I’m familiar with the concept of stealing a scene in theater or the movies: Where the audience’s attention is on one actor, who may or may not be the person the scene is supposed to be about. I’m familiar with the story of John Wayne saying to Maureen O’Hara, “It’s your scene, Maureen; go ahead and take it–if you can!” And I’ve watched Edna Mae Oliver and Brenda DeBanzie steal entire movies.
But I’m interested in the mechanics of it. How exactly does an actor steal a scene? Does her (or she) fiddle with a prop? Stand closer to the camera? Talk louder?
An old, time-honored way is, while your co-star is giving his big speech, you are sitting quietly in the background doing a ‘bit of business’. Lighting a cigarette. Scratching an itch. Rubbing your eyes. Taking off your tie. Even a small movement will distract the viewer’s eye.
One is that you use mannerism and tics to draw attention away from the actor who is supposed to be the center of the scene. This is looked down upon and infuriates other actors.
But it also refers to an actor being so good in the role as written that the performance stands out over and above anyone else. This is admired by the rest of the cast.
One is that you use mannerism and tics to draw attention away from the actor who is supposed to be the center of the scene. This is looked down upon and infuriates other actors.
But it also refers to an actor being so good in the role as written that the performance stands out over and above anyone else. This is admired by the rest of the cast.
I always liked that scene. I can’t even pronounce words the way the other guy does. And his lightning fast responses to “Get the fuck out…” are amazing. Since I only think of him as the “other guy” guess he didn’t exactly steal Murphy’s career, only the scene.
Let’s say that the focus of the scene is supposed to be a character being menacing. The narrative of the story is to build up this character as a credible threat. So there’s a scene where they deliver some threatening dialogue.
The appropriate response for the other actors in the scene would be to act like they are frightened or intimidated. Their role in this scene is to support the speaking character and add strength to his performance and the overall narrative.
But one of the other actors may decide not to do this. He may decide to undercut the other actor’s performance in order to make his own performance look better in contrast. So when the other actor delivers his lines, instead of looking frightened or intimidated like he’s supposed to, he acts like he is amused or bored. He’s sabotaging the other actor’s performance by showing that his character doesn’t find the other character to be convincingly threatening.
Steve McQueen was pissed at how many more lines Yul Brenner had than he did in The Magnificent Seven, and set about focusing attention on himself when he could.
There was one scene where he and Brenner rolled up in a wagon, Yul on the side of the buckboard with the camera, McQueen behind him. As Brenner is talking, McQueen breaks open his double barrel shotgun, pulls out a shell, shakes it next to his ear, chambers it, and does the same with the other. It’s a pointless activity, but gets the attention on him.
In the theatre, it’s called “stage presence” and nobody can tell you how to do it. In a scene with a bunch of people singing, one chorus singer will sometimes tand out. When I saw the revival of Carousel, I noticed there was an African-American female in it. I thought “There would never be such a person in that time period in New England.” Then they sang. And I would have put a two headed purple Martian in that group if it had that voice.
I made a note to remember the singer’s name, waited at the stage and got her autograph: Audra Ann McDonald.
A more recent example is Montana Jordan, who plays Georgie Cooper Young Sheldon. He started out as a bit player who stole every scene he was in. The kid has a great future if he can avoid the foibles of being a child actor.
That was when they were on the hearse to take “Injun Joe” to Boot Hill when no one else would.
Then there’s the scene where they are on their way to the village and cross a stream. Almost every one of the actors does some bit of business right in front of the camera as he passes, scooping a hatful of water, straightening a neckerchief, etc. It was one of the first scenes shot and in a commentary track, cinematographer Charles Lang said that during the scene that he and director John Sturges watched all that then looked at each other with mouths open. Finally he told Sturges, “It’s gonna be a lo-o-ong shoot.”
