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Anatomy of a Scene
The director Luca Guadagnino narrates a tense scene between the two characters.
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‘Challengers’ | Anatomy of a Scene
The director Luca Guadagnino narrates a sequence from his film, featuring Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.
Hello, I’m Luca Guadagnino, and I am the director and one of the producers of ‘Challengers.’ In this sequence, we see the two male characters of ‘Challengers’— Patrick Zweig, played by Josh O’Connor, and Art Donaldson, played by Mike Faist — when they are in their early 20s. And they are very good tennis players. We meet them in Stanford, where Art is attending, while Patrick has left education to become a professional tennis player. This scene in particular depicts a moment, and evolution in their friendship that has been kind of diverted because of a third person came into their duo, which is Tashi Duncan, played by Zendaya. And what we see is basically a sort of game of rivalry sparkling between these two young boys over Tashi. But at the same time, a jealousy that ignites the relationship also. Because probably these two guys are also jealous of one another, not only of Tashi. “I think she’s making me an honest man. You don’t believe me?” “No, I’m just — I’m not sure how she’s thinking about all of this. I don’t want you to get hurt.” The character of Tashi is kind of an invisible presence, but a very profound presence in the scene. “Did she say something to you?” “No. I just got the impression she’s not thinking about this as a serious relationship.” And I kept the shot long, because I felt that we had to stay with them to learn the grammar of their behavior, and their behavior together. And we just cut once we realize that the game of manipulation laid bare on the table by Art has been spotted by Patrick. So we cut to a sort of reverse shot, extreme close up, where Patrick hugs, in a sort of ambiguous way. And so there is a sort of constant battle between the two of them to the degree that they are fighting, but they are taking care of one another. When the sugar goes on the cheek of Patrick, Art takes it off with his hand in a very nice gesture of kindness — and very intimate, I would say. But at the same time, they are really tense. And I think it’s about being jealous of one another, but at the same time wanting one another that we are trying to play out, and that Josh and Mike do in a beautiful way in the sequence.
By Mekado Murphy
In “Anatomy of a Scene,” we ask directors to reveal the secrets that go into making key scenes in their movies. See new episodes in the series on Fridays. You can also watch our collection of more than 150 videos on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Churros have never tasted more bitter than in this scene from “Challengers.”
In this sequence, which takes place at Stanford, the character Art (Mike Faist), who is attending the university, reconnects with his dear friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor), who has left education to become a tennis pro. Not present in the scene, yet hanging over it, is Tashi (Zendaya), the woman at the center of their complicated triangle.
At this moment, Tashi is dating Patrick, but in this scene, Art is trying to throw a wrench into the relationship. The sequence takes place at the university canteen where the two are chatting over churros. Narrating the sequence, the director Luca Guadagnino said that what is playing out is “a game of rivalry sparkling between these two young boys over Tashi, but at the same time, a jealousy that ignites the relationship also because, probably, these two guys are also jealous of one another.”
That tension is played out in the way that Guadagnino shoots the sequence, holding on a long two-shot as the friends discuss Tashi, then cutting when Patrick realizes the game of manipulation that Art is playing.
“The main guideline in thinking of this movie and the mise en scène was the classic old Hollywood screwball comedy kind of grammar,” Guadagnino said. “Those great movies were all using, in a beautiful way, the stillness of framing to let the performance breathe in all its ambiguities, in all its unspoken conflicts.”
Read the “Challengers” review.
Read an interview with the stars of the film.
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Mekado Murphy is the assistant film editor. He joined The Times in 2006. More about Mekado Murphy
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