Joseph Eulo ©

Professor Loren-Paul Caplin

NSRW 2800B: Script Analysis

28 October 2010

Outline of “The Lives of Others” (2007) 138 minDirected and Written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

 

Premise: A hardnosed Stasi operative, Captain Wiesler, is assigned to monitor a well know playwright, Dreyman, and his girlfriend: Christa. In the process he finds out that he is being used to dig up dirt, in order to remove Dreyman, as a rival for a party leader who lustfully desires to have Christa all to himself. As Wiesler listens in he is unable to detect anything to arouse serious suspicion and becomes gets more and more involved in their passionate lives more than he ever has been in his own. He chances upon Dreyman engaging in a genuine, punishable act of sedition and becomes conflicted in what he must do…

Theme(s): Passion, Humanity, Search for Belonging, Doing the right thing even if it means to break rules,

Main Character(s):

Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe)

Outer Goal: To get Dreyman

Inner Goal: To find passion in his dull existence

Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck)

Outer Goal: to be an artist, to be loved

Inner Goal: to preserve her status as the darling actress of the GDR

Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch)

Outer Goal: To not rock the boat.

Inner Goal: To take a stand against the political machine that took the life away from his friends.

Emotional Engine:

Eulo 1

ACT I: THE SET UP (25%)

Beat #/Time

Hero’s Journey

Character Goals / Theme/Act I Criteria

Scene/Beat Cause & Effect

0:56

Ordinary World Meet Major Character

Meet Gerd WIESLER (Ulrich Mühe), captain of East German secret police Stasi. Interrogating a prisoner, and demonstrating interrogation techniques to students.

When we meet Wiesler he is a battle hardened soldier of the GDR machine, A methodological by the book, programmed Stasi interrogator. Agent of the state through and through.

6:00

Meet Wiesler's superior, Anton GRUBITZ (Ulrich Tukur) Lieutenant Colonel of the Stasi and Head of the Culture Department. Invites Wiesler to the theater.

6:51

Call to Adventure Inciting IncidentWiesler and Grubitz arrive at Theater, we meet Minister Bruno Hempf (Thomas Thieme), and writer and popular GDR playwright Georg DREYMAN (Sebastian Koch), Wiesler is suspicious of him, and is out to get him. Play begins

8:02

Goal of Main Character

Meet Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck) a prominent stage actress, performing on stage, Dreyman’s girlfriend, Hempf’s Desire, and reasons why Dreyman is monitored by the Stasi (Wiesler).

Wiesler, expresses interest in monitoring Dreyman..

10:08

Tone/StyleGrubitz meets Hempf, both suspicious of Dreyman, Hempf orders a secret and limited surveillance of Dreyman’s home. (he has powerful ties) Hempf is being careful, Wiesler’s wish is being granted.

12:08

Turning PointDreyman and Christa-Maria dancing at party, toast given to them by Hempf, Grubitz and Wiesler in corner observing. Dreyman speaking with Hempf about the blacklisting of a director named Jerska…

18:42

Wiesler begins surveillance of Dreyman, monitors his movements to and from his home. Notices Christa-Maria exiting a limo, takes down the plate number.

Next day, enters Dreyman’s apartment to bug it.

23:14

Dreyman visits a Jerska a blacklisted Director who has been forbidden from doing his work. Unhappy, depressed, and feels like he is Nothing, Dreyman tries to give him hope…

26:02

Set upWiesler, arrives in the attic of Dreyman’s building were all of his monitoring equipment is set up, he plugs in and begins to listen…As Dreyman arrives home to Christa-Maria decorating the apartment for his birthday party..

30:04

Dramatic SituationAct Break

The first guest rings the doorbell, Dreyman exits to see let them in, and Christa-Maria downs a few pills from a vial in her coat pocket…

Cut to…apartment filled with guest, and party in progress, a couple arrives bearing gifts, Dreyman, notices Jerska there sitting by himself reading a Brecht book, and approaches and sits next to him. Jerska hands him his present wrapped in brown paper.

Eulo 2

ACT II: The development (50%)

Beat #/Time

Hero’s Journey

Character Goals / Theme/Act I Criteria

Scene/Beat Cause & Effect

32:15

33:0525%

Paul Hasuer arguing with Egon Schwalber a director, accusing him of being a Stasi informant. Dreyman breaks it up arguing with Paul about him, Paul upset prepares to leave. Paul tells Dreyman, to take a stand, and take action, if he does call him, and if not never speak to him again…

Wiesler listening begins to type his report…Cut to

Apartment, guest are gone, Dreyman and Christa-Maria opening presents, opens Jerska’s sheet music “ A Sonata for A Good Man” they both begin to undress then….

Cut to Wiesler typing in report on typewriter…Wiesler is relieved and then goes home…

35:45

Next day…Wiesler looking up Jerska’s record, meets up with Grubitz, they have lunch, talk about the car who brought Christa-Maria home, it belongs to Hempf , told that top officials can not be monitored, entry removed from report, and all reports in future will be oral.

They realize they are helping a committee member get rid of Dreyman so he can have Christa-Maria to himself.

Realize what could happen to their careers if they find something on Dreyman. Wiesler questions Grubitz reasoning and reminds him of the oath they took.. Cut to JOKES

40:50

Crossing the 1st Threshold

Test, Allies, Enemies

Christa-Maria picked up by Hempf, he forces himself on her, she doesn’t resist, Car pulls up to residence

Wiesler interferes, rings Dreyman’s bell to give him the “bitter truth” and Dreyman walks out and sees Christa-Maria exit Hempf’s car…

Dreyman is distraught about what he found out…Christa-Maria is visibly disturbed by the experience…

Wiesler caught dozing, leaves for home, desperate for intimacy calls up a GDP hooker, who provides with the physical intimacy and leaves him without the emotional intimacy he longs for…

In this scene, Wiesler begins to feel, to breakaway from the mechanicalness of the State. This is when he begins to give in to his humanity, and develops empathy.

49:34

Approach

Wiesler gets the Bretch Book from Dreyman’s Apartment. Dreyman finds out the Paul cannot get a travel permit to lecture in the west, Dreyman sides with GDR’s decision, and its noted in the report by the person monitoring his conversation.

Wiesler reading the Brecht book…

Wiesler begins to break the rules and read what was once forbidden for him to consume, this opens the lock to his heart and permits him to feel passion for his fellow man.

51:56

Supreme Ordeal

Dreyman’s gets the news that his friend Jerska hung himself, distraught, and saddened by the news he begins to play the Sonata Jerska gave him for his birthday….

Wiesler is listening, saddened and enchanted by the Sonata…tears streaming down his cheeks…

Dreyman then says “Can anyone who has heard this music, I mean truly heard it, really be a bad person?”

The Sonata effected Wiesler emotionally, we can see that he has come to the threshold of his humanity, and begins to care for his fellow man, this is evident in the next beat…

Wiesler on elevator going up to his apartment, a little boy, gets on, and ask him if he is really stasi. Little boy, unwittingly tells on his father, and Wiesler catches himself,

Eulo 3

54:51 thinking like a Stasi officer, and then backs off…

56:07

Turning PointGrubitz is giving Hempf and update on the monitoring, Hempf not to happy, Threatens him to find something, and not to disappoint him. After Hempf kicks Grubitz out of the car, he orders his driver to keep an eye on Christa-Maria

This raises the stakes to find something on Dreyman, Grubitz neck is on the line, and this is where he steps up the game on Wiseman and Dreyman.

57:05

Mid-Point Shift

Dreyman tells Christa-Maria he knows about her affair and her drug use, begs her not to go, she does, Wiesler caught up in their discussion is interrupted by his relief, he leaves and grabs a drink at the bar. Christa-Maria enters the bar to have a drink, Wiesler without revealing that he has been listening, cleverly interferes, she walks out of the bar.

Wiesler feels the emotion between the Dreyman and Christa-Maria, becomes appalled at the reasons why they must sacrifice their virtues, and feels ashamed and guilty for being apart of a system mistreats its people. This is a Mid pont shift because Wiesler takes action against the poltical machine that he has been a slave to. He meets face-to-face with Christa-Maria and echoes what Dreyman has told her, (symbolically being Dreyman).

66:01

Mid-Point 66:10

Next day, Wiesler finds out that Christa-Maria return to Dreyman after she left the bar, she vows never to leave him again, and he promises to do something

67:09

Jerska funeral, Dreyman and Hauser grieve the loss of a friend…

69:40

Dreyman at Hauser’s home, tries to tell him about his search for statistics, Hauser’s stops him, motions to be quiet, and begins to plays music. Cut to meeting at park, Dreyman gives a paper that he wants to publish in the West, Hauser tells Dreyman he will help only if keeps it from Christa-Maria, and publishes it under an anonymous name…he agrees

They come up with a plan to test if Dreyman’s apartment is being monitored..

72:06

Testing to see if the apartment is bugged, Dreyman, Wallner, and Hauser’s uncle talk about smuggling Paul across the boarder in his uncles gold Mercedes. Wiesler is furious of the insults that he is listening to….He knows the crossing point, the color of the car, and the name of the driver….

Wiesler dials the station at the crossing point…the phone rings…is answer…and Wiesler just stares…hangs up. Telling himself “Just this once, my friend”

.

74:15

Dreyman gets a call from Hauser’s Uncle, and they believe that Dreyman’s house is not being monitored.

Dreyman puts down the Stasi, calling them incompetent, and idiots…Wiesler listening, mutters “you just wait”

77:00

Wiesler realizes he as been tested/duped, when he hears Hauser’s voice. Dreyman, and an editor from Spiegel are talking about the paper Dreyman wishes to write.

The editor gives Dreyman a typewriter, warns Dreyman not to take things to lightly, and not to under estimate the Stasi, they toast to Dreyman and his future success.

Wiesler overhears all of this, is a little angry about being duped, has the evidence that his superiors need to put Dreyman away, and begins to furiously type his report.

80:58

Reward

Wiesler with report in hand walks toward Grubitz office with determination and purpose. Grubitz begins to tell them about what they do with subversive artist, and how there treatment, and subsequent release effects their future writing’s, Wiesler is disturbed by what he hears, and slowly begins to hide the report he has brought with him..

Eulo 4

When ask why he there…he lies and tells them they need to slim down the operation…Grubitz suspects Wiesler is hiding something but agrees with his request…

.

85:09

A montage begins with Dreyman typing on the red ribbon typewriter, talking with Hauser, and Wallner, stashing the typewrite under the floor boards, Wiesler listening and typing a false report covering up their activities. Christa-Maria is seen coming out of a dentist office where she buys her drugs, Hempf’s driver is watching her..

Back to Dreyman typing again, then putting away the typewriter and written pages as Christa-Maria walks in and sees his hiding place… the montage ends with Dreyman and Christa-Maria embracing, he is trying to tell her what he is doing, she is refusing him to tell her…. Cut to.. Hempf in a hotel room alone…then Dreyman handing the finished text to the editor, and cut to news report on TV about the article Dreyman written.

89:30

Grubitz is getting his backend chewed out by his superiors, his calls in the typographer, who identifies the typewriter model but not the writer of the text.

91:41

Turning Point Wiesler is typing up a false report when Grubitz calls, ask him about Spiegel article, informs him about the illegal crossing by the editor and ask him to keeps his ears open.

.

93:23

Grubitz and Hempf meet, Hempf provides him with the address where Christa-Maria gets her drugs, tells him he never wants to see her on a German Stage again.

94:29

Act Break

Christa-Maria is arrested while she is buying her illegal medication, she is taking to detention center, and is questioned by Grubitz himself where she is told that her acting days are over, desperate She pleads to be an informer to save her career, she ask to provide information on the author of the Spiegel Article….

.

Eulo 5

ACT III: THE RESOLUTION (25%)

Beat #/Time

Hero’s Journey

Character Goals / Theme/Act I Criteria

Scene/Beat Cause & Effect

97:28

99:15 (75%)Dreyman is reading, when Stasi knock on his door, they search his apartment, find nothing and then leave. Wiesler gets a call from Grubitz to meet him at 9 the following morning.

101:15

Hauser and Waller believe is was Christa-Maria who ratted him out, Dreyman says it couldn’t be her, because she knew the hiding place.

102:02

Wiesler, Arrives a detention center, directed to an interrogation room, where Grubitz is waiting, he accuses Dreymond of writing the Spiegel article, Wiesler questions his sources. Grubitz is surprised of Wiesler sloppiness and gives him a chance to prove himself loyal by interrogating Christa-Maria.

103:34

The Road Back

Christa-Maria is interrogated by Wiesler who ask her for the whereabouts of the evidence. She at first denies it, and admits to making it up. She is threatened to never act again. She capitulates and gives the exact location of the typewriter…

She is escorted out, and let go…officially an informant for the Stasi.

Grubitz calls for Wiesler and is told that her already left…

.

110:01

Resurrection

Dreyman arrives home comes through the front door of the building, Wiesler is standing hidden in the corner, Dreyman passes, and Wiesler exits with the red ribbon typewriter in hand.

Cut to….Wiesler in his car as Christa-Maria approaches Dreyman’s building, she enters avoids confrontation with Dreyman and head to take a shower. As she does the Stasi show up to search the house again.

Grubitz approaches the doorsill, as Christa-Maria comes out the bathroom wearing a robe. Dreyman eyes her, knows that she has betrayed him, a look of regret on her face….she runs out of the apartment as Grubitz opens up the door sill and finds nothing…

114:10

Turning Point

Christa-Maria is outside in her bathrobe barefoot, she’s see truck coming and jumps in front of it. Wiesler responds in horror, approaches her, tells her he moved it, just then Dreyman approaches her and embraces her, she is dead, he repeats the words “Forgive me”…Grubitz leaves calling Wiesler to follow

.

116:23

Wiesler is driving, Grubitz reading newspaper, he gets out, leaves paper on front seat, headline reads “Mikal Gorbachev Elected as Leader”, Grubitz tells Wiesler his career is over, and he will be steam opening letters in a basement until he retires.

117:40

Fast forward 4 ½ years….Wiesler is in a basement steam opening letters, when he hears that the wall has come down. After hearing the news for himself he gets up and walks out,….

Fast forward another 2 years…Dreyman’s play is being reacted on stage, Dreyman becomes emotional and has to leave. Meets up with a pompous Hempf who revels Dreyman’s lack of writing since the wall came down. Dreyman ask why wasn’t he ever monitored, and Hempf says he was all the time,

122:10

Dreyman finds out that he was bugged, visits the old detention center to look at the records kept on him, and finds out, that Christa-Maria betrayed him and that Wiesler covered for him and removed the red ribbon typewriter from his home. He seeks out and finds Wiesler delivering mail, decides not to approach him

Eulo 6

130:42

Return with ElixirFast forward 2 years…..Wiesler is delivering mail, when he passes a bookstore, a display of Dreyman’s latest book is in the window, “Sonata for a Good Man” is the title, Wiseman enters the store, picks up the book, and reads “Dedicated to HGW XX/7 in Gratitude”, he buys the book for himself.

Eulo 7

50%25% 25%60:35Mid-Point

121:10FIN

00:00ACT I

ACT II30:1825%

ACT III90:5325%

Hero’s JourneyOrdinary WorldCall to AdventureRefusal of The CallMeeting with MentorCrossing the 1st ThresholdTest, Allies, EnemiesApproachSupreme OrdealRewardThe Road BackResurrectionReturn with Elixir

Act I CriteriaMeet Major Character Tone/StyleInciting Incident Turning PointSet upGoal of Main CharacterDramatic SituationTP = Turning PointC#/E# = Cause and Effect= Act Breaks

NSRW 2800, Script Analysis, R, 7:50 – 9:50, Diagram of Script Structure of “MOVIENAME” MMM minutes

Joseph Eulo © N00192287

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