The King Did Not Hang

Jesse discusses some moves with Butler and Laura during rehearsals for "Satan's Alley."

“Staying Alive,” (1983) written and directed by Sylvester Stallone (music by Frank Stallone)

Starring John Travolta - reprising his role as Tony Manero from “Saturday Night Fever” (1977)

Starring Finola Hughes - who 20 years later would become a QVC home shopping network star - as dance diva and Manero’s paramour, and fellow cast member, Laura

Starring Cynthia Rhodes - who would one day star in a Richard Marx video, then marry Richard Marx - as Manero’s long-suffering girlfriend, and fellow cast member, Jackie.

Starring Steve Inwood as director, Jesse.

***

REALLY BAD MONOLOGUE # 1

JESSE, DIRECTOR OF THE BROADWAY SHOW IN WHICH TONY MANERO HAS BEEN CAST, IS FRUSTRATED WITH THE QUALITY OF EARLY REHEARSALS.

Scene…

CHOREOGRAPHER
One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight
One-two-three-four…

JESSE
(Shakes head)

That’s it. Relax.

(The cast stops dancing.)

What we’re dealing with here is a conceptual interpretation problem. Which is easy to overcome if you just forget the fact that you’re dancers working for a couple of bucks. You are translators of body language. That’s all dancing is. It’s body language. So don’t waste my time going through the motions of emotions. You gotta feel what the hell you’re doing here. For those who forgot, the show’s called “Satan’s Alley.” It’s a journey through hell that ends with an ascent to heaven. And you might think it’s simple. But if it’s gonna work, you gotta bust your asses.

***

REALLY BAD MONOLOGUE # 2

MANERO THINKS HE HAS A SHOT TO TAKE OVER THE MALE LEAD FROM BUTLER IN “SATAN’S ALLEY,” AND PRACTICES ALL NIGHT WITH JACKIE.

THE FOLLOWINGDAY AT REHEARSAL, MANERO SEES HIS CHANCE AND ASKS JESSE TO GIVE HIM A SHOT OPPOSITE FEMALE LEAD LAURA.

MANERO WOWS ‘EM AT FIRST AS THE REST OF THE CAST LOOKS ON. BUT THEN HE FUMBLES HIS MOVES, ANGERING THE (VERY BRITISH) DIVA, LAURA.

Scene…

LAURA
(to Jesse)
Is this a dance or a bloody circus?

MANERO
(to Jesse)
Forget it, man.

MANERO STORMS OFF. JESSE FOLLOWS HIM INTO A HALLWAY.

JESSE
Wait. (PAUSE) I said wait.

MANERO
I don’t want to talk about it, man.

JESSE
Don’t walk outta here and expect to come back.

MANERO
Oh, is that right?

JESSE
That’s right. You walk out the door now, you’re over.

MANERO
(incredulous)
Ahright. What would you do?

JESSE
Don’t worry about what I would do. I’m not the one that’s on the line. You are.

MANERO
I dont’ want anyone ever laughing at me.

JESSE
Who are you, somebody special? What’d you ever do that mean’s anything? What’d you ever do?

CLOSEUP ON JESSE

JESSE
I give you a chance for a lead in a Broadway show, and you walk out the door?

MANERO
Oh, who cares?

JESSE
Who cares? Nobody has to care. In this business, I don’t have to care about you. And you don’t have to care about me. And if you can’t follow that, follow this: You wanna dance here, you follow my rules. It’s not a democracy. You know, you are not the best dancer to ever hit Broadway…(PAUSE)…What you have is anger. And a certain intensity, and that’s what I need to make this show work. What’dya think you’re so terrific you’re gonna go out and you’re gonna score another show? Is that it? The best thing that you ever scored in your whole life is Laura, but you even blew that cuz you got too heavy with her. You’re different kinds of people. And no matter how much you carry on, you’re never gonna change that. If you had half a brain in that thick skull of yours, you’d stop worrying about trying to change other people, and start worrying about changing yourself.

MANERO
(PAUSE)
Everybody uses everybody, don’t they?

JESSE
Go to hell, Manero.