Daily Dialogue — November 3, 2017

Female Psychiatrist: Now then. Each of the slides needs a reply from one of the people in the picture. You tell me what you think the person would say. Alright?
Alex: Righty right.
Female Psychiatrist: [Changes to a slide with two people looking at a peacock] “Isn’t the plumage beautiful?”
Alex: I just say what the other person would say?
Female Psychiatrist: Yes.
Alex: Isn’t the plumage beautiful…
Female Psychiatrist: Oh yes well don’t think about it too long, just say the first thing that pops into your mind.
Alex: Cabbages, knickers, uh, it’s not got a… A BEAK!

Laughs.

Female Psychiatrist: Good.

Changes to a slide with a women and two boys.

Female Psychiatrist: “The boy you always quarreled with is seriously ill.”
Alex: My mind is a blank. Uh, and I’ll smash your face for you, yarblockos!

Laughs.

Female Psychiatrist: Good.

Changes slide to a man climbing into a naked woman’s bedroom.

Female Psychiatrist: “What do you want?”
Alex: Uh, no time for the ol’ in-out, love. I’ve just come to read the meter!
Female Psychiatrist: Good.

Changes slide to a man in a clock store.

Female Psychiatrist: “You sold me a crummy watch, I want my money back.”
Alex: You know what you can do with that watch? Stick it up your ass!

Laughs.

Female Psychiatrist: Good.

Changes slide to woman handing bird eggs to a man.

Female Psychiatrist: “You can do whatever you like with these.”
Alex: Eggiweggs. I would like… to smash them. And pick ’em all up, and THROW… [moves injured arm] OW! Fucking hell!
Female Psychiatrist: Well there, that’s all there is to it. Are you alright?
Alex: Hope so. Is that the end then?
Female Psychiatrist: Yes.
Alex: I was quite enjoying that.
Female Psychiatrist: Good, I’m glad!
Alex: How many did I get right?
Female Psychiatrist: It’s not that kind of a test, but you seem well on the way to making a complete recovery!

— A Clockwork Orange (1971), screenplay by Stanley Kubrick, novel by Anthony Burgess

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Hospital.

Trivia: Stanley Kubrick’s first solo screenplay.

Dialogue On Dialogue: A twisted bit of psycho-business en route to Alex’s “complete recovery”.