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DRAMATURGY 73
Use dissolves. The most common device for surmounting this difficulty is the "dissolve," (see p. 135) a filmic device which can indicate the passage of time which the retelling may consume. Indicate that the picture should fade out at the beginning of the retelling and then fade in at its end, thus eliminating much unnecessary detail without losing attention.
Another device is simply to dissolve or wipe out at the beginning of the retelling and leave it up to the audience to fill in the balance with their previously obtained knowledge.
Condense repetitions. Still another device makes use of condensation, a retelling of the already told facts in summarized form. Thus, if the action already witnessed by the audience involves the beating up of the character retelling the incident, instead of having the unfortunate character meander through all the details, it would be sufficient for him to say something on the order of, "And then the guy beat me up."
When recapitulation is unavoidable. There may be times, however, when recapitulation becomes unavoidable. When that situation exists, it is good practice to repeat the known information over a cutaway shot (see p. 127) to some significant detail in the same scene, or over an extreme close-up of the character who is hearing the recapitulation, to take advantage of reactions expressed on his face.
Quick conversions
Repetition is a handy device for offsetting what is a common besetting sin in a great many pictures— the quick conversion. This ineptness can be attributed only to faulty writing. For in using it, the writer neglects to furnish a solid, realistic basis for the conversion of a character from evil to good, when the plot calls for such a conversion. Usually this switch occurs at the climax and leaves the audience with a vague feeling of dissatisfaction. In Sirocco, after practicing assorted skulduggery through almost the entire picture, Humphrey Bogart undergoes a last-reel conversion and performs the customary noble gesture.