Wellp, it has to do with this scene here:
I never get over this scene. Ever. In watching Jujubee's Todd Manning uploads at her You Tube channel, The Real Todd Manning, I just came upon this scene AGAIN. First off, and of course this is totally secondary, could Roger be more beautiful in this scene? The shining, soft, long hair, goatee, expressive eyes, awesome physique? He's the ultimate bad boy.
Every time I watch this, the nuances of what Roger does just shout at me. For some reason, watching this tonight (for the umpteenth time), I had to literally STOP to get myself together.
As for Todd, it's like something totally changed in him. How this actor makes this happen is bewildering, but you're almost looking at a different character completely in these scenes. As a viewer, you can see why RH gets the attention he gets, and why Todd is a character that stirs up so much emotion and conflict among older and newer viewers. I've never seen ANYTHING like this in soaps since Tony Geary and Erika Slezak. And I am a long-time viewer.
So what made me fall to pieces? Specifically, how Roger delivers his lines; how the writers have managed to intertwine so much in these short scenes; how TODD has finally found himself a bit and found remorse; how Marty (Susan Haskell) feels "freed" by what he says; how the emotion between the two is totally overwhelming.
Now....to want these two together as a couple - it's easy for even the newest viewer to see why that is unacceptable to so many people, including some of the actors. However, to see them play scenes off each other is a gift.
As I said, I will NEVER get over this scene, and each time I watch it, I am guaranteed an emotional response. Roger's acting NEVER GETS OLD. He's about 27 or 28 in these scenes - what a gifted performer.
As for my analysis of Todd here, I think this harkened back to his own abuse and started him to seeing that...."the pit, the hole" that he had to look into...etc. That is where I think that all began.
What about you?? Sound off with your take on it.
hmm...I have so much to say about this scene...between the masterful acting from both RH and SH and everything that's going on in the scene I could probably write out a few pages...there's so much it's almost a daunting task of where to actually get started. lol
ReplyDeleteI think for the sake of saving myself a little time I'm going to cut right to where the solo conversation between Todd and Marty begins.
The first absolutely glarring moment of perfect delivery IMO is at about 3:24ish when durring the "I never knew what I was asking forgiveness for" line there's this look to his eyes and the way he kind of scrunches up his eyes and eyebrows...he is totally commeted, 100% in the moment and letting go...if all of that wasn't the case that movement and the look in his eyes would not have been so natural and so real.
The next most amazing and perfect part is when Tod sits down on the bed and kind of crosses his arms in front of himself...it seems this has almost a double meaning...he does it out of discomfort with what he's saying...how he feels now that he's looking at himself through other eyes....and it's almost as if he's pulling his arms to him to comfort himself or to comfort that little boy inside...I use the little boy inside annalogy because for a second there in that moment (because of how well executed it was) I could see Todd as a young boy sitting on the foot of his bed comforting himself in that same way.
I love the way he has a hard time saying that he raped her, because he really realizes for the first time what he really did and it's hard for him to say the word because now that he understands a bit better it's hard to admit it to himself.
part 2 of this comment is coming in a few minutes, had to take a break to do something real quick.
@Precious: I love this scene. And, I so love what you wrote. I have always noticed the hugging of himself, as if he is a child...comforting himself....I almost felt like during this, he was rather like Tom. The things that were going on in this scene are never ending, you can almost comment on every sentence that is said. In fact, I probably could do just that. I felt like "Pete" just took a total back seat and "Tom" was in the lead.
ReplyDeleteI also love when he says "everybody hates you..." and then "No friends, no family." Look at Susan's reaction behind him. Then,
"I don't know, Marty, I don't think I can do this." Oh my God, my heart breaks. And...Susan's walk toward him and touching his cheek, her revulsion and pity....totally heartbreaking and amazingly effective.
okay well I was starting to write out my part 2 when I realized much of what I was going to say you have already said Kim....but I'll go ahead and say it anyway, even if I do sound like a copycat. haha
ReplyDeletefirst I want to start off with a general comment on SH in this...she's amazing here...so much is being said in her body language, the way she stands, and her facial expressions...she stands tall and strong which is both a way to brace herself again whatever todd is saying and will say (much like you stand strong in the face of a bitterly cold breezy day) both because she becomes a bit stronger each day and because though she may not actively be scared of him at this moment her instinct is to brace so that he can't blow her down.
everything about this part..."you spend your whole life thinking you're so cool and nobody can hurt you, and then one day you really see...you look around and everybody hates you...no friends, no family, nothing" that whole piece is just perfect...the self-discovery on Todd's part as he speaks the truth as he now sees it, and the look Marty gives when he says no family is a whole nother kind of heartbreaking because Todd has hurt her in the worse possible way, taken so much from her with what he did and what he instigated...and there is some amount of hate and fear she will likely always carry with her because of that night, so the last thing on earth she wants is to feel even the smallest iota of sympathy for Todd but with that remark for a moment she felt bad for him because she lost her family when she was a child so the thought, the simple words "no family" mean a very deep, dark, and lonely place to her.
then all the emotion when Marty goes to touch Todd's scar....wow that is absolutely pure, raw emotion at it's best...this is brilliantly played by both SH and RH. There is so much hate, fear, pity, revultion going on within each of them and as shaking hand reaches out and when he flinches when her fingertips finally touch, then the chocked sound she makes and the look in her eyes and then the look in his eyes...man all I can say is *WOW!*
@Precious - you said a MOUTH FULL!!! YES! I also thought, about Marty's response to the family comment, that she remembered how his father had acted when he signed the petition against his own son. During that scene, she wavers a little as well....as if she's happy he signs but inside she knows it's hateful and a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful scene, indeed! Masterfully acted by both RH & SH. It works on so many levels, acting and writing is obvious, but I also think this scene is so important to the whole context of the Todd & Marty story.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about them, I always remember that in the very beginning, they were just a guy and a girl who liked each other. The normal beginning to any college affair, only their feelings and pride got hurt in the process, and then they began to get back at one another in an immature game of 'emotional revenge' tag. Things started getting out of control very quickly and then escalated beyond either Todd or Marty's wildest imagination. But at the heart of their story is still a guy and a girl who had romantic feelings for each other once upon a time.
So after all the CRAZINESS of the rape and the trial and Todd's escape and then cuckoo Powell's descent into madness, these 2 people are left standing there...and faced with one another, armed only with brutal honesty, are they able to apologize and forgive and move past their little "game" as Todd puts it and try to get over their bitterness.
I just like this storyline so much because I think it really resonates in a real-life kind of way. You can see how 2 young college kids could easily slip into this kind of humongous trouble when they put their pride first and get their feelings hurt and decide upon "revenge". It's like they played with fire and they both got burned and now it is time to grow up and accept responsibility for the way things turned out.
Ok, I've rambled enough lol. I didn't even mention how gorgeous RH looks or how sweet Todd is when he holds himself. So I'll get it in now =)
@Pheonix you've got that right - powerful scene with a powerful cast...very realistic storytelling. Great to see you commenting.
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