by Jeff Kitchen
4. Vengeance Taken for Kindred upon Kindred
This situation suggests the possibility of infighting between St. Nick and the senator, as well as within their cabal of international bankers, arms merchants, drug smugglers, and CIA operatives. It also turns my attention to Cutter’s family—the infighting and its ramifications for the plot. None of the subheadings conjure up anything for me, however.
5. Pursuit
Cutter and Apollo are in pursuit of St. Nick (for revenge and wealth), who is himself in pursuit of legitimacy and massive profits. Senator Hutchings is also after big money and power. Cutter is pursued by his demons, by his son, and perhaps by his wife. Cutter could also be pursued by a cop who spots him, remembers him from way back, and wants to punish him for an old crime or insult. Apollo may be pursued by the law, perhaps by someone that he ripped off, perhaps by other criminals who discover what he’s up to. Apollo is certainly in pursuit of profits through his hidden agenda with counterfeit money. St. Nick is pursued by Shallott, who wants him dead, but there could also be an untimely and unexpected investigation into his criminal affairs. Two of the subheadings that click are Fugitives from justice pursued for brigandage (acts of piracy) or political offenses, etc.; and A hero struggling against a power.
6. Disaster
The reappearance of Apollo in Cutter’s life at the beginning of the script is a disaster. Everything goes wrong at the worst possible moment for Cutter, including a betrayal (intentional or not) by Apollo. There’s disaster for St. Nick as he sees his dreams of becoming an “aristocrat” fall apart, and for Senator Hutchings as he watches his potential billions disappearing. Margarita sees her family at risk of, or actually, falling apart. Mischa is being drawn into a disastrous life of crime, and gets caught up in St. Nick’s terrible grasp at the crucial moment. The most literal disaster of the story is St. Nick’s destruction of the horse racing town, including Shallott’s brother. Also, Mischa not being able to get his dad to talk about his wild old days is a disaster from Mischa’s point of view. Disaster can be physical or psychological, imminent or past. What are the worst disasters that could happen to Cutter at the most crucial moment? What are the craziest? The most unexpected? The funniest? The freakiest? Some relevant subheadings include Defeat suffered; A monarch overthrown; A fatherland destroyed (a good metaphorical image); The fall of humanity (St. Nick and Hutchings making money off the suffering of those starving in Africa); An outrage suffered; Abandonment by a lover or a husband; and Children lost by their parents.
7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune
This situation obviously includes the appearance of Apollo in Cutter and Margarita’s life. From St. Nick’s point of view, cruelty is anything that impedes his ascension into high society and legalized theft, while Senator Hutchings does not wish to lose his big money and power. Cutter falls prey to Apollo’s betrayal. Mischa and Margarita feel left out, forsaken by Cutter. An appearance by the law would be a misfortune for any of the players. Cutter turning out to be a traitor at the crucial moment is falling prey to cruelty from St. Nick and Hutchings’s point of view. All the subheadings are useful: The innocent made the victim of ambitious intrigue; The innocent despoiled by those who should protect; The powerful dispossessed and wretched; A favorite or an intimate finds himself forgotten; and The unfortunate robbed of their only hope.
8. Revolt
Shallott and Apollo set a revolt in motion against St. Nick. Cutter rises up against his old life of crime, while his wife is in revolt against his gig with Apollo. Mischa is a troubled teen who rebels against his father. St. Nick and Hutchings are in revolt against their stations in life. Cutter leads a life-or-death mutiny against St. Nick and Hutchings when he’s discovered and things fall apart. Some stimulating subheadings include A conspiracy chiefly of one individual; A conspiracy of several; and Revolt of one individual, who influences and involves others.
9. Daring Enterprise
Shallott’s revenge idea is adventurous, Apollo is a daring and enterprising criminal, and Cutter is famous for his sense of adventure, even though he’s inert at the beginning of the story. However, leaving a life of crime can be classified as daring, too. Hutchings and St. Nick are both involved in bold money-making rackets. Cutter’s shift to the wild side late in the script is definitely a brash move. Appropriate subheadings include Preparations for war; War; Recapture of a desired object; Adventurous expeditions; and Adventure undertaken for the purpose of obtaining a beloved woman (Cutter trying to get back to his wife, or maybe being tempted by St. Nick’s gorgeous secretary).
10. Abduction
Cutter is abducted by Apollo when he is enticed, pressured, blackmailed, and dragged into this plot against St. Nick. Abduction also suggests the possibility of a literal kidnapping: Mischa could be taken hostage by St. Nick and Hutchings. Could Cutter or Apollo take someone hostage? What about the law swooping in at a critical moment? Useful subheadings include Rescue of a captive friend; Rescue of a child; and Rescue of a soul in captivity to error.
11. The Enigma
Cutter is trying to figure out how to escape this whole affair, and at the same time trying to come to terms with his secret enthusiasm about being dragged into it. Margarita attempts to decipher what’s going on with Cutter. Apollo, Cutter, and Shallott are trying to resolve the best way to take down St. Nick. Senator Hutchings and St. Nick are walking a tightrope to pull off their master plan without any glitches. Mischa is looking to crack the riddle of how to get some adventure out of his father. How can Cutter use the element of mystery to trick St. Nick? Is there anything mysterious about Apollo and Cutter’s past that is concealed until late in the script? Useful subheadings: Search for a person who must be found on pain of death; A riddle to be solved on pain of death; The same case, in which the riddle is proposed by the coveted woman; and Tests for the purpose of ascertaining the mental condition.
12. Obtaining
This situation is pretty straightforward, since everybody’s trying to obtain various things in this story. Some of them are tangible, such as wealth, and some are intangible—such as respect, integrity, culture, freedom, revenge, love, or power. All the subheadings are valuable: Efforts to obtain an object by ruse or force; Endeavor by means of persuasive eloquence alone; and Eloquence with an arbitrator.
13. Enmity of Kinsmen
There is animosity—huge or small, longstanding or momentary—between Cutter and Apollo; between St. Nick, Hutchings, and any of their underlings; between Mischa and Cutter; and between Cutter and Margarita. Constructive subheadings include Reciprocal hatred; Hatred between relatives for reasons of self-interest; Hatred of the son for the father; and Mutual hatred.
14. Rivalry of Kinsmen
Rivalry exists in the same patterns as above: Cutter–Apollo; St. Nick– Hutchings–underlings; Mischa–Cutter; and maybe Cutter–Margarita. Suggestive subheadings: Rivalry of father and son, for an unmarried woman (suggesting that Mischa is also drawn to St. Nick’s secretary) and Rivalry of friends.
15. Murderous Adultery
This solution suggests an intriguing possibility: If Margarita finds out about an affair between Cutter and the secretary, perhaps she’ll want to or even attempt to kill her. It also suggests that some kind of adultery creates bad blood in St. Nick and Hutchings’s camp. A provocative subheading (probably entirely metaphorical) is The slaying of a trusting lover.
16. Madness
Cutter has recovered from the “madness” of his former life of lying and stealing, and now Apollo is dragging him back into it. Apollo introduces madness into Cutter’s house by infecting Mischa with discontent and bringing discord into Cutter’s marriage. The ferocity of Apollo, Cutter, and Shallott’s vengeance against St. Nick is a form of madness. St. Nick is essentially a sociopath, and Senator Hutchings may well be, too. The planned revenge sting will get nutty when things fall apart at the crucial moment. Cutter will go crazy in an awe-inspiring way when he’s backed into a corner—the crazier the better
for the script’s purposes. In fact, if he doesn’t go off-the-charts wild, then the audience will feel cheated, because that’s one of the inherent promises of this movie: seeing Cutter snap back into his old self as a phenomenal liar. There’s the possibility that Apollo might have a history of insane behavior. In the end, if Mischa is scared away from a life of crime, then he will escape from that sort of madness. If Cutter ends up divulging what St. Nick and Senator Hutchings are up to, it will overturn the apple cart for many in Washington, D.C. Useful subheadings include Kinsmen slain in madness; Lover slain in madness; Slaying or injuring of person not hated; Disgrace brought upon oneself through madness; and Loss of loved ones brought about by madness.
17. Fatal Imprudence
Cutter knows that throwing his chips back in with Apollo is going to ruin his life. Apollo’s effort to enact his hidden agenda with the counterfeit money may sink the whole plan. St. Nick and Hutchings seem to misjudge or underestimate Cutter, Shallott, and Apollo. Does Shallott die in the process of avenging his brother? Do Cutter, Apollo, Mischa, or Margarita recklessly endanger themselves? Does St. Nick die, or suffer a fate worse than death? Does Cutter make a dangerous mistake in the process of the sting? What’s the worst mistake that he could possibly make? That St. Nick could make? All the subheadings are valuable: Imprudence the cause of one’s own misfortune; Imprudence the cause of one’s own dishonor; Curiosity the cause of one’s own misfor tune; Loss of the possession of a loved one through curiosity; and Curiosity the cause of death or misfortune to others.
18. Involuntary Crimes of Love
Cutter does not intend to hurt or betray his wife or son, nor does Apollo mean to betray Cutter or put him in mortal danger. Cutter may unintentionally mistreat Apollo; St. Nick and Hutchings may do the same to each other. All the subheadings are explicitly sexual in nature (see chapter 3), so they’re not much use to us here.
19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized
Cutter feels as though Apollo, not recognizing who he has become, is “slaying” him with the pressure to join the scheme against St. Nick. Mischa feels left out of his father’s life and his confidence, and he also feels excluded when Cutter goes off with Apollo. Margarita feels left out, too—betrayed and abandoned. Are there any potential, partial, or perceived betrayals between St. Nick and Hutchings? Interesting subheadings include Being upon the point of killing a son unknowingly; The same case, strengthened by Machiavellian instigations; Being upon the point of slaying a brother unknowingly; A father slain unknowingly, through Machiavellian advice; Involuntary killing of a loved woman and Being upon the point of killing a lover unrecognized (both metaphorical in this case); and Failure to rescue an unrecognized son (perhaps the most potent option of all).
20. Self-sacrifice for an Ideal
Cutter has sacrificed to live an honest life, but he also owes his life to Apollo and now feels the need to repay the debt. How much is he willing to risk to ruin St. Nick? Apollo and Shallott both feel very strongly about getting revenge on St. Nick. Does Shallott sacrifice his life to help Cutter pull off the scam? Subheadings that evoke a response include Sacrifice of life for the sake of one’s word; Life sacrificed for the success of one’s people; Life sacrificed in filial piety; Life sacrificed for the sake of one’s faith (not literally one’s religion, but one’s bond or word); Both love and life sacrificed for one’s faith, or a cause; and Sacrifice of wellbeing to duty.
21. Self-sacrifice for Kindred
Cutter and Apollo are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to avenge Frenchy. Cutter will do anything for his wife or for his son, who may risk everything to rescue his father in the end. Cutter and Apollo also seem willing to do anything for each other. Is there any of this between St. Nick and Senator Hutchings, or with their underlings for them? Does Shallott risk everything to avenge his brother or to save Cutter so he can complete the revenge? Some useful subheadings are Life sacrificed for that of a relative or a loved one; Life sacrificed for the happiness of a relative or a loved one; Ambition sacrificed for the happiness of a parent; Ambition sacrificed for the life of a parent; Love sacrificed for the sake of a parent’s life; and Love sacrificed for the happiness of one’s child.
22. All Sacrificed for a Passion
This situation is right at the nucleus of the script, driving the Dilemma. Cutter has given up his criminal life out of love for his wife and passion for his freedom. Now Apollo is asking Cutter to sacrifice his new life for the chance to destroy St. Nick, whom they both hate passionately. Shallott is willing to risk everything to avenge his brother. St. Nick’s passion to be one of the fat cats and to escape from the world of cops and robbers, drives him to sacrifice his life in the underworld—he has to give up his anonymity and his hidden wealth. But this will enable him to join the big boys’ club, where he will have godlike power and be above the law in many ways. Senator Hutchings is willing to risk everything for the chance to become a billionaire and to acquire more power. Mischa will risk everything to break into his father’s exciting world; Margarita may do the same in an attempt to rescue Cutter from this same world. When Cutter goes wild at the crisis point of this story, he risks everything in his fervor to take down St. Nick and his operation. In the end, if Cutter tells the whole truth in an attempt to destroy St. Nick, then he will again renounce his underworld life because of his passion for freedom, family, truth, stability, love, and happiness. All Sacrificed for a Passion is what the whole movie is about—intense passion, intense sacrifice, intense change. From both sides of the equation, it’s about driving, raging, unstoppable willpower. Interesting subheadings include Religious vows of chastity broken for a passion (a nice analogy for Cutter breaking his vow never to lie); Respect for a priest destroyed (Margarita losing respect for Cutter); A future ruined by passion; Ruin of mind, health, and life; Ruin of fortunes, lives, and honors; and Temptations destroying the sense of duty, of pity, etc.
23. Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones
Cutter is faced with the necessity of sacrificing his loved ones as soon as Apollo shows up: Apollo needs him to leave his family behind for the job. If Apollo’s hidden agenda with the counterfeit money is in play, then he may be faced with having to sacrifice Cutter. Does Mischa contemplate putting his father at risk to fulfill his dreams of becoming a high-rolling criminal? This is a dark possibility, but it could add more of that enticing danger to the script. St. Nick may come to truly like Cutter, but he’ll face the necessity of getting rid of him if he suspects the truth about Cutter. St. Nick and Senator Hutchings might consider throwing each other to the wolves when things go bad. The following subheadings are suggestive: Necessity for sacrificing a daughter (or son) in the public interest; Duty of sacrificing one’s child, unknown to others, under the pressure of necessity; Duty of sacrificing, under the same circumstances, one’s father or husband; and Duty of contending with a friend.
24. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior
Rivalry of superior and inferior is always a dynamic situation. Who has the upper hand—where the power lies—is a crucial question. In this script, all the relationships revolve around the struggle over who’s the superior operator. This is active between Cutter and Apollo since Cutter never trusts Apollo, even though they’re blood brothers. It’s active between St. Nick and Hutchings for similar reasons, and in the way Cutter maneuvers to find a way to take St. Nick down. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior will especially ring true once St. Nick discovers who Cutter really is and what he’s up to. It’s evident between Mischa and Cutter in their struggle for dominance, as well as between Cutter and Margarita as she tries to force him to live up to his vow. Intriguing subheadings include Rivalry of a mortal and an immortal (various cases can be made for who is the “immortal”); Rivalry of a magician and an ordinary man (again, who’s the “magician” in any given scene?); Rivalry of conqueror and conquered; Rivalry of a king and a noble; Rivalry of a powerful person and an upstart; Rivalry of rich and poor; Rivalry of an honored man and a suspected
one; and Rivalry of two who are almost equal.
25. Adultery
Will Cutter have an affair with St. Nick’s secretary? This raises lots of story options, including what Margarita is going to do if she finds out. Are there other potential adulterous situations that could complicate the plot? Are there possibilities of metaphoric adultery, like a betrayal of sorts? The subheadings A wife betrayed for debauchery; A good husband betrayed for an inferior rival; and Vengeance of a deceived wife all offer great story possibilities.
26. Crimes of Love
Cutter sees himself in a position of betraying his wife, and she certainly feels that she is being betrayed. Apollo betrays his old friend Cutter, and Mischa feels abandoned by his father—both transgressions of love. All the subheadings are entirely sexual in nature (see chapter 3), and so are not useful here.
27. Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One
Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One would obviously occur when Cutter discovers he’s being betrayed by Apollo, or when Margarita and Mischa learn of Cutter’s plans with Apollo, or when St. Nick finds out who Cutter really is and what he’s up to. This raises the question of a possible betrayal between partners-in-crime St. Nick and Hutchings. Dynamic subheadings include Discovery of a father’s shame; Discovery that one’s lover is a scoundrel; and Duty of punishing a son condemned under law which the father has made.