Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Show Stealers
If you’ve ever seen TRUE LIES, it isn’t the bulging bicep’d Arnold Schwarzenegger character blasting his way through nuke-juggling terrorists, but Tom Arnold’s portly Albert Gibson who, in my opinion, steals the entire movie. Oh sure, Jamie Lee Curtis has a hilarious turn, and her character’s dynamic with Schwarzenegger’s is all that is satisfying. But it is Arnold who makes me guffaw, whose snarky one-liners remain stuck in my head sixteen years later. Ah, the secondary characters who steal the show … Cinema wouldn’t be half so vibrant without them. Technicolor is deluded if they think it’s their saturated color levels bringing vitality to the screen. It’s the characters, first and foremost, and in this spotlight, the secondary characters pilfering the audience’s attentions.
When I think about why show stealers imprint themselves on memory, I realize it’s the result of a few shared characteristics: they are always funny and always oddball, perhaps because the two qualities are easily interchangeable. Quirky is amusing, vice versa. And, since show-stealing secondary characters don’t carry the entire story on their backs, they have the freedom to be humorous, sometimes outrageously so.
The same reasoning holds true for oddball. Without shouldering the burden of story, there’s a freedom to be quirky. Outside the box. Different, original and unexpected. After all, secondary character roles are not so prescribed. They don’t have to be hero; they are simply the flavoring to the hero. They don’t have to accomplish anything, in fact. They don’t even have to grow. There is no character arc. Arnold is the same at the end of TRUE LIES as he is at the beginning. And yet, I care more about him than the secret-spy husband who has been inauthentic to his wife.
So here are some of my favorites:
Phoebe’s brother Frank Jr. on FRIENDS. Who can forget his “melting stuff” hobby, and his penchant for Suzie Homemaker teachers?Joe Pesci in LETHAL WEAPONs 2-4: “Okay, okay, okay, okay, this is the best part okay?” Classic.
Truman Sparks as the cuckoo-ball pilot in FANDANGO. Go here for a taste. Seriously. Go and report back.
Lily Tomlin as the peacenik/LSD selling mother in FLIRTING WITH DISASTER. Watching her “guide”/lose it as that cop goes through his unintended acid trip is one of the funniest scenes on screen.
Rosie O’Donnell in ANOTHER STAKEOUT and her hard-boiled egg head/olive ear appetizers.
It’s easy to see why some characters make off with the entire show on screen; they’re played by very real people bringing very real personalities to the job. But it’s a little different in books. Writers are the creator of the entire world. Yeah, there are different personalities with which to contend, but they all come from the same source. What’s more, writers are warned not to let secondary characters make off with the story, particularly if they are romance writers. Romances are formulaic because readers have certain expectations when they purchase one. So, in order to honor that expectation, we’re told to stick to the hero and heroine, don’t go off on a tangent, reign in the supporting cast as they’re eclipsing the main characters, etc, etc.
But I wonder if this is good advice. If we adore show stealers on screen so much, why aren’t we letting them have their quirky say in books? I think of Wilbury, the elderly butler in Teresa Medeiros’ vampire duet, AFTER MIDNIGHT and THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME. Those books sang for me, in part, because of Wilbury’s crotchety take on his fantastical world. He was the perfect, hilarious, grounding opposite for Medeiros’ hot alpha heroes (In my opinion, what alphas have in the crotch department, they seriously lack in the ha-ha department: ability). I fell in love with him. And Medeiros has since promised I can have him … but she has yet to make good on my suggestion Wilbury have his own book. A doddering old curmudgeon can be a romance hero, no?
So who are some of your favorite show-filching secondary characters in movies, TV and books? Do you want to see more of them? Do show-stealing supporting casts work as well in books as they do on screen?
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39 comments:
I think it's great to have secondary characters who are scene-stealers—I've written a couple myself (including a dog, which is hilarious, because I know like nothing . But the biggest danger with secondaries is when they become story-and-motivation-stealers (i.e. "buttinskis"). If they're the ones *making* the hero and heroine act, or conversely, if they're solving all their problems for them, they're undercutting the H/H.
I love Sommerset in JD Robb's Eve Dallas series. He's such a perfect thing for Eve to bounce off of.
Jordan, why can't they "make" the H/H act, as long as they don't solve their problems.
Can't they be the impetus?
What is it about Sommerset you like, Chance?
And I saw my typo just as I hit "submit comment" -- LOL -- I meant "their freedom", not "there freedom". (See? Now you can see why I need more caffeine! LOL)
Secondary characters definitely have a lot of freedom, as well as fun. I think I'd like to *be* a secondary character, come to think of it. LOL
Is there freedom a result of NOT having to grow, like the H/H do? They have a role to play, but there aren't any expectations of them beyond that.
I'm trying to think of some scene stealers, but my brain hasn't been thoroughly caffeinated yet. When I get to the proper levels I will hopefully have some good answers!
Donna, alerting ME to your typo is like alerting Goofy to ridiculousness...it doesn't really register is it is core to who Goofy is.
And yes, I do think theIR :) freedom is exactly the result of NOT having to grow.
I really like Fritz in JR Ward's books. The perfect foil to all the angsty alphas going on.
I think that their freedom comes from lack of expectation. We expect h/h to have a character arch, expect them to do certain things. Anything we get out of them is just added seasoning to the story.
LOL! (Donna, you made a quick recovery.)
I adore writing secondary characters. I was just thinking about this and how I shouldn't let them take over, but I guess their freedom needs to be carefully monitored. There are certain things you have to watch -- like not starting the story with them. Guilty. I've done that. But other times it's great to have them around for contrast and to show the complications of life surrounding the hero and heroine.
One secondary character who comes to mind is Susan from "Desperately seeking Susan".
Madonna played the part. It was a small role but she completely stole every scene she was in. In fact she stole the movie.
I think secondary characters can 'steal the show' so long as they aren't outheroing the hero. I think that's where it does wrong--if your secondary character makes your hero look less than heroic, you have a problem.
I don't understand why stories don't think heroes have any wit or a sense of humor, but apparently too much humor or wit implies less than heroism.
I love secondary characters--I think Jack Sparrow is one of my all-time favorite secondary characters (since technically the story in POTC was about Will Turner rescuing the governor's daughter.) Jack is the ultimate scene stealer, but he's not overly heroic so he doesn't exactly steal Will's thunder or make Will look less than heroic.
Other secondary characters I love: I would say Ron and Hermione, but they pretty much share the heroic limelight. How about the Weasley twins? They're the classic secondary type: funny, comic relief, a scene stealer but not a heroic stealer. Luna Lovegood.
In romances, one of my favorite characters was in Heather and Velvet (Teresa Medeiros) the hero's sidekick, Jamie(?)--he was always described as a freckled elf with red hair. He cracked me up. There was a scene where he pretends he'd been tumbling the heroine, which was hysterical.
John Hannah from the Mummy Movies was another scene stealer. The man was hysterical!
My secondary characters usually serve two purposes.
1. Say the things my H/H can't say. Basically, comic relief.
2. Force the H/H to admit what they already know but don't want to admit. They essentially bring reality whether the H/H like it or not.
An H/H can lie to him/herself, but they can't lie to the secondary characters.
There are so many great butler/manservant characters in historicals, I'm not sure I could narrow it down. I like the ones who are former criminals who look nothing like a butler. And they usually don't act like one either. :)
One of the best scene stealers was Alan Rickman as the Sheriff in Costner's version of Robin Hood. He stole that entire movie. LOL!
Paul Bettany playing Chaucer in A Knight's Tale was pretty good too. As cute as Heath is in that picture, if Bettany was in the scene, you were watching him.
J, you and I talked about this yesterday, and it doesn't bother me a bit to have secondary characters steal a scene. What DOES bother me is when the author *forgets* who her main characters are and writes so much about the secondaries that you forget just whose book it is. (I won't mention names!) So annoying.
But some of the secondaries I love are the two mischievous, interfering, but completely lovable elderly sisters created by Victoria Alexander--I think they're the Featherton sisters. I just love those two!
I have to agree with Cindy, the secondaries should never take over the story. Christie Craig gave her secondaries their own POVs in WEDDINGS CAN BE MURDER, but was smart enough to trail them off as the book progressed so by the end, the main H/H were clearly the stars.
I do hate when you have a really good secondary and someone says you should tone them down so they don't overshadow the main characters. In that situation, I think you need to leave that secondary alone and amp up the H/H. Why lose that character gold because your H/H are weak? Bring them up!
I vote for Alan Rickman as Sheriff as well. Except he was a villain--and therefore not necessarily a secondary character to me. He clearly didn't grow...and he had the best lines, but I don't think of secondary characters as villains. I thought villains had relatively "equal" billing to the hero?
When it comes to literature, one of my favorite secondary characters is Liz Carlysle's George Kemble. He is funny, dangerous, and has many secrets. In other words he is the perfect secondary character.
J - I like how Sommerset acts the wall Eve can bounce off of with snarkiness and impunity. And he knows he serves this purpose. Rourke knows he's doing it. I think he acts the total don't approve of her but in secret he does. The little dueling they get into whenever she gets home is all about letting some steam out and lightning her load from a heavy day. And he's good at it!
I also like very secondary characters. Like the two Marines from pirates of the Caribbean and their counterparts, the two bumbler pirates. I like seeing two friends glide around the sidelines.
Pantucci from "Deep Rising" served the sidekick role perfectly. Sometimes the secondary character is BFF, sometimes they are sidekick.
Like the two Marines from pirates of the Caribbean
Those two were hilarious! *LOL* The pirate version--I hadn't thought how they were foils to the other pair!--made me cringe. Brush your teeth, guys!
Thanks for blogging for me today!
In Kim Harrison's Hollows, there are a host of secondary characters I think steal the page when she writes them in. Ceri and Quin. Matalina. Trent (I love a bad boy.) Al. Newt. Minias. They all have great personality on paper. And the interaction between the main characters and each secondary is amazingly written.
Love the blog, J. I could talk secondary characters for hours and hours.
I think there are two kinds of secondary characters--those who are truly secondary and those who are temporarily secondary. The latter are heroes and heroines in waiting. The reader knows that they will take the primary role in some future novel. Some of my favorites among the true secondary characters are Reeves in Karen Hawkins Just Ask Reeves books, Lady Danbury in Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, Bernard in Connie Brockway's My Dearest Enemy, the Quinn parents in Nora Roberts's Chesapeake Bay series. Anne Gracie always has secondary characters that I fall in love with.
To name those in the second group would mean listing all my favorite series. Eloisa James's Mayne is my all-time favorite in this group because he started out as a true secondary character and turned into a hero in process over four books. Not many characters span two series.
Hellie - I think of villains as secondary characters. Actually, anyone NOT the main H/H (or just H in a lit novel) is secondary. But the villain is an important secondary, as in, wouldn't have a story without him.
Is there a first and a half kind of character? Maybe that's where the villain falls.
Janga - I always think of Mayne as the ultimate Secondary to Primary character. When I created my heroine's alcoholic sister, she was never meant to get her own story. But she seems to think she gets one. Since she was nice enough to bring her own hero (who never appears in the first book) I guess I should give her one.
Last I heard, Ol' Scuttlebutt was watching LOTR with her kids. I'm going to slap her.
I'm back. Holy mother, is that a great movie. And as I sneaked away to blog, the kids piled in here after me.
Mama needs a moment alone! I hate this stupid Fall Break vacation.
Okay. Rant over.
Marn, secondary seasoning coming from lack of expectation is my thought exactly. I think this is why they're allowed so much personality, whereas H/H have work to do. (work whittles away personality, I guess)
Melissa, I've taken careful note of your tips. I will be sure not to let my secondaries start the story.
Julie, I don't think Madonna is capable of being a secondary character. Also, she's a Leo (if that tells you anything ;)
Hellie said: "if your secondary character makes your hero look less than heroic, you have a problem." Terrific point. And Jack Sparrow is an interesting example. He's secondary in my mind, too, almost because he resists growth (which is sort of refreshing).
I don't know John Hanna from the Mummy movies. Maybe we should watch those during next unwelcome school vacation?
Ter, I'm pissed I didn't think to add "dose of reality" to the blog, because that's entirely true. They do need to do that.
And Alan Rickman was wonderful in that movie (because Costner really stunk it up). Agree with Hellie, though. The villian really isn't quite secondary though they are certianly secondary to h/h.
Cindy, there's a fine line between giving secondaries their say and giving them full reign over the entire story. Good point.
And this, Ter, I'm cutting and pasting: "In that situation, I think you need to leave that secondary alone and amp up the H/H. Why lose that character gold because your H/H are weak? Bring them up!" Hella yes.
I don't know George Kemble either, Julie. You're adding to my list!
"very secondary characters" are fabulous also, Chance. I think that's what Wilbury was in the Medeiros duet.
You're welcome, Sin. Would have been a lot more involved if my two little characters hadn't been home. Again, you're adding to my TBR lists.
So could I, Janga, and I think you make an important distinction, and one most astute readers can spot. For the purpose of this blog, I suppose I'm talking about the truly secondaries. And I'm not sure you can ever make one of them into a temporary secondary (again, like Medeiros' Wilbury, though I like to tease her). What's more, I don't want them to be future h/h's, you know?
But who doesn't sigh at the thought of Mayne?
No slapping, Terri. I spent the afternoon trying to keep two little Hobbits from killing each other. ;)
Also, she’s a Leo (if that tells you anything
But Leo's are such peaceful quiet timid little creatures... As long as they think that they're getting their way!
*snicker*
What saith the the mother who stayeth at home-ith with her children during their break ?
“What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good on this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”
J.R.R. Tolkien
PISH. You MARRIED one.
I just love J.R.R. Tolkien!
So I should know what I'm talking about, right me Precious!
About The Leos of course.
Uh, don't forget I married a Cancer so watch your step, Cancer girl!
I know what you're thinking Julianne
It's about sleep ...“Sleep! I feel the need of it. Yet my vacuum is restless in my hand. Give me a row of orecks-neck and room to swing and all weariness will fall from me!”
Not quite J.R.R. Tolkien
She wants me to dance to her tune. See? Leo's are only happy when they are in charge. Make that when they think they're in charge.
Did I tell you how much I love my headset? Unarmed but still dangerous! LOL
Just like every other Leo I know!
Uh, don’t forget I married a Cancer so watch your step, Cancer girl!
Precious and percussionists!
I wanted to say precious and precocious, but my headset insisted that you're a percussionist. Yah I could see that ... Cute & noisy!
So who are some of your favorite show-filching secondary characters in movies, TV and books?
What about Blogs? Do Blogs count?
Because my favorite show-filching secondary character in Blogs... Is M E!
Please see posts above for how to filch show techniques.
The most important thing is to take center stage without Bbeing annoying ... without going overboard. Which requires a keen mind and a brilliant knowledge of subtletyyyyyyyeee!
*splash*
Julie goes overboard again. Literally and figuratively.
Who knew she was soooo strong?
Grumpy Leo!
Hi pirates -- what's Julie doing in the water again? LOL
I like Terri's idea of amping up the H/H rather than shutting down the secondary characters. Each character is the star, in their own mind, and they act accordingly. LOL So instead of losing that, I like having the H/H be more heroic, since that's their job. :)
Each character is the star, in their own mind, and they act accordingly.
Boy does Dr. Donna have me-eeerrrr secondary characters figured out.
✬✭✰✹☆:*´¨`*:..:*´¨`*:.☆And I Ammmm a✰! at least judging by how many I see ,
I am*´¨`*:..:*´¨`*:.☆
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