Daily Dialogue — February 24, 2020

Tom holds Bernie at gunpoint, and walks him out deeper into the forest.

Bernie: Tommy, you can’t do this! You don’t bump guys! You’re not like those animals back there. It’s not right, Tom! They can’t make us do this. It’s the wrong situation, they can’t make us different people than we are. We’re not muscle, Tom. I never killed anybody. I used a little information for a chisel, that’s all. It’s my nature, Tom! I can’t help it, somebody gives me an angle, I play it. I don’t deserve to die for that. Do you think I do?

Tom doesn’t answer, he just keeps walking.

Bernie: I’m just a grifter, Tom. I’m… a nobody! But I’ll tell you what, I never crossed a friend, Tom. I never killed anybody, I never crossed a friend, nor you, I’ll bet. We’re not like those animals! This is not us! This is some hop dream! It’s a dream, Tommy! I’m praying to you! I can’t die! I can’t die… out here in the woods, like a dumb animal! In the woods, LIKE A DUMB ANIMAL! Like a dumb animal! I can’t… I can’t… I CAN’T DIE OUT HERE IN THE WOODS!… like a dumb animal. I can’t… die!

Bernie falls to his knees, praying.

Bernie: I’m praying to you! Look in your heart! I’m praying to you! Look in your heart! I’m praying to you! Look in your heart! I’m praying to you! Look in your heart…

Tom slowly aims his gun at Bernie.

Bernie: I’m praying to you! Look in your heart. I’m praying to you… look in your heart… look in your heart! You can’t kill me… look in your heart.

— Miller’s Crossing (1990), written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Coen Brothers. Today’s suggestion by P.J. Marino.

Trivia: Writers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen suffered writer’s block while writing Miller’s Crossing (1990). They took a three week break and wrote Barton Fink (1991) a film about a writer with writer’s block. The name of Tom Regan’s residence is “The Barton Arms”. In one of the newspapers an article reads ‘Seven Dead in Hotel Fire,’ another reference to Barton Fink.

Dialogue On Dialogue: This extended monologue accompanied by Tom’s eerie silence does an amazing job conveying Bernie’s desperation.