Film: THE MASTER

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson

Setting the scene: Escaping from an upstairs party, FREDDIE QUELL (Joaquin Phoenix) is invited into the suite of LANCASTER DODD (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in order to sample some of Freddie’s homemade alcohol. Both men are just getting to know one another but Freddie is interested in joining “The Cause” – a cult, faith-based organisation of which Dodd is the charismatic leader (or Master). To test Freddie’s commitment, Dodd suggests that he goes through a series of questions known as ‘informal processing’.

Lancaster

How are you feeling, Freddie?

Freddie

Good.

Lancaster

Rested?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Excited?

Freddie

Yeah.

Lancaster

Have you made some friends?

Freddie

Everyone is very nice here.

Lancaster

Good. Good. How are you feeling?

Freddie

Yeah, good.

[Dodd puts a microphone on the table in front of Freddie]

Lancaster

Well, then I gather myself… and you be

my protege and guinea pig, eh?

Informal processing.

[Dodd sits down at the table across from Freddie and looks him straight in the eye]

Are you ready?

Freddie

Yes.

[He turns the tape recorder on]

Lancaster

Say your name.

Freddie

Freddie Quell.

Lancaster

Say it again.

Freddie

Freddie Quell

Lancaster

Say it again.

Freddie

Freddie Quell.

Lancaster

Say it again.

Freddie

Freddie Quell.

Lancaster

Might as well say it one more time just

to make sure you know who you are…

Freddie

Freddie Quell.

Lancaster

Are you thoughtless in your remarks?

Freddie

I usually put some thought into them.

Lancaster

Do you linger at bus stations for pleasure?

Freddie

(Laughs)

No.

Lancaster

Do you get muscle spasms for no reason?

Freddie

No

Lancaster

Do your past failures bother you?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do your past failures bother you?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do your past failures bother you?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do your past failures in life, bother you?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Is your life a struggle?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do you like to be told what to do?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Is your behaviour erratic?

Freddie

(Nodding)

No.

Lancaster

Do you find interest in other people?

Freddie

Not really.

Lancaster

Do you find it easy to be fair?

Freddie

(Thinking)

Yes.

Lancaster

Are you often consumed by envy?

Freddie

(Defensively)

No! About what?

Lancaster

Are you often consumed by envy?

Freddie

I don’t know… You mean like jealousy?

Lancaster

Like jealousy…

Freddie

Oh well, yeah, I don’t like someone else’s hands on my girls. I don’t like to think about it. It makes me sick.

Lancaster

Are you scientific in your

thought?

Freddie

(Nodding proudly)

Yes.

Lancaster

Are you concerned with the impression you make?

Freddie

I don’t understand.

Lancaster

Yes you do.

Freddie

Well, most people are ass’s, if that’s what you mean!

Lancaster

Are you usually truthful to others?

Freddie

No! I don’t know… Sometimes.

Lancaster

Are you unpredictable?

[Freddie seems to think about this question seriously then, after a long pause… he farts]

Lancaster

Silly! Silly animal.

Freddie

(Laughing hysterically)

I couldn’t help it.

Lancaster

Silly animal.

Freddie

I’m sorry.

Lancaster

(Smiling)

It’s good to laugh during

processing. Sometimes we forget. Even if it is the sound of an animal.

[They both laugh as Dodd leans forward to speak into the microphone]

Freddie Quell, Test Session. March 5th, 1950, 1800 hours. Aboard the sailing

vessel Aletheia. LD, MOC, MD logged and approved.

Should we sample another sip before we

join them upstairs?

Freddie

(Looking disappointed)

Wait! That’s it?

Lancaster

For now.

Freddie

No… No. No. No. You gotta ask me more. This is fun. C’mon you gotta ask me more.

[Dodd pauses briefly]

Lancaster

Could you answer the next series of questions without blinking your eyes?…

Freddie

Yes

Lancaster

…without fear and hesitation, answer as quickly as you can?

Freddie

Sure…

[Dodd pauses again]

Yeah!

[Dodd puts the tape recorder back on]

Lancaster

Starting now, you are not to blink.

If you blink we go back

to the start…

Infringement! You blinked.

Starting now you are not to blink.

If you blink

we go back to the start…

Do you often think about how inconsequential you are?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do you believe that god will save you from your own ridiculousness?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Have you ever had intercourse with someone inside your family?

Freddie

Yes.

[Dodd pauses slightly]

Lancaster

Have you ever had intercourse with someone inside your family?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Who?

Freddie

My Auntie.

Lancaster

Have you ever killed anyone?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Maybe?

Freddie

Not me.

[Freddie still not blinking]

Lancaster

Have you ever killed anyone?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

How many times did you have intercourse

with your aunt?

Freddie

Three times.

Lancaster

Where is your aunt now?

Freddie

I don’t know.

Lancaster

Would you like to have intercourse with her again?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Do you regret this?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Where is your mother?

Freddie

I don’t know.

[Freddie blinks]

Lancaster

Infringement!

Freddie

Fuuuck!

[Freddie slaps himself on the face three times. Opens his eyes and holds Dodd’s gaze again]

Lancaster

Back to the start.

Freddie

Okay.

Lancaster

Do you often think about how inconsequential you are?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Do you believe that God will save you?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Have you ever had sex with a member of

your family?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Are you lying?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Who?

Freddie

My Auntie Bertha.

Lancaster

Where is your aunt now?

Freddie

I don’t know, maybe home.

Lancaster

Are you lying?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Are you a liar?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Have you killed anyone?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Who?

Freddie

Japs in the war.

Lancaster

Do you regret this?

Freddie

No

Lancaster

What are you running from?

Freddie

Maybe hurt a man, I think. Maybe he’s dead. I don’t know.

Lancaster

Where?

Freddie

In Salinas. He stole a batch of my booze and he drank it.

Lancaster

Is this booze you make poison?

Freddie

Not if you drink it smart.

Lancaster

Are you trying to poison me?

Freddie

No.

Lancaster

Where is your father?

Freddie

Dead

Lancaster

How did he die?

Freddie

Drunk.

Lancaster

Where is your mother?

[Freddie takes a long pause]

(Gently whispering)

Where is your mother?

Freddie

Looney bin

Lancaster

Is she psychotic?

Freddie

Yes

Lancaster

What is the name of your aunt?

Freddie

Bertha.

Lancaster

How did you come to have sex with your

Auntie Bertha?

Freddie

I was drunk and she

looked good.

Lancaster

And you did it again and again?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Have you ever had bad thoughts about Master or Peggy?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

What did you think?

Freddie

I thought you were fools.

Lancaster

Am I a fool to you?

Freddie

No, sir.

Lancaster

If you were locked in a room for the rest of your life, who would be in there with you?

Freddie

Doris

Lancaster

Who’s Doris?

Freddie

Best girl I ever met. The girl I am gonna

marry one day.

Lancaster

Is she in Lynn?

Freddie

Yes

Lancaster

Lynn, Massachussets?

Freddie

Yes, sir.

Lancaster

Why aren’t you with her?

Freddie

I’m an idiot.

Lancaster

Why aren’t you with that lovely girl?

Freddie

I got no reason. I’m a fool.

Lancaster

Do you love Doris?

Freddie

Yes.

Lancaster

Is she the love of your life?

Freddie

Yes, sir.

Lancaster

Then why aren’t you with her?

Freddie

I don’t know.

Lancaster

Yes you do! Tell me why your not with her if you love her so much?

Freddie

I told her I’d come back and I never went back and just… now I gotta get back to her.

Lancaster

Why don’t you go back?

Freddie

I don’t know.

Lancaster

Why don’t you go…?

Freddie

(Frustrated and shouting)

I DON’T KNOW!!!

Lancaster

Close your eyes.

(To view or read my other Classic Scenes just click here)