Anderton will kill a man he’s never met, his own team is hunting him, he’s attacked by venomous plants, he must hide his identity by swapping out his eyes, he kidnaps and goes on the run with a powerful psychic, and he’s doubting the very bedrock elements of his entire life—his whole world is upside down. And all this is on top of his grief over his lost son and estranged wife, as well as the madness of his neuroin addiction. The situation is also crazy for the cops in Precrime who are forced to hunt their former boss. Agatha’s and the Precog twins’ precognitive visions can haunt them. Lamar has used warped logic in committing murder in order to prevent murder, and Lois Hineman, the weird lady in the greenhouse, acts pretty nutty, too. This future world itself is crazed, with all the insanely invasive advertising, the retinal IDs, mechanical police spiders entering your home, and the whole existence of Precrime.
Disaster — Anderton’s life falls apart when Precrime fingers for him for the future murder of Leo Crow; his life already was a mess, but Danny coming after him spells disaster. The whole Precrime program hangs on the edge of disaster with the Justice Department trying to take it over. Agatha’s life has become a disaster—it took the murder of her mother to get the Precrime program started—and it’s a disaster for Lamar when Anderton busts him for that murder.
Pursuit — Anderton is pursued by his own team as he in turn chases down the clues that could free him. Anderton says that “everybody runs,” and Agatha keeps yelling, “Run!” Anderton is in pursuit of a solution to the improbable murder prediction, as well as being in pursuit of his old life, his sanity, and his lost family.
The Enigma — Anderton has to figure out whether he or Precrime is flawed. Is he going to kill someone or isn’t he? He’s attempting to extract the missing minority report from Agatha, if it even exists, while Agatha is trying to uncover the truth about her mother’s murder. The Precrime cops are trying to find Anderton as he continues to evade them.
Conflict with a God — Anderton is up against the whole infallible machine of Precrime, as well as Lamar, the man behind the curtain. Anderton’s whole universe has disappeared—he’s lost his son, his wife, his job, and his sense of which way’s up—and he struggles against the world that created him, which grabs at him at every turn. Agatha is in the same boat, trying to resist the weight of the world bearing down on her, crushing the life out of her with never-ending visions of murder.
Loss of Loved Ones — Anderton has lost his connection with Precrime and the people working there, and they’ve lost him. He’s lost his son, his wife, his sense of security, and his confidence—everything that held him together. Agatha has lost her mother and is haunted by it. Lamar is faced with losing Precrime. Leo Crow can’t support his family if Anderton doesn’t kill him.
Crime Pursued by Vengeance — Danny is going after Anderton with a vengeance for the crime it is foretold he’ll commit. Anderton believes he’s been framed by Danny for this crime, so he’s pursuing exoneration. He’s lost his son to a vicious crime, and now seems at war with the whole world. Precrime by definition lashes out at crime, making criminals pay even before crimes are committed. Agatha is searching for an answer to the murder of her mother. Anderton seeks justice and revenge in his attempt to destroy Lamar.
Rivalry of Superior and Inferior — Anderton is hunted by Precrime cops, who outnumber and overpower him in every way, but he continues to come up with resources that give him the upper hand. The Justice Department is attempting to subsume Precrime. Lamar is superior to Anderton in many ways, but Anderton takes him down in the end.
Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune — Anderton’s life has been unbearable since his son disappeared and his wife left him. He also falls prey to the prediction that he will commit murder. Agatha is in the same boat: Her mother was murdered and she lives the life of a freak. Anderton is then dragged through hell when he thinks he’s found his son’s murderer. Lamar suffers when his plan unexpectedly crumbles.
Revolt — Anderton is forced to revolt against Precrime, which is attempting to destroy him. Agatha is fighting to escape her terrible fate as a Precog. The program of Precrime itself is an innovative rebellion against murder. Lamar warns Anderton that the attorney general is out to take over Precrime, so they must rise up and protect themselves and their turf.
An Enemy Loved — Anderton knows and cares for his colleagues in Precrime, who are now hunting him. Lamar, his father figure, has now become his enemy. Lamar loves Anderton but becomes his enemy when he begins inquiring about Anne Lively’s murder.
Daring Enterprise — Anderton sticks around to find out if he will really murder Leo Crow, when he should disappear to save himself. He risks having his eyes swapped out, and he breaks into Precrime to steal Agatha. In fact, all his moves are bold once the brown ball drops on him and he goes on the run. Agatha is caught up in it, too, once she’s on the outside and helping Anderton. Lamar’s murder of Anne Lively in order to keep Agatha for Precrime was an audacious and risky move.
Supplication — Agatha begs Anderton for help in exposing who murdered her mother. Anderton asks for help from Lois Hineman, the greenhouse lady, as well as from Agatha and from Lamar. When Anderton gets away with Agatha, they’re both like newborns, flushed out into a new world, lost, in trouble, desperately seeking help from each other.
Abduction — Anderton’s son was kidnapped and murdered, supposedly by Leo Crow. Anderton steals Agatha from Precrime. On a more figurative level, Anderton’s life has been stolen from him by the loss of his family and by the prediction of his future crime.
Deliverance — Anderton and Agatha rescue each other from their respective fates: Anderton is innocent of murder and is freed from his trap of gu
ilt, fear, addiction, and emotional sterility, and Agatha is released from slavery as a police psychic. Also, the Precogs, Anderton, and Lamar intended to deliver the D.C. area from murder, but in the end America is saved from a national Precrime system. All the haloed prisoners are released, too.
Rivalry of Kinsmen — Anderton is now at war with his former friends and colleagues, the Precrime cops. When Anderton discovers that his father figure, Lamar, is the architect of his arrest, the two go to war.
The Use of the 36 Dramatic Situations in The Godfather
In The Godfather, it’s clear how much Daring Enterprise comes into play. Other central situations are Disaster, Madness, Self-sacrifice for Kindred, Conflict with a God, Rivalry of Superior and Inferior, Revolt, Ambition, Disaster, Pursuit, The Enigma, All Sacrificed for a Passion, Deliverance Loss of Loved Ones, Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One, Crime Pursued by Vengeance, and Rivalry of Kinsmen.
Daring Enterprise — Michael is incredibly bold. This becomes clear when he protects his father from the assassination attempt at the hospital, facing down the brutal police captain, McCluskey. It also pops up when he kills Sollozzo and McCluskey at the restaurant and when he goes after the beautiful Apollonia, in Corleone, Italy. When Apollonia’s father feels insulted, Michael explains that he means no offense: He’s interested in her, he’s in hiding, and he’d like to meet her. He knows exactly what he wants and he goes right after it. At each juncture, Michael displays a bold strategy and daring tactics: going after Moe Green, assassinating the heads of the five families, executing the traitors within his organization, and lying to Kay about all of it. This nerve is a huge part of why Michael is such a fascinating and well-loved character.
Disaster — Michael is on both the receiving and the delivering ends of disaster. It pours down on him: his father is shot, he’s drawn into the family business, Sonny is executed, Apollonia is killed in an explosion, and the family struggles with internal divisions. But Michael also doles it out when he gets rid of Sollozzo and McCluskey, the heads of the five families, and Tessio and Carlo.
Madness — Michael is pulled into the madness of the family crime business, drawn into the dark side he had remained apart from previously. His father told him it would ruin his life, and it does; Michael has lost his humanity by the end of the film. There is also a certain madness in the way Barzini secretly betrays the family. The scene is insane when Don Corleone gets shot on the street and Fredo freaks out. Sonny exhibits a form of madness with his hot temper.
Self-sacrifice for Kindred — Once his father gets shot, Michael gives up his happy civilian life in order to try and save the family, which can’t survive without him stepping into the driver’s seat.
Conflict with a God — Michael is up against Barzini, a powerful warrior who operates behind the scenes. But Barzini must confront both the Godfather and Michael, who also possesses the great powers and abilities of his father—as Barzini discovers by underestimating him.
Rivalry of Superior and Inferior — Barzini feels as though he’s well on his way to dominating and eliminating the Corleones, but it’s Michael who emerges as the superior warrior. Fredo hates being the older brother who gets left out of the loop. Don Corleone is a master strategist who routinely outthinks his opponents, and Michael is cut from the same cloth.
Revolt — Barzini rebels against the Corleones, and Michael leads a counterrevolution against Barzini to protect his family. There are internal divisions within the Corleone family as well.
Ambition — Michael’s original ambition is to live as a legitimate civilian, but that changes with the attempt on his father’s life. As things heat up, Michael uses his own ambition to halt the ambitions of his enemies. Almost everyone in the movie is extremely ambitious, hardwired to move a notch up the totem pole whenever possible.
Disaster — The attempts on Don Corleone’s life are disastrous to the family, as is Sonny’s assassination. So is the attempt on Michael, which kills his Sicilian bride. The family is under attack and showing internal cracks, which portends catastrophe. Michael sows calamity among his enemies, and ends up killing them all. Kay is losing Michael, while Michael loses his soul—a tragedy for them individually and as a couple.
Pursuit — Barzini is out to take down the Corleones, and Michael is looking to destroy him in return. The Corleones are hounded from the outside—the legitimate world, the five families, pressures of the changing business—as well as from the inside.
The Enigma — Michael is challenged by how to protect the family. Once he and his father learn that Barzini is behind it all, they must figure out how to take him down. Barzini searches for the key to destroying the enigmatic Corleones and taking over.
All Sacrificed for a Passion — In the end, Michael gives up everything he used to be, emerging as a soulless crime lord because of his passion to save his family.
Deliverance — Michael rescues the family from danger by killing everyone who could possibly hurt them.
Loss of Loved Ones — Michael loses Sonny, his Sicilian bride, his father, and his happy civilian life with Kay.
Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One — The discovery that Tessio is the traitor is a disgrace within the family because he was so close and trusted, and because respect and honor are so valued in the Mafia world.
Crime Pursued by Vengeance — Michael and his family seek a very literal vengeance for the attempts on Don Corleone’s life. To Barzini, the Corleones have too much power—a crime that he needs to correct.
Rivalry of Kinsmen — Tessio and Clemenza want to break off from the family. The rivalries between the different families within the Mafia, who should be watching one another’s backs, is a rivalry of “kinsmen.”
The Use of the 36 Dramatic Situations in Tootsie
Obstacles to Love is the situation at the heart of Tootsie. This is true of most romantic comedies, since it is what usually provides the tension in these films. The following situations are also central to the plot: Deliverance, Crime Pursued by Vengeance, Pursuit, Disaster, Revolt, Daring Enterprise, Madness, All Sacrificed for a Passion, Erroneous Judgment, Conflict with a God, The Enigma, Rivalry of Superior and Inferior, Ambition, and Recovery of a Lost One.
Obstacles to Love — We care so much about Michael’s love for Julie, but many obstacles stand in the way of their love. Will he escape from his disguise and win her over? Will she discover his secret? Will Michael change as a person—enough to have a shot at winning her? Will Dorothy escape the clutches of John Van Horn or Julie’s father? There are also obstacles to Sandy’s love for Michael.
Deliverance — By becoming Dorothy, Michael ultimately transforms himself into a new man. He wins Julie and renews his acting career. The lives of all the women on the show are changed—“rescued” by Dorothy.
Crime Pursued by Vengeance — In the beginning, Michael sees how he’s treated as an actor as a crime (even though it’s his own fault) and seeks vengeance. Dorothy sees how women are being treated and becomes a crusader against this abuse.
Pursuit — Michael is in pursuit of Julie, Sandy is in pursuit of Michael, John Van Horn is in pursuit of Dorothy, and Michael (as Dorothy) is in pursuit of ending the power of the director, Ron Carlisle (Dabney Coleman), over the women on the show, especially Julie.
Disaster — Michael’s life is a disaster at the start of the movie. The whole twisted romance with Sandy messes his life up even more. Once he becomes Dorothy, disaster unexpectedly reappears when John Van Horn tongue-kisses Dorothy. Michael’s inability to get Julie because he’s dressed as a woman is personal disaster, and Dorothy’s contract being picked up for another year is a disaster both personal and professional. Then it all really caves in: Dorothy tries to kiss Julie, Les proposes to Dorothy, John Van Horn tries to rape Dorothy, and Sandy explodes when Michael admits he’s in love with another woman. Finally, it’s a huge blow for both Julie and Les when they discover that Dorothy is really a man. The use of disaster in a comedy accentuates the humor; we
laugh most when everything is in shambles.
Revolt — Michael revolts against his stalled career by becoming Dorothy. Then Dorothy leads a revolt of the women against the male-dominated structure of the show.
Daring Enterprise — Michael becoming Dorothy is quite a bold move, and Dorothy herself is an extremely audacious character who inspires courage in the other women on the TV show.
Madness — Michael starts out with real problems that jeopardize his career. But madness is most evident when he becomes Dorothy and everything goes hay-wire—the whole scheme blows up in his face. Michael’s roommate, Jeff, must deal with the comic insanity of Michael being Dorothy, and Sandy’s madness is from being left in the dust by Michael for Julie. Things get crazy for Julie when she thinks Dorothy is a lesbian, and again when Dorothy turns out to be a man.
All Sacrificed for a Passion — Michael gives up his manhood to get a much-needed acting role. Michael’s passion for Julie ends up burning away all his obnoxious behavior and he emerges as a new man.
Erroneous Judgment — Michael finds that he has seriously misjudged the ramifications of playing a woman on a soap opera—particularly with all the making out that happens on the show.
Conflict with a God — Dorothy clashes with Ron, the director, who finds that he has bitten off more than he can chew. In the beginning of the film, Michael is at odds with the all-powerful entertainment industry, which no longer wants him.
The Enigma — Michael has to solve the conundrum of being on the show and being in love with Julie, all while Sandy chases after him. Sandy is attempting to solve the mystery of what’s up with Michael. People on the show are constantly trying to figure out Dorothy.
Rivalry of Superior and Inferior — Ron feels superior to Dorothy at first but quickly finds himself overpowered and unable to recover. The struggle for gender equality also plays out in this 1982 film.