Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

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  • Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

    Checking this one out closely, both the script and the movie. They don't actually decide to kill the husband until pg. 51 in the script, and about the 46 minute mark in the movie. I believe this is the moment that kicks us into Act II, but that's a heck of a long time to get there.

    Anyone else think that perhaps Act II starts earlier? I know this film has been discussed in screenwriting books, but I don't remember the analysis.

    At any rate, if I'm right about when Act II starts, then it shows you can have a very long first act in scripts.

  • #2
    Re: Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

    once they sleep together you know racine's fate is sealed. when racine gets pulled into the spider's lair is when the first act essentially ends.

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    • #3
      Re: Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

      I can see why you'd say that because it comes much sooner in the movie/script, but it isn't a moment of departure for him. He can always go back because to where he was at the start of the story. It's only when he decides to kill the husband has he taken a leap. After that, there's no turning back. That's why I think it's what springboards into the second act, not him hooking up with her in the 22 minute mark of the film.

      That brings me to an even tougher question. What sets off Act III? My feeling it's when Lowenstein meets him at the dock and tells him how his alibi's screwed and that someone is negotiating with the police to give the glasses back. Either that or when Teddy tells him about showing Matty how to make a bomb. I say the Lowenstein meeting because it's a pretty devastating piece of info., and from there on out, Racine is pretty active. He's does a little investigating, finally believes Matty is really out to get him.

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      • #4
        Re: Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

        *** SPOILERS ***



        act I ends after the thinking montage that's after the bathtub scene where matty tells ned that she can't stand the thought of seeing her husband again. he's already fallen for her and is thinking about how they can be together. she calls the husband weak and mean and he feels like he's rescuing her from the situation. the thinking montage is him spending two days away from her while the husband is there with her and it eats him up. he decides at that point they've got to be together, whatever the cost.

        act II begins when he says to mary ann "hey, lady, wanna f*ck?" it's around 29-30 min mark.

        The midpoint is when ned kills the husband and takes him to the breakers. around 57-58 mins. at that point ned's in it and there's no turning back.

        beginning of act III i'm a bit vague on, but i think it's after the showdown with matty about the glasses. his friends have been trying to convince him she's trouble and he's ignored them. he's close to realising who she really is, but she convinces him she loves him and they'll be together very soon.

        the next shot starts the 3rd act and is oscar going to the hotel and then the rental car agency to investigate ned's story.
        Aiming for mediocrity and falling well short =)

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        • #5
          Re: Body Heat. Anyone want to take a guess when Act II starts?

          I watched Rear Window the other night (for what must have been the 100,000th time) and realized something that I never noticed the other 99,999 times I watched it...the first 30 minutes have nothing to do with the plot. It's all spent on the characters. The whole idea of Thorwald killing his wife doesn't surface until after the first half hour.

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