Which one? Can it even be argued either way?
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SpiltPersonality — 12 years ago(October 08, 2013 07:57 PM)
It fits Checkov's Gun. How does it not fit Checkov's Gun?
It was a narrative that was put in early scenes and required in later scenes. Checkov stated that you should remove everything that isn't relevant to the story, and so the wallet was left IN the story and is therefore relevant.
SpiltPersonality -
kinsayder — 12 years ago(July 14, 2013 12:56 AM)
I'd call it Screenwriter's Monkey Wrench. Drop it clunkily into the plot in an early scene, wait till everyone has forgotten about it, then produce it with a flourish later when your script gets all clogged up in the bathroom.
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transmentalist — 12 years ago(September 20, 2013 03:28 PM)
I say it's the latter.
Letty gave Alonzo the idea to use Smiley to kill Jake (it satisfies his warped sense of justice; Jake's rescue gets rewarded by his murder by Letty's own cousins).
The connection is direct, not coincidental. -
spookyrat1 — 12 years ago(October 08, 2013 12:31 AM)
I don't think it's either.
It's a giant coincidence that he finds himself in the rape victim's cousin's bath tub, when the pink purse is pulled out, but it does work for me.
And I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat wondering just what would happen. -
Arkoth — 12 years ago(November 01, 2013 12:44 PM)
Chekhov's Gun, definitely.
R.I.P.
T-DOG
http://bit.ly/1b4OwyY -
philoj — 11 years ago(September 11, 2014 06:25 AM)
I don't think it's either.
It's actually the opposite of a Deus ex. Deus ex Machina is used to describe poor writing where the author writes themself into a corner, so they say "And then God killed all the bad guys and the good guy won. The end."
It's not quite Chekhov's Gun, because that's usually about something unusual that the writer calls attention to. It would be more Chekhov's gun if Alonzo said "Is that her wallet?" "Yeah, I found it on the street over there." "You should return it." "Yeah, I will" - too much attention.
What it is, and it's understandable if you don't recognize it because it's so rare, is "good writing." This movie is great because of all the little bits and pieces that wind back and forth. For example, when they're heading to see Smiley, you hear Alonzo on the phone saying "Make sure the bathtub is clean" - he's setting up the hit.
Great script. -
brightmidnight71 — 11 years ago(September 11, 2014 07:41 AM)
^^^ i totally agree. There wasn't even a shot of Jake putting the wallet in his pocket or anything like thatcompletely wrote it off, but because of the color, you immediately recognize it when they find it on him at Smiley's place.
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Kareiyasu — 11 years ago(November 15, 2014 04:07 AM)
Then you clearly don't know the definition of either. It's both. It not only is used as foreshadowing (Chekhov's Gun) when he notices the color and the fact that he picked it up to try and locate the girl, it's the Deus Ex Machina because it was the only thing that saved his life. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating - It's by the purest definition D.E.M.
"If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off."
You clearly don't understand the definitions, next time, do some research.
One gay beer for my friend here, because he's gay, and one normal beer for me, since I'm normal. -
Buljko — 10 years ago(August 12, 2015 10:00 AM)
What I can't understand is
why didn't he immediately say how he ended up with her wallet? Surely, he should've known instantly it was his ticket out once he found out she was his cousin. Not like he had something to lose.
Yo Rumsfield!
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RumourdProd — 9 years ago(June 07, 2016 12:20 AM)
Deus Ex Machina ces out of nowhere to solve the main conflict. No setup. No buildup. Its justthere.
So if you think the wallet is that, then so is the piece of paper announcing exactly when the lightning bolt will strike the clock tower. Would you call "Back to the Future" bad writing? -
Woodyanders — 9 months ago(June 09, 2025 12:39 AM)
I thought it was a pretty heavy-handed coincidence that the gal in the alley who was almost raped by the crackheads just happens to be Smiley's cousin.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything.