The MacGuffin Men

Marlon Brando and his influence on acting, Elia Kazan’s personal attachment to Terry’s journey, the infamous contender scene, shooting on location, Leonard Bernstein’s score, the moments of abstraction, and the film’s one cutaway to a hawk.

Robert Redford, Michael Ritchie’s diverse career, and the pervasive timeliness of the film.

The unique style of Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess, the film’s stellar cinematography, production design, and sound design, Sam Rockwell’s desire to play dual roles, and the absolute perfection of Jemaine Clement’s performance.

Kenneth Lonergan’s struggle to finish the film, the unique ambition and scope of the film, the high class teen movie, and attempting to describe the core ideas of the film.

Shirley MacLaine, Billy Wilder’s continued impressive career, Jack Lemmon, the film’s portrayal of television, Shirley MacLaine, how the film uses anamorphic cinematography to show expansion and compression of environments, and Shirley MacLaine.

A discussion of the film’s twist, the evolution of Jason Reitman’s career, ignoring Charlize Theron, the aquatic metaphors, matte black jeep wagons, and Diablo Cody, Diablo Cody, Diablo Cody.