Great Scene: “Up”
Carl gets the house to the top of Paradise Falls, but it’s a Pyrrhic victory.
Carl gets the house to the top of Paradise Falls, but it’s a Pyrrhic victory.
Today: The 2009 movie Up, screenplay by Bob Peterson and Pete Docter, story by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson and Thomas McCarthy. IMDB plot summary:
To avoid being taken away to a nursing home, an old widower tries to fly his home to Paradise Falls, South America, along with a Boy Scout who accidentally lifted off with him.
Carl has achieved his Want: To transport the house he and Ellie shared to Paradise Falls. Here is the script version of the scene:
INT. CARL'S HOUSE, HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS The door opens. Carl steps in. He's back in his house
for the first time in days. INT. CARL'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Carl and Ellie's things are strewn across the floor, a
mess from the rough journey. Carl rights Ellie's chair, sets the lamp upright, slides
the table into position.
He pushes their two chairs back into their place. Carl closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and sits.
Quiet.
Nothing, save the distant sound of the falls outside.
Carl surveys the room.
The ADVENTURE BOOK rests on a table near him. He opens it and puts Ellie's drawing back.
He looks through the pages, remembering the newspaper
clippings and old photographs, the dreams of young Ellie.
He turns to the page marked: STUFF I'M GOING TO DO. Carl sighs. He managed to bring the house to the falls,
but Ellie never made it.
He closes the book. But as he does, Carl sees something he
hadn't before. The blank pages at the end are no longer blank. A WEDDING PHOTO of the two of them. On a picnic. Celebrating birthdays. Another and another...
photos of their ordinary life together, the ups and downs. Carl's face warms. Ellie lived the life she wanted: she
saw adventure in everyday life. A photo of the two of them sitting side by side, together,
in their chairs. Beneath it, Ellie has written: "THANKS FOR THE ADVENTURE -- NOW GO HAVE A NEW ONE! LOVE, ELLIE."
Carl smiles. He looks over to Ellie's empty chair. On the arm is
Russell's sash. Carl picks it up. He looks to Ellie's chair.
He crosses his heart.
Here is the movie version of the scene:
Normally, if you mention the words “great scene” and the movie Up in one sentence, people will immediately chime in with this:
Yes, that is stellar storytelling, but the mini-story of Carl and Ellie’s married life is a setup for the scene I have spotlighted above. Carl has made it. He’s fulfilled his promise to Ellie. He has achieved his Conscious Goal.
However, it is a Pyrrhic victory, filled with emptiness, a reality visualized by the shots chosen in the scene. No sound. Lots of space. And the lonely presence of Ellie’s chair.
Then the picture book. It is a little story itself told in three parts:
Beginning: Carl flips through photos of he and Ellie as children.
Emotion: Sadness his wife is not here to experience her dream realized.
Turn: Carl discovers new photos.
Middle: Carl examines photos of his marriage through their adult years.
Emotion: Surprise tinged with sadness.
Turn: “Thanks for the adventure — now go have a new one! Love, Ellie”
End: Carl holds Russell’s merit badge, looks at Ellie’s chair… crosses his heart.
Emotion: Resolve to go have a new adventure.
Such a fantastic scene because in effect — from beyond the grave — Ellie has given Carl her blessing to be with a new member of the ‘family’: Russell. Functionally, he is a surrogate for Ellie and now when Carl crosses his heart, he is making a new pledge, a new Want: To retrieve Russell. Which sets up the rest of Act Three.
I adore this movie. How about you?
To read all of the entries in the Great Scene archive, go here.