Daily Dialogue — November 21, 2019

Carmine Falcone: [feigning insanity] Yeah, Doctor Crane, I can’t take it anymore. It’s all too much. “The walls are closing in.” Blah, blah, blah. Couple more days of this food, it’ll be true.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: What do you want?
Carmine Falcone: I want to know how you’re gonna convince me to keep my mouth shut.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: About what? You don’t know anything.
Carmine Falcone: I know you don’t want the police to take a closer look at the drugs they seized. And I know about your experiments with the inmates of your nuthouse. See, I don’t go into business with a guy without finding out his dirty secrets. And those goons you used — I own the muscle in this town. Now, I’ve been bringing your stuff in for months, so whatever he’s planning, it’s big, and I want in.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: Well, I already know what he’ll say: that we should kill you.
Carmine Falcone: No, even he can’t get me in here. Not in my town.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: [sighs] Would you like to see my mask? I use it in my experiments. [takes out the Scarecrow mask] Now, probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies, they can’t stand it.

Crane puts on the mask.

Carmine Falcone: So when did the nut take over the nuthouse?

Crane sprays fear gas into Falcone’s face. Falcone begins to scream in terror as the gas takes effect.

Through Falcone’s eyes: tiny LIZARD TONGUES FLICK out of the
holes in Crane’s mask.

The Scarecrow: They scream, and they cry. Much as you’re doing now.

— Batman Begins (2005), screenplay by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, story by David S. Goyer, characters created by Bob Krane

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Doctor. Today’s suggestion by Paul DeCesare.

Trivia: During the writing process, Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer sometimes took walks near the site of the original Batcave from Batman (1966).

Dialogue On Dialogue: A moment with Dr. Crane a k a Scarecrow.