In my previous article, I began a
breakdown of the “Unstoppable Beast” plot type, Type Number 7 on
my 20 Common Patterns of Plot. To review, the Unstoppable Beast
contains a story in which:
An innocent hero is targeted by some malevolent force, a force
that will not stop until the hero is destroyed. Plot develops as each
escalated attempt by the protagonist to escape the force is denied.
Finally, in the end, the hero chooses to fight back.
As stated in the previous article,
the Unstoppable Beast plot type can be further divided into two
distinct subtypes: “The Destructive Beast” and “The Covetous
Beast.” The key difference is nature of the malevolent force's (aka
the Beast's) intentions towards the Protagonist. In a Destructive
Beast, the Beast's goal is simple. It must kill or otherwise destroy
the Protagonist and will stop at nothing until this is accomplished
(as seen in The Terminator, The Bourne Identity, and
Punch-Drunk Love, all
reviewed in the last article). A Covetous Beast is much different.
Instead of destroying the Protagonist, the Beast wishes to possess
and control
the Protagonist. It does this because, in some twisted from or
another, it LOVES the Protagonist and prizes their relationship.
However, the Protagonist grows to dislike this relationship and
resists. This drives the Beast to actions of increasing severity in
order to maintain its hold over the Protagonist, often up to and
including violence and murder, demonstrating how easily unhealthy
attachments can cross the thin line between love and hate.
As in my previous article, I will
break down the Covetous Beast subtype through three study films. The
first contains a simple narrative and features a premise which
clearly belongs within this subtype. For this we will use the 1987
thriller Fatal Attraction.
The second film contains a similar
premise, but a far more sophisticated narrative. Here we use Billy
Wilder's 1950 classic Sunset Boulevard.
Finally, we include an oddball – a
film which on its surface seems to have nothing in common with the
other two examples. For this I have chosen the 2001 Academy
Award-winner A Beautiful Mind.
Early notes on the discrepancies between these three films:
Plot patterns are not external
“formulas” applied consciously by their creators. They are
instead consistent patterns these stories naturally developed as
their writers searched for the most dramatic and effective ways to
executive particular types of stories. That being said, any analysis
of plot types must remain flexible to the unique dramatic
requirements of the particular story at hand. To compare Fatal
Attraction and Sunset
Boulevard, Sunset
can be seen as a more sophisticated narrative because it gives its
Beast character a secondary through-line that remains independent
though intertwined with the main narrative (Norma Desmond's ill-fated
attempt to return to motion pictures.) To serve this extra line of
action, Sunset
contains an additional sequence in its Act 2B exclusive to this line,
as well as a secondary climax sequence in which this line is resolved
after the Protagonist has met his death.
In the case of A Beautiful
Mind, the film proves difficult
to analyze unless one first realizes that the film actually contains
two separate stories
told episodically. It opens with a 26-minute prologue story on the
Protagonist John Nash's experiences at Harvard. This story is
self-contained with its own three-act structure. Once it has
finished, the story proper begins – that is, the main narrative on
his work, marriage, and the “mission” that consumes his sanity.
For the sake of clarity, we will
disregard these discrepancies for the remainder of this article and
focus only on the shared pattern amongst these films. There is also
the unique consideration of who or what qualifies as the Beast in A
Beautiful Mind, but that will be
explained below.
THE MAJOR PLAYERS
The Protagonist
The Protagonist of a Covetous Beast typically begins the story as a
rather isolated person. If not isolated physically, the Protagonist
is at least isolated from others spiritually. Sunset Boulevard's
Protagonist Joe Gillis begins his story already withdrawn and
cynical. He has given the writing game its best shot, but has only
grown bitter towards what he has discovered to be a business without
pity. For A Beautiful Mind's John Nash, the Protagonist's
intelligence and what seems to be a mild case of autism have made him
unable to relate to other human beings, turning him into a
self-isolated misanthrope. Though the creators of Fatal Attraction
went to great lengths to show Protagonist Dan Gallagher as a loving
husband and father in order to make him “likeable” and foster
audience sympathy, it is safe to claim that Dan at least feels
spiritually isolated from his home life. Otherwise, it is impossible
to believe he would agree to an extramarital affair with Alex (Glen
Close) so quickly. On top of their isolation, these Protagonists have
a desire to find something more in life. Joe Gillis is sick of being
a cheap hack with no respect. John Nash desires to set himself apart
by making a discovery of true genius. Dan Gallagher wants some of the
risk and excitement he no longer gets from his settled-down domestic
situation. These two qualities lead the Protagonists to
their first encounter with the Beast.
The Beast
The Covetous Beast character is
defined by two equal, yet somewhat contradictory traits. He or she
first has an inflated sense of self-worth. Yet at the same time he or
she is extremely insecure. Because of this insecurity, the Beast can
only feel worth through the love and attention it
receives from other persons. Alex is the most vibrant woman in the
world when Dan gives her attention, but falls apart the moment the
attention is taken away. Norma Desmond was once adored by millions,
but now surrounds herself with lies because she cannot deal with the
thought of no longer being a star.
Though the Beast needs others so
badly, it does not care at all about other people's wants, needs, or
feelings. This character is a sociopathic parasite. It feeds off
others so it may not die of its own insecurity. This is what causes
the Beast to eventually turn violently on the Protagonist it
supposedly loves. It would rather kill what it loves than endure the
thought that it is not loved in return.
Now
we come to the question of the identity of the Beast in A
Beautiful Mind,
and quite possibly the reason this film tends to baffle critical
attempts at analysis. Remember that the battle cry of screencraft
must be Semper
Gumby -
“Always Flexible.” John Nash's Beast must be taken in a
figurative sense. His Beast is his MADNESS itself. John's madness can
be considered a character, appearing throughout the narrative in the
forms of John's imaginary friends. Like Alex and
Norma Desmond, John's madness is a parasite that wishes to consume
and control John's life. With the same sense of insecurity, it
demands John's attention, because without his attention the Beast will cease to
exist. Just like Alex in Fatal
Attraction,
whenever John tries to turn away from his madness, it comes back
screaming “I will not be ignored!”
However,
it should not be assumed that the affection between Protagonist and
Beast flows only one way. Though the Protagonist may at times
distrust, hate, or even fear the Beast, the Protagonist still feels
some sort of attachment, love, or pity for it. The Protagonist
recognizes what a pathetic and insecure creature the Beast really is,
causing the Protagonist time and again to return to the Beast and
give it the attention it desperately craves--an act which only drags
the Protagonist deeper and deeper into the unhealthy relationship
that will threaten the Protagonist's doom.
The Wedge Character
This character is not absolutely
essential to the Covetous Beast subtype, and there is a good deal of
leeway regarding how much influence the character has over story
events. The Wedge Character is a relationship the Protagonist has
outside of his relationship with the Beast. It presents the
Protagonist with an alternative – a positive, healthy relationship
based on mutual support and respect rather than exploitation. In all
three of our study films, this character is a Love Interest or Spouse
(the young Betty Schaefer in Sunset,
John's love interest and then wife Alicia in Mind
(Jennifer Connelly), and Dan's wife Beth in Attraction
(Anne Archer)). This however is not a requirement. Any type of
character can fill this role. This character is referred to as a
“Wedge” because he or she becomes the force that slowly pulls the
Protagonist away from the Beast and eventually separates them
altogether. By the story's end, the Protagonist is forced to make a
permanent choice between the healthy, supportive relationship with
the Wedge, or an unhealthy destructive life with the Beast.
PLOT BREAKDOWN
The plot structure of the Covetous
Beast can be most easily understood in terms of a CONTRACT created
between Protagonist and Beast. Story conflict arises because the
Protagonist assumes the terms of the contract to be trivial and
short-lived, while the Beast expects them to be far-reaching and
long-term. The entire narrative can then be summarized as one
character's attempts to escape the contract countered by the other's
ever-escalating actions to keep the partner bound to it.
ACT 1
The inciting incident occurs the
moment Protagonist and Beast first form this contact. Dan and Alex
agree to have an extramarital affair. Norma Desmond hires Joe to help
her return to Hollywood glory. John's madness (in the form of the
character Parcher [Ed Harris]) lures John Nash into what turns out to
be a paranoid-schizophrenic “mission.” Contrary to what we may
later assume, the Protagonist agrees to this arrangement willingly.
Though he may not like or fully trust all the terms of the contract,
he agrees because he thinks it will give him a piece of what he
really wants in life. Dan gets the passion and adventure he feels is
missing in his marriage. Joe Gillis will get enough money to pay off
his debts and give him a break from the hack-work he hates. John Nash
gets the opportunity to do something he feels is worthwhile and
significant. So, hands are shaken and the contract is formed.
In the next sequence, the
Protagonist carries out the terms of this contract as he believes them to be.
To emphasize, the Protagonist believes this arrangement to be a
short-term. However, the First Act ends with an event that causes the
Protagonist to realize there is more to this agreement than
originally thought. There are major strings attached. Strings that
impact his personal freedom. Alex goes crazy when Dan tries to leave,
going so far as to cut her wrists to force him to stay. Joe is forced
to spend the night at Norma's mansion, and wakes to find that all of
his belongings have been moved in for an indefinite stay. John Nash's
madness leads him to understand that his mission has put his life
under threat. Because of this turn of events, the Protagonist now
regrets the contract and seeks a way out.
ACT 2A
In reaction to the previous turning
point, the Protagonist spends the first sequence of Act 2A trying
complete the remaining duties of his contract as quickly as possible
so he may have it over and done with. But once again, the Protagonist
has misunderstood the Beast's true intentions. The Beast begins to
encroach upon the protagonist's personal life to a greater and
greater degree. Norma's interactions with Joe become increasingly
uncomfortable and inappropriate. Alex will not leave Dan alone at
work or at home. John Nash's madness causes him to grow increasingly
paranoid and afraid. Whether the Protagonist realizes it or not, the
Beast is tightening a snare around him, causing him to lose not only
his personal freedoms, but in some cases his very identity or sense
of self.
But the Protagonist has only begun
to understand his reasons for regret. At this point, the Protagonist
still believes he has some control over the contract and will be able
to find a way out. Only then, the act turns with a dramatic event
that decisively changes the Protagonist from a willing partner in the
contract to the contract's PRISONER. Alex tells Dan she is pregnant
and expects him to leave his wife and help her raise the baby. Joe
Gillis, now without a car or a home of his own, is told by Norma she
plans to “take care of him” as if he were now her live-in boyfriend.
John Nash's madness becomes so pervasive that he must be
institutionalized.
In the sequence that follows, the
Protagonist continues to resist, largely because he refuses to
believe or accept the powerless situation in which the Beast has put
him. Joe puts up a pointless fight as Norma turns him into her
private boytoy. Dan changes his telephone number and tries to find a
way out of Alex's pregnancy. John Nash insists that he is still in
control of his own mind and does not need professional help. But all
of this resistance is futile. The Beast has now gained total control
over the Protagonist's body, mind, and soul.
Finally, things reach a breaking
point. The Beast takes an action that pushes the Protagonist too far
and forces him to admit his desperate situation. This causes the
Protagonist to declare their contract null and void, turn his back on
the Beast, and make a clean escape. This event becomes the story's
Mid-Second Act Turning Point. Joe Gillis flees Norma's warped New
Year's party, supposedly for good. Dan threatens to kill Alex if she
should continue her actions and moves his family to the country. John
Nash agrees to medication and shock therapy to make the madness go
away.
ACT 2B
Act 2B begins as the Protagonist
escapes the Beast and attempts to resume something resembling a
normal life. The Wedge character plays an important part in this
since he/she has a stabilizing and nurturing influence on the
Protagonist. By introducing or re-introducing a healthier and more
stable path, the Protagonist is given an alternative to the Beast –
though it be a more mundane one that may force him to compromise the
desire he felt at the beginning of the story.
However, this does not last long.
The Beast has too strong a hold on the Protagonist and soon forces
the two to reunite. Alex finds Dan's new home and begins a campaign
of harassment. Norma attempts to kill herself, causing Joe to rush
back to her side. John Nash struggles to live without the Beast and
stops taking his medication. This event creates a turning point in
the middle of Act 2B.
The return to the Beast is an act
of giving in, and thus in the following sequence the Protagonist
openly admits his helplessness and offers full surrender. Joe fully
accepts a place as Norma's lapdog. Dan confesses everything to his
wife Beth. John Nash obeys his madness and throws himself back into
his paranoid-schizophrenic mission.
However, one character still has
some fight in them: the Wedge Character. The Wedge loves and cares
about the Protagonist and is willing to take actions that will pull
the Protagonist away from the Beast and eventually bring him to
salvation. These actions may be intentional (in the cases of Beth and
Alicia) or incidental (in the case of Betty Scheafer). This
inevitability leads to direct conflict between the Beast and the
Wedge Character as both fight for the Protagonist's soul. Norma
becomes jealous of the time Joe spends with Betty and wishes to ruin
the relationship. Alex and Beth face off on the phone and Beth
threatens to kill her. Alicia discovers that John's madness has
returned and tries to stop it.
The act ends with the Beast
committing a unconscionable act that threatens to destroy the
positive, stable relationship the Protagonist has created with the
Wedge. Norma “outs” Joe's shameful life to poor innocent Betty.
Alex steals away Dan's daughter for an afternoon as an act of
intimidation – an event which leads to Beth's hospitalization.
John's madness nearly causes him to drown his only child. The act
then ends with a DILEMMA for the Protagonist. He cannot go on trying
to follow both paths. Which will he finally choose?
ACT 3
Despite what one may assume, this
dilemma is no easy decision. How can the Protagonist completely
abandon, or in some cases destroy, the someone or something he has
previously felt such care, pity, or even love for? Even when an
enraged Dan breaks into Alex's apartment and the top of the third act
and strangles her in retribution, he cannot bring himself to finish
the act. He still pities her.
It is precisely this pity that
triggers the decision that turns the course of Act 3. The Protagonist
finally recognizes the Beast for what it really is: a sad, wretched,
insecure creature with no power of its own except for what it
steals from the Protagonist. Without the Protagonist's attention, the
Beast will wither and die. The Protagonist wishes to be free of the
Beast, but to do this the Protagonist does not need to kill it. He
needs to only turn his back for good. Joe walks out on Norma. Dan
does the same with Alex. Rather than hide from his madness with
medication, John Nash chooses overcome his madness by ignoring its
manifestations like the imaginary nothings they are.
But the Beast will not go away
quietly. It comes back, fighting for its survival in the most extreme
way. Norma chases after Joe with a pistol. Alex attacks Dan and Beth
with a butcher knife. John's delusions verbally and mentally assault
him with a fury that threatens to undo his attempts to regain his
life.
In each of our study films, this
conflict reaches its climax in a different way. In Sunset,
Norma kills Joe rather than let him escape. In Attraction,
Dan and Beth kill Alex. In A
Beautiful Mind, John
Nash finds a middle road that manages to balance his madness with his
genius in a way that leads him to a happier, healthier life. In any
case; win, lose, or draw; the Protagonist is finally free of the
Beast and the contract has been ended. Regardless of how the story
ends, the resolution suggests that a little piece of the Beast will
always be with the Protagonist, haunting him,whether it be in Dan's
memory, Joe's posthumous regrets, or in the lingering ghosts John
Nash once thought were real.
THEMATIC CONSIDERATIONS
The Covetous Beast offers a more
complicated narrative than the Destructive Beast, and not
surprisingly, offers more complicated themes. Identifying these
themes requires more investigation than I am able to go into here.
However, a simple observation seems to suggest that while the
Destructive Beast gives messages on each individual's right to exist
and live as they see fit, the Covetous Beast offers stories on each
human being's right to self-determination. We should be allowed to
find our own paths to happiness, not those forced upon us by the
tyranny of others. Yet still, this cannot be the case in full.
Stories about personal freedom abound in Hollywood cinema, but the
Covetous Beast seems to encourage an exploration of the degree to
which happiness can be found by compromising our self-determination
for the sake of others. Levels of self-determination range from the
isolation seen in the Protagonist at the start of the story, the
complete slavery to the Beast in the middle, to the healthy
give-and-take between Protagonist and the Wedge Character at the end.
As I encounter more stories of this subtype, this matter will
undoubtedly become clearer.
