Introduction
Action movies are not often considered suitable material for study, but this is an action movie with a
difference. Rather than just being concerned with how many thrills could be jammed into two hours' running
time, the director was more concerned with actually telling a coherent and meaningful story about real people
his audience could relate to.
Director Doug Liman's look at the world of spy craft is a refreshing change from the glossy norm – an action
movie with substance, and with a charm like few others. Its world is simply more real. The people look more
genuine, vehicles are worn down, and the clothing isn't glamorous or high fashion. Instead of glossy, high
powered cars and immaculately groomed actors CG'd through their fight scenes, Liman gives us a world that
looks and feels genuine, that's easier to believe in, with characters who are easier to relate to than in the
typical Bond or Bond-clone movie. And it is still fun.
Although there were all sorts of rumours about a difficult production and a widespread belief that the film
would be a disaster, it was instead a huge hit, made vast amounts of money around the world – still the only
way Hollywood assesses success – and made a big star out of Matt Damon, whose career had faltered after a
couple of flops.
It was also a critical success – not something that financially successful films can always boast.
Independent-style edge meets international espionage in The Bourne Identity, a first-rate thriller with grit
and intrigue to spare. With Swingers and Go director Doug Liman stepping up in a big way with his first
big-budget major studio effort, this reworking of a 23-year-old Cold War spy novel by the late Robert
Ludlum convinces on two levels: as an account of CIA ruthlessness that seems cold-bloodedly realistic
rather than cheaply cynical, and as a character piece about an amnesia-afflicted agency assassin who
doesn't like what he learns when he finally realises who he is. … the spectacle of a runaway CIA assassin
being hunted by his own creates an emotional dynamic of almost chilling ambivalence: on the one hand, a
viewer almost automatically sympathises with the central figure (especially a young and attractive one) in
a drama pitting him against a sinister 'them'; on the other hand, it's never forgotten that Bourne, before
his blown job, was fully one of 'them'.
– Scott McCarthy, Variety
Liman's film is essentially one long chase sequence, and it's constructed almost entirely from suspense
tropes we've seen before, but Liman infuses it with such chilly European flair that it's impossible not to
enjoy the ride. … There's something particularly adult, too, about The Bourne Identity. Like its
protagonist, it never hands you explanations on a silver platter, and it makes you think a bit, something
far too few thrillers do these days.
– Marc Savlov
The protagonist is not tricked out in the latest gimmick – no one crouches, flies or wears a black trench
coat – and The Bourne Identity almost discards the obnoxious Hollywood habit of assaulting the senses
with gory outbursts and loud explosions. … Jason Bourne and his story are believable. Bourne bleeds –
the story moves quickly – you care about what happens. … a stylish spy story that recasts the cliché of
finding oneself as an intoxicating game with rich rewards.
– Scott Holleran
… it exudes a kind of nostalgic spy-movie charm and, at the same time, is so fresh and free of the usual
thriller nonsense that it all seems to be happening for the first time.
– William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Bourne Identity takes the espionage thriller and gives it a modern sensibility. In place of a dour hero
in control, we find a young Everyman just stumbling through. In place of a Cold War world of clear-cut
good guys and villains, we find one in which everybody's wrong, more or less, and the world is just messy
and absurd.
– Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Although interpersonal relationships in espionage films often can't get beyond the emotional opaqueness
of James Bond, the interplay here is surprisingly human. Bourne and Marie have a rapport that's tentative
and tender; they are hesitant with each other because they're inescapably lost and confused. It's a small
touch but a vital one, and it underlines why The Bourne Identity commands our attention and our respect.
– Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
2
After the First Viewing
 Attempt to answer these questions after the first viewing. You may not be able to answer them all at this
stage, but the questions will be a good guide as to what to look for as you study the film more closely.
Before you start, note down your immediate responses to what you have seen. How did the film make
you feel? Did it make you think? Did you find it believable?
Were your opinions or attitudes changed by it? Which characters did you like? empathise with? dislike?
feel sorry for?
1. Director Doug Liman is on record as saying that when he directed Bourne, he wanted to reinvent the
genre. In what ways – if at all – do you think he has revised the spy thriller? (You will come back to this
question in more depth later if you discuss genre.)
2. There is usually a high body count in action movies and thrillers. How many people are killed in this one?
And how many of them does Bourne himself kill? Who is responsible for the rest? What is the effect of
this?
3. Franke Potente, who plays Marie, was an unusual choice for a movie like this. Why? Apart from
providing the obligatory 'love interest', what is her character's major function?
4. Although Bourne dyes Marie's hair to change her appearance, he makes no effort to change his. Why
not?
When we watch a film for the first time, we usually watch for the story; when we see it again, we are more
likely to notice how the story is told. However, you may already have noticed some of the striking techniques
used.
5. Make a note of any significant techniques you remember seeing – apart from what you have already
mentioned above. (You might think about the use of the camera, editing techniques such as transitions
(the way one scene changes into the next), special effects or the use of colour.)
6. One of the expectations of an action movie is that the tension is kept high and the plot moves rapidly.
What techniques did you notice that are used here to achieve these goals?
7. There are frequent shifts in location in the narrative. How does the film ensure we are not confused by
this?
3
Initial Quiz
 See how many of the following questions you can answer after the first viewing. Some of the questions
are minor, some more significant. Your score will indicate whether you notice and remember details.
You will find this quiz equally useful later for revision.
1. What is the code name of the operation that Bourne is part of?
2. Who was Bourne supposed to have assassinated?
3. Who eventually kills him?
4. In which city is Bourne located?
5. Who runs the safe house in that city?
6. What is the name of Bourne's handler?
7. Where is he located?
8. What happens to him ultimately?
9. How many bullets does Giancarlo take out of Bourne's back?
10. How is Bourne able to identify himself and so access his safety deposit box?
11. What does he find in the box?
12. What is the one thing he leaves in the box?
13. In what does he put the contents of the box?
14. What does he do with it in the end?
15. What does Bourne rip off the wall to help his escape from the US embassy?
16. In what city does he meet Marie?
17. How much money does Bourne offer Marie to drive him home?
18. What weapon does Bourne improvise when he is attacked by Castel?
19. What is the Professor doing when he is activated?
20. Who owns the farmhouse Marie and Bourne take refuge in?
21. How does Bourne know that someone is outside the farmhouse?
22. What diversion does Bourne use to enable him to get out of the house?
23. Where does he find Marie at the end?
24. What alias did Bourne use when he was pursuing his target?
25. Why did Bourne fail to assassinate his target?
4
Analysing the Plot
Films, like novels, are primarily about storytelling. Although there are many ways by which a film-maker can
capture and hold an audience’s attention, the most effective and most common way is simply by telling a good
story.
A plot outline is a good check on how well you have understood and remember the story.
 Write a brief outline of the plot of the film, or complete the plot outline worksheet,
and
 answer the following questions:
1. Is there one plot or more than one?
When we talk about the plot of a book or film, we mean a story that is
tied together, in which everything that happens is important: A
causes B, which causes C and so on. Remove any one incident, and
the whole pattern should be affected, the whole story will fall apart,
the way a stack of blocks will collapse if you pull out one from the
bottom. Stories told like this usually build to a climax. This tightly
plotted approach is sometimes called the step-stair structure.
Episodic films, by contrast, are looser; individual scenes can be added or removed without really affecting the
outcome of the plot.
2. Which of these two plot types has been used for this film?
We talk about 'plot holes' when things happen in a story that are insufficiently explained or prepared for so that
narrative coherence and logic are lost, events that make you say, 'How did that happen?' or 'How did they
know that?' On the other hand, screenwriters and directors do not need to spell out every detail; for example,
although we see Marie and Bourne eating only once, we assume they do eat at other times.
3. Are there any 'plot holes' in this narrative – events that are insufficiently explained? Are there any other
examples of gaps in the narrative which need no explanation? Explain in detail.
4. Trace the steps by which Bourne gradually learns the truth about himself. (Set it out in diagram form like
this: the capsule in his hip  a deposit box in Zurich  contains a passport and a Paris address etc)
Stories are often described as 'plot-driven' or 'character-driven'.
If a film is plot-driven, it relies upon external events and circumstances to advance the plot. External events
may be natural or human-initiated, as long as the initiator of the events is not a central character to the story.
The characters are affected by and react to events but don't really change throughout the story.
If a film is character-driven, it relies upon the decisions and emotions of characters to advance the plot,
decisions that may produce chain reactions and conflict. The events, regardless of how many people they
affect, are triggered by characters within the story. Characters will develop as they learn how to overcome the
obstacles that are faced.
5. Which of these terms would better describe this film? Justify your answer.
Narrative or plot structure is the term used to describe the order in which a story is told, and the way in which
different strands of the story are linked.
The most common ways in which stories are told are

in chronological order, i.e. the order in which the events happen;

using flashbacks, i.e. earlier events are included later in the story

with a frame of later time, and the whole story a flashback (book-ending)

with flash forwards, in which future events are included earlier than they actually happen.
6. Which of these descriptions best fits the structure of this film? Give details to show this.
5
Narrative structure does not mean just the order in which the story is told; the term refers to the whole
structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a story is presented.
An important aspect of storytelling is point of view: who tells the story, or from whose perspective the events
are shown and/or seen.
7. From whose point of view is the story told in this film?
Plots traditionally have a protagonist – the central character – and one or more antagonists – the person or
people that the protagonist needs to defeat in order to achieve his or her goals.
8. Who is the protagonist in this film? And who is the antagonist?
Early scenes may set up expectations of the main character(s) that will affect the structure of the story.
9. Can you identify examples of this?
Narratives often involve a series of problems to be met and solved, or obstacles to be overcome, like taking
two steps forward and one step back, until the resolution is reached.
10. List the main obstacles and/or problems faced by the protagonist in the story. How does he overcome
them?
Time is always an important consideration in a screenplay; a feature film may cover days, weeks, even years
of real time, so ways of showing time passing are needed.
11. How much time is covered in this film? Can you work out a timeline?
Some of the ways the passing of time may be indicated include:

fades or dissolves

changing light

showing a clock or a calendar

references in dialogue

dates or times on screen

seasonal differences – winter to summer

cuts to the same scene at a clearly later time, e.g. from full
plates to empty, or the same people with different clothes
or in different places.

a montage of brief symbolic or typical
images.
12. What techniques are used in this film to show time passing?
Most commercial films – “classic Hollywood” type - are similar in structure to a three-act play:

The first act introduces the main characters and situation, and includes a scene that sets up a
complication around which the plot will revolve - the catalyst or inciting incident, that disrupts the
equilibrium of the original situation.

The second act develops this complication.

The third act brings the situation to a climax and resolution.
i.e. – get the hero up a tree, throw things at him, and then get him down from the tree.
Each act is structured to end on a moment of heightened tension or interest – a turning point or 'plot point'
that will change the direction of the story.
13. Does this film follow this pattern? Can you identify three acts? The plot points that begin Acts 2 and 3?
The second act is usually the longest because it is built around a series of actions taken by the main
character(s) to get themselves out of the difficulty created by the complication. This builds suspense because
each successive attempt to resolve the difficulty brings a reversal in fortune. The reversals gain momentum
because they are usually of greater magnitude each time they occur.
14. Look back at your list of obstacles. Is each one of greater magnitude than the one before? Supply
details.
6
There will often be a central incident (coming about half way through the film), a mid-point scene, which
packs a dramatic punch and kicks the action to a higher level.
15. Can you identify the mid-point scene? How does it affect subsequent action?
Most stories involve the element of suspense, with the audience kept wondering what will happen.
16. How has suspense been created in this film?
Suspense can be heightened by the use of a 'deadline’ – the knowledge that there is not much time left, and
the overhanging question of whether they will make it.
17. Is there a deadline? What is it and how does it affect the events?
A film needs to keep its audience involved but also alert, off balance – a comfortable audience may fall asleep
– by changes of mood – from suspense to humour and back to suspense again, for example.
18. Identify examples of mood change like this.
Even stories that are told in a simple chronological structure will need to lay the foundations for future events,
as well as keep the audience involved and expectant by hinting at the future.
19. Identify examples where future events are 'signposted'.
Some (not all) details will be like ‘loaded pistols’ – introduced early to be important later. In other words, if
you see a loaded pistol in an earlier scene, it is a good indicator that someone will use it later.
20. Can you identify any ‘loaded pistols’ in the early scenes?
Director Doug Liman talks about 'tent-pole' moments, moments that 'hold up the structure' of the screenplay
by signalling subsequent action. One such moment might be a character's saying, "I'll be back."
21. Can you identify any 'tent-pole' moments in this film?
Film-makers may wish to show different things happening at the same time. The usual technique for doing
this is by cross-cutting. The editor cuts quickly from one scene to another and back again several times. It
is a very useful technique for building tension and suspense, or for contrasting images and/or ideas.
22. Can you identify examples of cross-cutting?
A motif is an image, a word or phrase that is repeated several times in a film. Motifs are often used to keep
the film unified, to link one scene with another.
23. Can you identify any motifs in this film?
Another way that film-makers will create unity is by repeating or echoing the same camera angles and shots
(visual) and sometimes the same ideas or words and phrases (verbal).
24. Can you identify any visual or verbal links in the film?
7
Conflict
The main element that drives any film story (or book) is conflict. Without it, there isn't much of a story.
Conflict is a problem or struggle in a story that triggers action, that causes things to happen. It can be very
obvious, like people fighting, or much less obvious, as when someone worries over what is the right thing to
do, or what action they should take. This second kind is called 'internal conflict', and often focuses on a
struggle between a person's good and bad impulses.
There are six basic types of conflict:
a.
relational conflict: person against person. One character has a problem with one or more of the other
characters.
b.
social or local conflict: person against society. A character has a problem with some aspect of
society: the school, the law, the accepted way of doing things, etc.
c.
inner or personal conflict: person against self. A character has a problem deciding what to do in a
particular situation, or is torn between two (or more) courses of action, or between right and wrong.
d.
situational conflict: person against nature. A character has a problem with some natural occurrence: a
snowstorm, an avalanche, the bitter cold, or any other element of nature.
e.
or person against machine: a character has to confront technology or other elements of human creation
(as opposed to natural or divine creation).
f.
universal or cosmic conflict: person against Fate. A character has to battle what seem to be forces
beyond human control. Whenever the problem seems to be a strange or unbelievable coincidence, fate
can be considered the cause of the conflict.
All six types of conflict can be in a single screenplay, and can involve most, if not all of the characters,
interacting with each other and with the protagonist and antagonist(s). Conflict as the central event drives the
story and the characters.
Inner conflict is the hardest type of conflict to convey successfully in a film. It has the greatest dramatic impact
when it is projected outward toward another character, and becomes relational.
 On your own or in a group, think about the six types of conflict listed above. Which of them are included in
this film? How many different examples of each can you list?
The first few scenes of any film should show us the conflicts and problems the main character will face, and
perhaps indicate or hint at what might cause more conflicts later.
1. Think about the first part of the film, up to when Conklin activates the Treadstone assassins [16]. What
conflicts have been established so far?
2. Are other conflicts introduced and developed as the film continues?
3. How are these conflicts resolved by the end of the film?
8
Film Techniques Checklist
Film technique refers to the methods used to make a film. Over the 100 or so years since films began, filmmakers have found many ways of obtaining images that differ from the usual or the ‘normal'. In other words,
they have altered and enhanced the pictures to say something more to the viewer, the way a poet enhances
language so it differs from and is richer than, say, journalistic prose or even an adventure story.
Many of the linguistic and poetic techniques used by writers have their equivalent in film language – not just
sentences, paragraphs and chapters but juxtaposition, contrast and parallel, as well as symbolism and
metaphor. The purposes of film technique are – as in writing – to enhance the storytelling and to create
atmosphere or mood. Every image is the result of conscious choices based on the following:
1.
To tell a story, to aid the narrative
Camera Work

different angles: low/high angle /P.O.V./ crane shot / aerial shot /vertical shot etc

different lenses: wide angle/telephoto/zoom; shallow or deep focus

movement: panning /tracking / hand-held/ Steadicam etc.
Lighting

Contrast (or chiaroscuro)

Even light ('Hollywood Lighting')


Soft - misty/romantic
'back-lit'  silhouette
Sound

Ambient sound creates naturalism: the sounds of the day or night: birds, cars, the wind in the trees etc

Foley sound is the matching of sounds to actions, e.g. footsteps, slamming doors – important for realism

Music – original or existing
Transition - with image change, dialogue, music or ambient sound carries on so that sound from the end
of one scene may be heard at the beginning of the next or the sound from the next scene coming up may
be included behind the previous scene's final images. Called an aural bridge

Symbols, signifiers, icons, images: the full study of these is called Semiotics, e.g.

bars suggest imprisonment, entrapment

flag represents patriotism

towers/spires have phallic connotations

heart or red rose can symbolise love
Editing

pace

juxtaposition

contrast

Montage = a series of brief shots.
Eisenstein: "Montage is the supreme gift of the cinema to the art of story-telling."
Not only do 'parts make a whole' but editing is related to 'time passing'. An easy visual transition from scene
to scene is obtained by cutting between like images.
 movement in the same direction
 cuts
 some sort of fade/wipe/dissolve
 point-of-view shot
 outpoints/inpoints
 jump cuts
2.
to create mood
Sound

eerie, frightening, soothing, romantic. . .

exciting, lively. . .

exaggerated or enhanced
Light

Misty light can be frightening or erotic

dramatic chiaroscuro

warm or cold, coloured filters, lights
9
Close Reading the Text – some questions to ask
When you watch the film for the second time, you will need to look much more closely and analytically. The purpose is to
identify and understand the techniques that film-makers use to manipulate audience responses.
As you watch each scene or sequence, look for the following, and make notes of what you see. Not all questions will need
to be answered for every sequence.
Plot/narrative




What does the scene contribute to the way the story is being told?
If time has passed, how do you know?
Would it matter if the scene had been left out? Why/why not?
‘Drama is conflict.’ Is there conflict in this scene? Between whom? Is it resolved or will it lead to more conflict further
on?
Setting


Where is the scene set? Is this a new setting or one seen before?







Are there any significant details that may prove important?
If new, do you know where it is? How?
Are any details included to provide local colour i.e. to make the setting realistic and convincing?
What time of day is it? How do you know? Is that significant?
What is the weather like? Is that significant?
Has the director used contrast, colour? How?
Is there anything in the setting that affects the characters?
Is there anything about the setting that provokes a response in you? What kind of response?
Characters


Are there new characters in this scene, or only ones we have met already?



Do we learn anything new about the characters? What? And how?
If new, who are they? How is their identity established?
Look at the costumes. What do they tell us about the characters, the situation?
Contrast is an important technique in characterisation. Are any of the characters contrasted? How? To what effect?
Cinematic Techniques


Consider the mise en scène, a film term meaning everything in a particular scene, and how we are shown it.


How is it lit? Natural or artificial lighting? directional? colour filters?



How is the dialogue treated?
How is the scene filmed? What kind of lens (zoom, wide angle), shots (size, angle etc), movement? What is the
effect of this?
Listen for sound effects and for ambient sound. What do they contribute?
Look for colour, use of repeated motifs, use of visual symbols.
Look for links between scenes – outpoints and inpoints; listen for aural bridges
There are many other questions you could ask yourself as you watch each scene. To begin with, focus on a few
that you can manage; as you get better, you will be able to deal with more difficult ones.
10
Close Reading the Text: Task sheet 1
Scenes 1 – 14 (DVD Ch 1– 6)
Scene 1:
1.
Explain briefly what happens in this scene?
2.
Why are the fishermen shown playing cards?
Scene 2
3.
What immediate impression do you get of Bourne in sc. 2?
4.
What has Giancarlo found on Bourne? What is this an immediate clue to?
Scene 3
5.
The abrupt shift of scene takes us into a very different world. Give details.
6.
Which characters are introduced? What is your immediate impression of each?
Scene 4
7.
What does Bourne learn about himself in this sequence?
Scene 8
8.
What new skills does Bourne discover he has?
9.
Why does he leave his jacket behind?
Scene 9
10.
What important information are we given in this sequence?
Scenes 10 – 14
11.
Why is the woman in the bank so hostile?
12.
Why do the Marines in the embassy try to arrest Bourne?
Overall
13.
Where is the film set? How do we know?
14.
When is it set? How do we know?
15.
Setting is not just time and place; it is also society. On what social group is the story centred? How do
we know this?
Film Techniques
 Look carefully at each of the following scenes/sequences and explain – using the proper technical terms if
you can – just what techniques are being used (and why). You may need to use the slow advance speed.
16.
scene 3
17.
scene 7
18.
scene 12: Bourne and the ambulance
19.
the last few shots of the climb from the building [end of 13]
20.
Identify examples of
a.
WIDE EST.
d.
CUTAWAY
b.
POV SHOT
e. FOLLOWING SHOT
c.
INSERT
f. TRACKING SHOT
11
Close Reading the Text: Task sheet 2
Scenes 15 – 50 (DVD Ch 7 – 14)
1.
What skills does Bourne demonstrate in his escape from the embassy?
2.
Why does he pay Marie such a large amount to drive him to Paris?
3.
What do the scenes at Langley [16, 21, 29] tell us about Treadstone?
4.
In which three cities are the agents that Conklin activates? How do we know?
5.
How does Bourne know that Castel is outside his apartment?
6.
What new skills does Bourne demonstrate during the car chase?
7.
What does Wombosi do to the body of 'Kane'? How does he know Kane is in the morgue?
8.
There is little humour in this film but a touch of comedy is introduced [40]. What is it?
9.
Why does Conklin lie to Abbot about the assassination of Wombosi?
10.
How do they find out where Kane's body is?
11.
Why has the body disappeared?
Film Techniques
 Look carefully at each of the following scenes/sequences and explain – using the proper technical terms if
you can – just what techniques are being used (and why). You will find the slow advance speed useful.
16.
12.
scene 19
14.
scene 34
13.
scene 25
15.
scene 50 – Abbot sequence
Identify examples of
a. MONTAGE
e. INPOINT
b. O.C.
f.
c. V.O.
g. MATCH CUT
d. L/A POV
h. REVERSE TRACKING
CRASH CUT
Discuss
"And, while this [car chase] is a little more exciting than the average high-speed pursuit, it doesn't offer
enough that's new, daring, or heart-pounding, and, as a result, seems a little too long and drawn-out."
 Do you agree?
12
Close Reading the Text: Task sheet 3
Scenes 51 – 73 (DVD Ch 15 – 20)
1.
Why do they go to Eamon's house? Why does Bourne say immediately that they have to leave?
2.
What does Eamon give them just before they go to bed? What does this tell us?
3.
How does Conklin know to find Bourne at Eamon's place?
4.
How does Bourne know that someone is planning to attack the house?
5.
Bourne creates two diversions in his duel with the professor. What are they and what is the purpose of
each?
6.
Why does Bourne tell Conklin to meet him on the Pont Neuf? Why is he to take off his jacket?
7.
Why does Conklin agree to go?
8.
How does Bourne find the safe house where he has his confrontation with Conklin?
9.
Why did Bourne not kill Wombosi on the yacht?
10.
Why does Abbot have Conklin killed?
11.
What impression do we get of Danny Zorn from scenes 69 and 71?
12.
Identify examples of
a.
AMBIENT SOUND
f.
L/A LS
b.
FOLEY SOUND
g.
OVER SHOULDER
c.
BACK LIGHTING
h.
BCU
d.
TILT DOWN
i.
FLASHBACK
e.
H/A LS
j.
SHOT//REVERSE SHOT
The film as a whole
13.
Do you notice anything interesting about the names the characters have been given?
14.
What caused Bourne to lose his memory?
15.
Why were the two bullets in his back so close to the surface and so did no real damage?
16.
Why does the CIA want to kill Bourne?
Discuss
 The director has said that he did not want anything in the film that "didn't feel authentic". Do you think he
achieved that?
13
Design and Setting
All fiction (and non-fiction) needs a setting, a context, in which to tell its story.
There are three main aspects to consider
Place
Time
Society
Setting may also include mood and atmosphere.
The setting for a film is more than just the place where the events of the plot happen. More than when we
read a novel, we are affected by the visual environment we are shown, which indicates instantly whether the
setting is naturalistic or fantastic, real or imaginary.
 Which of these terms would best describe the setting of this film?
Designing a Film
The Production Designer and the Art Director work very closely with the director to create a convincing
world on screen. Even if the story is set in a real place, and in the present, decisions must be made about
what sorts of clothes, houses, furniture, vehicles and other props are to be used. One of the important
decisions made is about the time setting of a film. Even if the story is contemporary, the director may wish to
avoid extremes of fashion so that the film will still look contemporary 20 or 30 years in the future.
The Set Decorator (or dresser) is responsible for providing the detail of a set, whether it has been built
specifically for the film or rented: the pictures on the wall, the books or ornaments on a shelf, the wallpaper
and style of curtains. Clothes and the décor of rooms can be a quick and useful way of giving information
about characters, about their style of life and their personalities, just as the objects that you value - your
favourite clothes, treasures, photos, souvenirs - tell an outsider something about you. Objects can be as
important as people in a film, and can develop an overwhelming sense of presence. The way they are lit and
photographed can contribute to this.
The job of an art director varies from country to country and from project to project, but basically, the art
director interprets the director's ideas for the look of each shot. This involves negotiation with producer (who
is in control of the finance) and the director.
Smaller productions may have only a production designer or an art director. Larger productions,
particularly American ones, will have both. In America, the art director is really only the set designer, creating
technical drawings to interpret the director's ideas, with the production designer having overall control. A big
budget film will have a large Art team. Mission Impossible II, for example, had a Supervising Art Director and
three Art Directors, each of whom had an Assistant Art Director. There were more than 50 people in the art
department, and up to 200 carpenters to build what was designed. Spider-Man had a Production Designer,
four Art Directors, two Set Decorators and an Art Department of 42. American Beauty was a medium budget
production, with an art department of 29.
This film had a Production Designer, three Art Directors, a Set Decorator and an Art Department of 31.
Directors will often create storyboards which go to the production designer, who uses models, sketches,
magazine pictures etc to help the off-set art director create the effect that is wanted. The off-set director
works at a design table, drawing the designs that then go to carpenters who build the set. The on-set art
director, after the director and cinematographer have decided on the framing of each shot, 'tweaks' it to make
sure that it looks as good as possible, that the desired effect is achieved.
The entire car chase scene was storyboarded, as was the opening storm at sea sequence.
A signifier is any item that signals time or place (or character). For example, a decorated tree is a signifier of
Christmas; a white cane is a signifier of a blind person.
As you answer the following questions, identify specific signifiers that signal time, place and society.
14
Place
Where the events of the film take place. This film was shot on location in Europe: Paris, Italy, Prague
(standing in for Zurich), the Czech Republic (the farmhouse) and Mykonos, Greece.
1.
Where is the film set? How do we know? Give details.
2.
List the most important locations within the main settings. Comment on why they are important?
3.
Are there any significant features of place that affect the action?
When designers and set decorators decide what a room will look like, they are actually creating a back-story
for the characters that live there.
4.
What does his apartment tell us about Jason Bourne?
Time
There are two aspects of time in story-telling: the historical time in which the film is set, and the length of time.
5.
When is this film set? How do we know this?
6.
Why is the film set mostly in the winter?
7.
How much time is covered during the course of the narrative?
Society
The sorts of people in the novel, the social situation and the socio-economic class of the characters, as well
as to general state of society, to the general attitudes, beliefs and feelings operating within society, and how
they directly or indirectly affect the world of the novel.
8.
What is the 'society' that is the subject of the film?
9.
What are the distinctive features of this society?
Mood / Atmosphere
Mood, ambience, atmosphere are often very important, as are the methods used to create the mood.
10.
How would you describe the predominant mood or moods of this film?
11.
Are there scenes or episodes with significantly different moods?
12.
What methods are primarily used to create the moods? You might consider colour palette, the use of
music, the distance of the camera from the people or objects being filmed, juxtaposition of images or
ideas, the context of scenes, i.e. what comes before or after.
the Pont Neuf
15
Characterisation Checklist
When a writer creates a character in a book, there is a great deal of room for the imagination of the reader. Even if a
character’s physical appearance is described, no two readers are likely to ‘see’ the character in exactly the same way.
Apart from direct description, a writer creates character by telling us what they say, what they do and how they react to
other people. We may also be told what they think and what others think about them.
Characterisation in film has many more contributors – not only the writer, but the actor, the costume designer and makeup
artists, how the director wants the role interpreted, how the character is shot, the effect of the music and so on. All this
may make the character more vivid but also leaves less for us to imagine. This is often why people are disappointed when
they see the film of a book they have loved and the characters do not match their imagined idea of them.
The Screenplay
As in fiction, many of the significant qualities of the characters are designated in the writer’s instructions: what they are to
say and do, how to react and respond, what others say about them.
 A good screenplay will create a distinctive style of speech for each major character. Is that true here?
 Expressing a character’s thoughts is easier in fiction than on film. What techniques do film-makers have to do this?
Does this film include any of those techniques?
The Casting
Casting is a very important aspect of making a successful film. If the actors are miscast – which happens all too often –
then no matter how good everything else is, the movie will not succeed. Oscar-winning director Ron Howard has said,
"You can always get round a mistake in filming, but you can never transcend a bad casting choice."
 How well do you think this film was cast?
The Acting
Good actors can show a character’s inner life though their facial expression and body language. "Acting is not the things
you say. It's the things you don't say." Dame Judi Dench
 Look for examples of this.
Use of Costume
Costume is a useful shortcut; it gives us an immediate idea of how we are supposed to see characters.
 How has costume been used to assist characterisation?
Use of Light, Sound, Music, Cinematography, Camera Angles
Characterisation is aided by these cinematic techniques, though they leave little for us to do but respond.
 Look particularly for the use of high angle and low angle shots to suggest power, threat, vulnerability etc.

Look for the way light and music especially are used to increase our sympathy for or identification with a character.
Introduction of Characters

Look carefully at the way each character is introduced. Our responses to them will develop from this initial
introduction. What techniques are used to create this response?

Where is the character when first seen? What camera shots are used?

What is indicated by costume, hair, makeup?

What does the character do? say? think?

Is contrast with other characters established?
Development of Characters

As the film progresses, measure each character against your first impressions.
Do subsequent events reinforce or contrast with the first impressions? Is more revealed?

Does the character change and develop – or stay the same?

Look for 'character defining' moments.

Consider also the role that each character has in the narrative, their function in the plot. What do they contribute
to the story that is being told?

The word 'look' appears frequently on this page.
It is the most important thing you can do in studying a film: "Look closely."
16
Character Study
 Alone, in pairs or in groups, build up a comprehensive study of each of the main characters. Use
the questions in the checklist on the previous page and the questions below, as well as any you answered
from the close reading task sheets, to help you in this.
Step 1:
Make a list of facts: e.g. Eamon has two small children.
Step 2:
Identify significant actions, and suggest what they show us about the character.
Step 3:
Think of as many adjectives or adjectival phrases as you can to describe this character at some
stage to other. Cite quotations and/or supporting evidence to justify the adjectives. Record the
scene numbers for future reference. Remember, characters do change.
Step 4:
Consider how cinematic techniques have contributed to the characterisation.
Step 5:
Come to some conclusions about the character, their significance and relationships
This will provide you with the basis for a sound written answer on a character.
 Set out your answer in diagrammatic form to make it easy to refer to and to learn, or as a character poster
An example: Eamon
Actions
conclusion

allows Marie and Bourne to stay the night

he is basically a kind, hospitable person

takes the children and leaves

he is a loving and caring father
Adjectives/Phrases
evidence

English
 has an English accent

Marie's former boyfriend
 she lived with him for two months; he is not pleased to see her
Jason Bourne / Matt Damon
1. In what ways is Bourne different from usual action heroes?
2. The key to Bourne's character is in the scene with Marie in the café. Explain what it tells us about him.
3. Bourne speaks several languages fluently. Which ones, and when does he use each?
4. Quote examples of his ability to improvise.
5. Quote examples of his coolness under pressure.
6. He tends to keep his cool but on a few occasions, he almost loses it. When?
7. Although he is a trained assassin, he demonstrates repeatedly that his instincts are good and decent.
Quote instances of this.
8. Why does he tell Treadstone that he has killed Marie?
9. Bourne has a 'journey' to complete in the course of the narrative. What is his journey? Outline the
character arc it follows.
Marie Kreutz / Franke Potente
1. Director Doug Liman says he cast Franke Potente as Marie because he wanted 'someone who doesn't
feel familiar to American audiences'. In what ways is Marie an unfamiliar character?
2. What is she doing when Bourne first sees her? What difficulties has she encountered?
3. What contributions does she make to Bourne's quest?
4. Marie has her own 'journey' to make through the course of the narrative. What is her journey?
Minor Characters
Like most films, this one needs several minor characters to help tell its story. Often they are there to flesh out
a story, to add richness.
 List the most significant minor characters. For each, explain the important contribution they make.
17
Themes & Genre
Approaching Themes
In pairs or groups, decide what you think are the two or three most important ideas explored in this film.
Remember that themes are not 'morals' or lessons – you get those in fables and sermons – but ideas, issues,
concepts that are explored in literature and film.
Try to decide by consensus following discussion rather than simply ignoring or rejecting ideas.
For each of the themes you identify, note supporting evidence from the film. Add quotations of you can.
Set your notes out like this:
idea/theme
scene(s) where it is illustrated or is relevant
significance
characters who illustrate it + quotations
film
If you are working in groups, you may be asked to share your findings with the rest of the class.
Approaching Genre
'Genre' is a word – borrowed from French – which means a grouping of similar works. All movies in a
particular genre will include certain basic ingredients, the way a chocolate cake or a casserole does.
If you are unfamiliar with genre, your teacher will give you some background material.
Look at this list of film genres. If you don't know what they all mean, either do some research or ask your
teacher.

action

courtroom drama

history

romantic comedy

adventure

crime

horror

romantic drama

animated feature

detective

love story

science fiction

art film

disaster

martial arts

social drama

biopic

documentary

melodrama

splatter movie

black comedy

drama

mockumentary

sports

buddy movie

dysfunctional family

musical

spy thriller

caper movie

epic

mystery

superhero

comedy

gangster

picaresque

teen

coming of age

family comedy

quest

thriller

costume drama

fantasy

road movie

war

Working on your own, in pairs or in groups, decide within which genres this films best fits. For each genre,
identify the features of the film that make you decide it fits there.

Choose the most appropriate genre, and list the features you would expect to find in a film of that genre.
Then, in a second column, note whether this film meets those expectations or if it deviates from them, and
if so how.
18
Styles of Film-making
The drama, the attraction, of film lies not so much in what is shot – that's the
drama of subject – but in how it is shot and how it is presented through editing.
– James Monaco, How to Read a Film
As you study this film, remember this statement. Film study is not just – or even primarily – about what
happens, but as much or more about the way we are shown it. If a writer uses the word 'rose', the reader is
free to imagine any of a thousand different possible roses. When a film-maker shows us a rose, we all see
the same rose. But we can be told a vast amount about the rose – much more than a writer can tell us – by
the way it is filmed: from above or below, close or distant, frontally lit or back-lit, moving or still, in full or
desaturated colour, or in black and white, accompanied by music or silence, and so on. Atmosphere can be
created, symbolism implied, metaphors intended – all in a brief moment. The possibilities are endless. And
every image, every frame, of the film will be the result of dozens of decisions about what will be shown – and
how.
Realism
A style of film that emphasises the natural world. The camera is used as an observer of the action and tends
to present the point of view that a person might have if they were actually observing the scene of the film.
Close-up shots, extreme angles and frequent editing techniques are avoided.
Whale Rider and 10 Things I Hate About You are films that indicate that their directors have approached them
with realism in mind. They present a view of natural reality as if you were there.
Expressionism
A style of film made by directors when they want to emphasise their point of view. They use close-ups,
extreme angles, special effects and frequent editing to insist that you see what they want you to see and get
the meaning they intend to convey.
Jurassic Park, The Princess Bride and Edward Scissorhands are films that could be labelled as
expressionistic, although they obviously contain realistic sequences as well.
Montage
A style of film-making where the director sees what happens in front of the camera as raw material to be cut
up and reassembled in the post-production laboratories. Shots and scenes may be juxtaposed to contrast
locations, to jump time etc. in order to tell the story. Films that rely heavily on montage are characterised by
frequent cuts and other editing techniques, special effects and the wide range of laboratory and studio
techniques available to the film-maker.
Baz Luhrmann’s films – Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge – are created in this way, as is Chicago.
Mise en Scène
A style of film-making that is straightforward, where the work is done by the actors on the set rather than by
tricky camerawork or editing. This style is characterised by long takes or 'sequence shots' made up of
unedited shots from a single camera set-up which generally (but not always) constitutes entire dramatic
sequences within a film. In a long take, actors must act. There is no chance to save a performance by cutting
away to someone or something else in the scene.
Billy Elliot is largely shot mise en scène, although there are sequences of montage as well.
Films are almost never completely in one category or another; most films contain elements of all four of the
categories and are said to be characterised by whichever ones dominate.
 Which of the styles described is the most appropriate to describe this film. Explain your reasoning.
19
Light and Colour
Lighting is one of the major elements in a film and is basically responsible for the fact that we see any image on the
screen at all.
But, in more specific ways, lighting is responsible for both the quality of the images and for much of the film's
dramatic effect. The Director of Photography is chiefly responsible for the film's lighting, but s/he works out each scene's
illumination with the director and often with the production designer, and this is put into operation by the gaffer.
Lighting is responsible for significant effects in each scene. The composition of the mise en scène can be reinforced
by the unity that lighting gives certain scenic elements, by the attention it can draw to major areas of interest, and by its
interplay with dark areas. At the same time, lighting can give depth to a scene, while also bringing out texture and detail in
setting, decor, and clothing. Lighting affects the appearance of a character, defining or diminishing facial characteristics
and making faces appear attractive or unattractive. And lighting is responsible for the mood and atmosphere of individual
scenes as well as the entire film.
One basic distinction is between hard and soft light: the former, generally coming from a spotlight, clearly illuminates
areas, sharply outlines and illuminates characters, brings out detail and texture, and markedly separates light and
shadows; while the latter covers a wider area with a more diffuse light, diminishes outline and clarity of characters,
minimizes shadow, and reduces modelling of detail and texture.
In general, there are two basic types of luminaires for motion-picture production: the floodlight, which gives a large
area of diffuse illumination, and the spot-light, from which a beam can be focused to light or highlight a specific area.
Various pieces of ancillary equipment help to create the desired lighting effects. 'Barn doors' placed in front of the lamp
cut off illumination from certain areas of the set; shutters, scrims, nets, and various kinds of diffusers determine the
intensity of light; 'cookies' and 'gobos' create shadows; filters control the colour of light rays; and portable reflectors soften
and diffuse light.
The key light is the major luminaire that illuminates the subject of the image and is normally placed to the front and
side of the subject. The fill light is generally placed on the opposite side and fills in the shadows of the subject. The third
luminaire in this traditional configuration is the back light, which highlights the edges of the subject and separates it from
the background. There are numerous variations of this basic kind of lighting, however.
Terms commonly used in describing the dominant style of lighting for a scene are 'high key' and 'low key'. High-key
lighting indicates a brightly lit scene with a minimum of shadows and a key light that is bright and dominant; low-key
lighting indicates a scene where the lighting is more towards the greyer and darker scale, where there is a good deal of
shadow, and where the key light is less bright and does not dominate. A scene, however, with strong contrast between
bright light and shadow, with a small amount of in-between grey scale, is called 'high-contrast' lighting.
The general effect of a character's appearance is significantly determined by the angle or direction of the key light.
Front lighting flattens out the face, diminishes contour and detail, and softens or even blurs the features – such lighting
can diminish the appearance of aging or make a person more attractive, but it can also make the face somewhat
characterless. Back lighting does not bring out details in the face, but highlights the edges of a character, creating a kind
of rim or halo around the head and especially the hair while separating the individual from the background; as a result it
tends to make the character more angelic or ethereal. Top lighting bathes the character in light, as if the illumination were
coming from heaven, giving them an angelic or spiritual appearance; while bottom lighting shadows and distorts the face,
making it appear sinister, threatening, or evil. Finally, side lighting, if angled carefully, can model the face and bring out
detail; but it can also highlight only half the face, leaving the other half relatively undefined or in shadow, thus suggesting a
two-sided or mysterious personality.
In general, bright, clear, even illumination creates a mood of happiness, joy and security, and is therefore frequently
used for comedy. More diffuse, greyer lighting can convey inclement weather and communicate the more sombre and
unhappy spirit of a serious drama. Greyer light with more shadows is effective in mystery films, film noir, or horror films;
high-contrast lighting can be effective in drama or thrillers. Dramatic contrasts in light and shade (chiaroscuro) are often
used to heighten tension or create an atmosphere of fear or threat.
Two general schools in cinematography have been referred to as 'naturalism' and 'pictorialism'. The first favours a
key light that seems to come from a source in the scene or from a natural outside source; the second favours any
placement of the key light that gives the most striking visual image.
1. Into which of the lighting schools outlined above – naturalism or pictorialism – does the lighting of this film
belong? Give specific examples to justify your answer.
2. Lighting is used to particular effect in a number of scenes. Describe three scenes where particularly
effective lighting is used.
3. Colour is closely associated with lighting. Comment on the use of colour in the film.
20
Post-production: Editing
Film-makers build the structure of a movie by arranging its shots through editing.
The classic continuity style is to link shots so that the illusion of coherence and unity is maintained, and in a
way that avoids drawing attention to itself. To achieve this unobtrusiveness, editors adopt some quite
arbitrary rules that have developed over the years and which are now so taken for granted that we no longer
register them. These include the shot/reverse shot: a character is shown and then the film cuts to the
person being talked to or the object being looked at. The over-the-shoulder shot is almost invariably used
for dialogue sequences. Intercutting and cross-cutting allow the suggestion of simultaneous events.
The 180o-rule insists that a camera remains in the same relationship to each character
in a scene and never crosses an imaginary line across the front of the scene.
The editing together of a large number of shots with no intention to create a continuous reality – montage – is
often used to compress time (a number of facts is established in one sequence). Films may begin with a
montage to establish a particular time and place. With the absence of a visual relationship between them, the
montage shots are usually linked through a unified sound – either a voice-over or a piece of music. Most films
– even the ultra-realist – contain some montage.
Films edited in the classic continuity style tend to usher the viewer though the narrative; editing helps clarify
what is significant. Montage is a more extreme way of manipulating viewer response. Mise en scène style
films are more demanding of individual response.

Which of the editing techniques mentioned are significant features of this film? Quote specific examples
to justify your answer.
 Find and describe examples of each of the following. Note that 'scenes' refers to actual scenes in the film,
not those identified in the scene-by-scene which are often sequences.
1. whole scenes shot without editing or intercutting
2. scenes intercut with response and reaction shots
3. aural bridges linking scenes
4. visual link between scenes
5. editing that emphasises continuity from one scene to the next
6. over-shoulder shots
7. shot / reverse shot
8. montage
9. scenes where the 180o-rule is broken
10. INSERTS of images from other media
21
Editing Terms: Cuts
JUMP CUT / SHOCK CUT
An abrupt transition between shots, deliberately disorienting in terms of the continuity of space and time.
In the 'classic continuity' style of editing, where editing is discreet and 'invisible', and aims to give the appearance of
continuous time and space in the story-world, a jump cut refers to a cut within a scene between two sequential shots of the
same subject that is abrupt and jarring, and so is considered a mistake. Jump cuts draw attention to the constructed
nature of the film. However, editors now frequently employ deliberately abrupt transitions, so the term is used more
loosely to describe any abrupt and noticeable edit cut in a film. Some film scholars, however, will insist that a cut between
two different subjects is not a true jump cut, no matter how sudden or jarring, and prefer to use the term 'shock cut'. A
very sudden cut can be called a 'crash cut', which is the term Peter Jackson uses.
MATCH CUT / GRAPHIC MATCH
Any cut that emphasises continuity of time and space (spatio-temporal continuity) and thus, in contrast with the
conspicuous and abrupt discontinuity of a 'jump cut', forms the basis for 'invisible' continuity editing, such as the use of
'match on action'. [see below] The match cut contrasts with cross-cutting (or parallel editing), which draws parallels or
contrasts between two different time-space locations.
The term 'match cut' is most often used when the match between shots is both smooth and visible rather than invisible.
For instance, a 'graphic match' occurs when the shapes, colours and/or overall movement of shot A are matched with the
composition of shot B, either within a scene or, especially, across a transition between two scenes. An object or action
shown in the first shot is repeated in some fashion in the second shot; the objects may be the same, be similar, or have
similar shapes or uses.
The 'match cut' often involves an element of metaphorical (or at least meaningful) comparison between shot A and shot B,
and so also sometimes called a 'metaphor cut'.
A famous example of this is found at the end of the 'Dawn of Man' sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick,
1968). A primitive ape discovers the use of bones as a weapon and throws the bone into the air. When the bone reaches
its highest point, the shot cuts to that of a similarly-shaped space station in orbit above the earth – a nuclear weapons
platform. This edit has been described as a jump cut, including on the box of the DVD, but it is more correctly a graphic
match because the viewer is meant to see the similarity between the bone and the space craft and not the discontinuity
between the two shots.
Another famous match cut comes from Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962) where an edit cuts together Lawrence
blowing out a lit candle with the desert sun rising from the horizon.
CUTTING ON ACTION / MATCHING ON ACTION
Where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action and energy. Although the two
shots may have actually been shot hours apart from each other, cutting on action gives the impression of continuous time
when watching the edited film. A variation of 'cutting on action' is a cut in which the subject exits the frame in the first shot
and then enters the frame in the subsequent shot. The entrance in the second shot must match the screen direction and
rhythm of the exit in the first shot.
Some films, such as Alain Resnais' Last Year at Marienbad (1961), play with this technique to connect scenes set in
different places. In one, there is a shot of a large hall in which somebody turns her head; then the film cuts to the same
person finishing the head turn, but standing in a completely different room. In this case, the edits blur the spatial and
temporal relationship between scenes.
INSERTS and CUTAWAYS
In film, an INSERT is a shot of part of a scene as filmed from a different angle and/or focal length from the master shot.
INSERTS cover action already covered in the master shot, but emphasise a different aspect of that action due to the
different framing.
An INSERT is different from a CUTAWAY in that the CUTAWAY is of action not covered in the master shot.
There are more exact terms to use when the new, inserted shot is another view of actors: CLOSE UP, HEAD SHOT, TWO
SHOT. So the term INSERT is often confined to views of objects, and body parts other than the head.
Thus: CLOSE-UP of the gunfighter, INSERT of his hand quivering above the holster, TWO SHOT of his friends watching
anxiously, INSERT of the clock ticking. Often INSERTS of this sort are done separately from the main action, by a
second-unit director using stand-ins.
Both INSERTS and CUTAWAYS can be vexatious for directors, as care must be taken to preserve continuity by keeping
the objects in the same relative position as in the main take, and having the lighting the same.
In his director's commentary to Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle refers to CUTAWAYS as 'INSERTS'; presumably the
fine distinction is less important to directors than to film scholars.
22
Trivia Quiz
1.
What does Giancarlo cut out of Bourne's hip?
a. bullets
2.
5.
b. two
c. three
d. four
c. a green card
d. an acknowledgement of the assassination attempt
The bank where Bourne discovers his name is:
b. Credit Suisse
c. Union Bank of Switzerland
d. Gemeinschaft
In his escape from the US consulate in Zurich, what item does Bourne take to help him?
b. a machine gun
c. a rope ladder
d. a mobile phone
What item does Bourne drop during his escape from the embassy?
b. his gun
c. his red bag
d. a walkie-talkie
How much money does Borne offer Marie to drive him to Paris?
a. $10,000
9.
d. an identity bracelet
b. his political power restored
a. evacuation plans
8.
c. a bank account number
a. blackmail money
a. evacuation plans
7.
b. a driver's licence
What does Wombosi want from the US government?
a. Rabobank
6.
d. an arrowhead
How many policemen does Bourne beat up in a Zurich park?
a. one
4.
c. microfilm
What is the one clue Jason Bourne has to his identity?
a. an address book
3.
b. a small tube
b. $15,000
c. $20,000
d. $50,000
Three other Treadstone operatives are sent to Paris. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
a. Picot
b. Castel
c. Manheim
d. the Professor
10. Each operative lives in one of the following European cities except?
a. Barcelona
b. Munich
c. Hamburg
d. Rome
11. What does Marie say she does when she gets nervous?
a. She changes her hair colour
b. She licks her lips
c. She eats
d. She talks too much
12. When proving his unique abilities to Marie, Bourne says everything but:
a. I can climb down the walls of high buildings
b. I can tell you the licence plate numbers of all six cars outside
c. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the grey truck outside
d. The guy sitting up at the counter weighs 215 pounds and knows how to handle himself
13. Why does Jason say he can never forget about Marie?
a. Her streaky hair is unforgettable
b. He likes listening to her
c. She's the only person he knows
d. She has all his money
14. What weapon does Bourne use to defend himself against his first attacker?
a. a ballpoint pen
b. a cordless phone
c. a number two pencil
23
d. a paperweight
15. How does Marie get Kane's bill from the hotel?
a. She steals it from the desk clerk
b. She flirts with the front desk clerk
c. She just asks for it
d. Sleight of hand
16. How many children does Eamon have?
a. One boy
b. One boy and one girl
c. One girl
d. two girls
c. the phone is dead
d. the dog is missing
17. How does Bourne figure out that The Professor is nearby?
a. a broken branch
b. the gas tank explodes
18. What medical problem is the tell-tale sign of Treadstone operatives?
a. headaches
b. insomnia
c. blinking
d. shaky hands
19. What are the Professor's dying words?
a. Who are you?
b. Look at what they make you give.
c. They said 'Go to Paris.'
d. We always work alone.
20. When they finally meet in person, what is the first thing that Bourne says to Conklin?
a. Are you Treadstone?
b. Gun down!
c. Who am I?
d. You move, you die!
c. Nykwana
d. Sanka
21. What is Wombosi's first name?
a. Nkosnana
b. Kofi
22. Who owns the house where the Professor finds Jason and Marie?
a. Ian
b. Eamon
c. Evan
d. Erwin
23. How does Bourne prove to Marie that their cover has been blown?
a. he breaks into a police car
b. he tears a poster off a lamp-post
c. he points out the watching Professor
d. he makes her listen to the police radio
24. From what is Bourne suffering?
a. paranoia
b. schizophrenia
c. amnesia
d. neurosis
c. Marie Kreutz
d. Jessica Langley
25. What is the name of Treadstone's Paris controller?
a. Nicolette Parsons
b. Marie St Jacques
24
Useful Quotations
Giancarlo: What's this? You tie these knots? So it starts to come back, huh?
Bourne: No, it doesn't start to come back. The knot's like everything else, I just found the rope and I did it.
The same way I can, I can read, I can write. I can add, subtract. I can make coffee. I can shuffle
cards. I can set up a chessboard.
Marie: This is a student visa now. It's not about a green card anymore. It's completely different.
Clerk: It's not a menu, Miss Kreutz. You don't just pick what you want.
Bourne: Who has a safety deposit box full of money and six passports and a gun? Who has a bank account
number in their hip? I come in here and the first thing I'm doing is I'm catching the sight lines and
looking for an exit. … I can tell you the licence plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell that
our waitress is left-handed, and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs 215 pounds and knows how
to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the grey truck outside. And at
this altitude, I can run flat-out for a half mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know
that? How can I know that and not know who I am?
Bourne: How could I forget about you? You're the only person I know.
Marie: I guess you're not home.
Conklin: I want Bourne in a body bag by sun-down.
Marie: Nobody does the right thing.
Conklin: Great police work, really brilliant! Why don't they just put up a sign that says 'Don't come back'?
What is the French word for 'stakeout', huh?
Marie: We? The only thing we had in common was that neither one of us knew who you were!
Bourne: Everything I found out, I want to forget.
the Professor: I work alone like you. We always work alone.
Conklin:
Bourne:
Conklin:
Bourne:
Let's ask Marie what she wants to do.
Actually, I don't think she gives a shit. She's dead.
I'm sorry to hear that. How did that happen?
She was slowing me down.
Abbott: Can you really bring him in?
Conklin: I think we're past that, don't you? What, do you have a better idea?
Abbott: Well, so far, you've given me nothing but a trail of collateral damage from Zurich to Paris. I don't
think I could do much worse.
Conklin: Well why don't you go upstairs and book a conference room. Maybe you can talk him to death.
Bourne: [to Conklin] I told you to come alone, but I guess that was too hard. So try this: I'm gone.
Bourne: Who am I?
Conklin: You're U.S. Government property. You're a malfunctioning $30 million weapon. You're a total
goddamn catastrophe, and by God, if it kills me, you're going to tell me how this happened.
Bourne: You sent me to kill Wombosi.
Conklin: Kill Wombosi? We can do that any time we want. I can send Nikki to do that, for chrissake. Mr
Wombosi was supposed to be dead three weeks ago. He was supposed to have died in a way
where the only possible explanation was that he'd been murdered by a member of his own
entourage. I don't send you to kill. I send you to be invisible. I send you because you don't exist.
Bourne:
Marie:
Bourne:
Marie:
Bourne:
Is this your store?
Yeah.
It's nice. A little hard to find.
Do you have ID?
Not really.
25
Cast
Matt Damon
Jason Bourne
Franka Potente
Marie Kreutz
Chris Cooper
Alexander Conklin
Clive Owen
the Professor
Brian Cox
Ward Abbott
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Nykwana Wombosi
Gabriel Mann
Danny Zorn
Julia Stiles
Nicolette Parsons
Walton Goggins
Research Tech
Josh Hamilton
Research Tech
Orso Maria Guerrini
Giancarlo
Tim Dutton
Eamon
Denis Braccini
Picot
Nicky Naude
Castel
Russell Levy
Manheim
aspect ratio: 2.35:1  running time: 119 min
Filming Locations
Prague, Czech Republic
Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic
Imperia, Liguria, Italy
Mykonos, Greece
Bourne's apartment: Avenue Kleber, Paris 8
Wombosi's mansion: Place des Etats-Unis, Paris 8
Hôtel Regina, Jardin des Tuileries, Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts, all Paris 1; Gare du Nord, Paris 10
Assassin locating-montages: Barcelona, Spain; Rome, Italy; Munich, Germany
Awards
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
Won, Top Box Office Film music – John Powell
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Nominated: Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
American Choreography Awards: won, Outstanding Achievement in Fight Choreography
Art Directors Guild: nominated, Excellence in Production Design Award, Contemporary Films
Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA:
nominated, Best Sound Editing in Domestic Features - Dialogue & ADR
Best Sound Editing in Domestic Features - Sound Effects & Foley
World Stunt Awards: won, Taurus Award, Best Work with a Vehicle
26
The Complex Make-up of a Movie
 plot, characters, setting, themes, structure
screenplay
 wit, humour, allusions, motifs, clichés
Tony Gilroy and
William Blake Herron

 organisation, finance, location scouting;
 employing, feeding, accommodating cast and crew;
producers
 getting everybody to the right place at the right time;
 and a thousand other tasks
Frank Marshall
Patrick Crowley
Richard N. Gladstein
 actors – leads, supports, bit parts
casting
Joseph Middleton
 extras (do not speak)

 style, tone, lighting
Director
Doug Liman
Director of Photography  style, tone, lighting, colours, motifs
(Cinematographer)
Oliver Wood
Production Designer
 creates the world, the look of the film
Art Director:
 colours, props, details of scenes
Yann Biquand
Laurent Piron
Bertrand Clerq-Roques
Set Decorator
 furniture, furnishings, props etc
Sandrine Mauvezin
costumes
 designed or bought
Pierre-Yves Gayraud
makeup
 minimal or complex
Jean-Luc Russier
hair
 styles ( + wigs etc if required)
sound
 natural or artificial
sound effects
 as required
sound effects editing

music
 original or found
special effects (SFX)

editing
 pace, style, juxtaposition; montage
Dan Weil
Kay Georgiou
Per Hallberg
Karen M. Baker
Craig S. Jaeger
and others
John Powell
Philippe Hubin
Jean-Christophe
Magnaud
Saar Klein, Christopher
Rouse
Pre-production:
screenplay, storyboarding; location scouting; set design & decoration; costume design, casting.
Production:
filming on set or location – actors, costumes, makeup; cinematography, lighting, sound etc
Post-production:
editing, adding SFX, music, sound effects, sound effects editing, etc
27
Glossary of Film Terms
ambient sound
animation
art director
aural bridge
auteur
backlighting
body language
camera angle
cinematographer
close-up [C.U.]
continuity
crane shot
credits
cross-cutting
cut
cut-away
deep focus
dissolve
dolly
dub
editing
establishing shot
exposition
fade-in
film noir
flashback
focus
footage
frame
freeze frame
gaffer
genre
grain
hand held
camera
high key lighting
inpoint
insert [cut in]
jump cut
location
long lens
long shot /L.S.
master shot
matte
medium [mid]
shot
background sound (not music e.g. bushes rustling): footsteps etc to match action = FOLEY effects
The process of assembling drawings to be photographed one frame at a time, to create an illusion of
movement. Cartoons are best-known form of animation.
The designer of sets and costumes.
hearing the sound of the next shot before cutting to it - signals a transition
A director (or occasionally some other type of film-maker) with a recognisable style and view of life.
Light from behind a person or object, sometimes creating a halo effect.
The way our feelings are expressed through our body.
The angle at which the camera is pointed at a person or object (high, low, neutral = eye-level). A
camera tilted to one side so the horizon is on a slant is canted or tilted, sometimes called a 'Dutch
angle'; not to be confused with a 'tilt shot', which involves camera movement.
A movie cameraman, usually the 'director of photography'.
A camera shot that seems to bring us close to the person or object being filmed; a shot of a person's
face only is a 'close-up'. + 'Extreme Close Up' [E.C.U.] or 'Big Close Up' [B.C.U.].
The script supervisor keeps a record of 'takes' to make sure that the details are consistent from one
shot to another (e.g. a character must be in the same clothes if a scene is shot over several days).
A shot taken from a crane (a kind of extreme high angle shot).
The list of cast, crew, and other people involved in making a film. 'Head credits' at beginning; 'tail
credits' at end.
The alternating of shots from two different sequences, often in different locales, suggesting they are
taking place at the same time.
The place where one shot has been spliced to another.
A brief shot inserted into a sequence showing something connected with the sequence but outside the
action, e.g. a shot of the audience watching a show or a game that is being filmed.
Every object is in focus to a great depth. See shallow focus
One image fades in while another fades out, so that they are superimposed for a few moments.
A platform with wheels that allows the camera to be moved: 'dolly shot', 'tracking' or 'trucking' shot.
To record dialogue after a film has been shot, usually replacing one language with another.
The process of selecting, arranging and trimming the various shots to make up a film.
Usually a long-shot, it gives an overview of a scene so the audience is not confused about what is
happening and where. [EST.]
The basic information that must be supplied to an audience at the beginning of a story, so they can
follow the story and feel involved with it.
An image appears out of blackness, gradually brightening to full strength. Fade-out = image fades to
black
A French term ('black cinema') for a genre of thrillers in which the universe is despairing and fatalistic.
A return to a scene in the past. (A flash forward = a future scene shown before it happens.)
The sharpness of an image. To focus a camera is to adjust the lens so that it gives a sharper image.
The amount of film used, or to be used (measured in feet or metres).
A term used to refer to: 1. any single image of a film (there are 24 frames per second)
2. the rectangular shape of the image (like the 'frame' of a painting).
A single frame repeated many times so it looks like a still photograph.
The chief electrician in charge of the lights. His/her assistant is the 'best boy'.
A type of film (e.g. western, sci-fi.).
The texture of the film emulsion. A film image with coarse texture is said to be 'grainy'.
The camera is sometimes held in the hand, even though a tripod gives smoother results. See
Steadicam.
Bright lighting, usually provided by one source of light (the 'key light').
The detail or image at the beginning of a scene, selected for its impact, or because it provides a
smooth transition from the previous scene to the new scene. See OUTPOINT.
A detail shot (for example a close-up of a letter), or a brief shot inserted into a sequence showing
something connected with the action, perhaps as a reminder of what has happened, a hint of what
might happen, or something which will become important. An insert differs from a cutaway in that the
cutaway is of action not covered in the master shot.
An abrupt transition between shots, usually deliberate, which is disorienting in terms of time and space;
a startling transition that requires a leap of the imagination. Originally (and still) used for bad cuts
within the same scene. Peter Jackson uses the term 'crash cut' for really shocking jumps.
A place, other than a studio, where a film is shot.
A lens with a long focal effect that has a telescopic effect.
A shot from a distance - it shows a person from head to foot, and perhaps more than this.
A long take of an entire scene, into which other shots e.g. reaction shots, are cut.
A process of combining several images during the printing process (e.g. to add a background).
[M.S.] A shot between a close-up and a long shot in the sense of closeness it creates.
28
mise en scène
montage
morphing
outpoint
off camera [O.C.]
out of shot [O.S.]
over-shoulder
shot
pan
point-of-view shot
[POV shot]
pull focus
reaction shot
reverse angle
rough cut
screenplay
set-up
shallow focus
shooting/ filming
shot
side lighting
Skycam
soft focus
sound mix
sound effects
special effects
[SFX]
split screen
Steadicam
still
storyboard
sub-text
synchronisation
subjective shot
take
telephoto lens
texture
threnody
tighter shot
tilt shot
tracking shot
two-shot
video
visuals
voice over [VO]
wide-angle lens
wipe
zoom
Getting a scene together, the choices made about the details of the imaged; what items will be in it, and
how those items are to be presented.
A fast-moving sequence in which many shots are combined – to create a mood, or to sum up a long
process, to suggest connections. A series of short clips which add up to more than the sum of the
whole. Compresses a passage of time into brief symbolic or typical images.
Transforming from one image into another
The final detail or image in a particular scene. It may sum up what has happened, add a touch of irony,
or point towards the following scene. See INPOINT
A character speaks while the camera looks elsewhere. Not the same as voice over. Also known as
'out of shot' [O.S.]
A camera position often used in dialogue scenes, usually alternated to show the character who is
speaking.
The movement of the camera when it swivels from left to right or right to left
A shot in which the camera is associated with the eyes of a character ('this is what s/he sees'). very
useful for helping the viewer identify with a character.
To shift focus from one part of a scene to another (also known as 'follow focus' or 'rack focus')
A shot that shows a person's reaction to what happened in the previous shot. (It is known as a 'noddy'
if the person is merely nodding, such as a television interviewer!)
A shot from the opposite side. When two people talk, there is often a 'shot and reverse shot'
alternation.
The first edited version of the film, like a rough copy. It is revised to become the final cut.
A film or television script.
The position of the camera and lighting, selected for a particular shot.
Objects in foreground will be sharp; those in background will be blurred or softened. Opposite = deep
focus.
The 'shoot' is the period of time spent filming.
A film is made up of many different shots. During the shooting of a film, a shot ends when the camera
is turned off. Each shot involves a different camera set-up. During and after the editing of the film a
shot ends where the editor has cut it off. See TAKE.
Light coming from one side – can create sense of volume, bring out surface tensions, fill in unlit areas.
A lightweight camera is suspended via wires and pulleys and controlled from a computer.
Opposite of sharp focus, sometimes produced by filters or Vaseline to add a romantic effect.
The combination of different elements (dialogue, music, sound effects) to make up the sound track
Sounds other than words.
Creating illusions by the use of trick photography, miniature models and various types of equipment. A
bomb can explode; a flying saucer can appear, thanks to SFX.
Two or more separate images within the same frame.
The camera is attached to a vest on the camera operator who can then move it without jerkiness.
A single photograph, the enlargement of one frame.
A script presented as a serious of drawings and captions.
A person's private thoughts and feelings which may be different from those expressed publicly.
Matching sounds with visuals. When words match the movements of the lips, the film is 'in sync'.
A point of view shot, sometimes distorted to emphasise the character's state of mind.
One attempt at a shot. To get the effect wanted, the director may ask for more than one version or
'take'. Same as 'shot' but it refers more narrowly to the period when the film is being made.
A long lens with a telescopic effect.
A term used to refer to: (1) the actual physical look of a film image, those qualities that allow us to
distinguish it from a video image or an oil painting, or other kind of image. (2) richness of detail –
clouds, faces, wind tugging at clothes, cars passing in the background, etc.
To respond to texture is to notice not just the main meaning or the main objects in a film scene, but also
to notice details, colours and surfaces.
an unnerving sound, signalling a change of mood (threnody = song of lament)
A closer shot, leaving less space around the people or objects on which the camera is concentrating.
The stationery camera starts at the top of an object/figure and scans down to the bottom [tilt down) or
at the bottom and scans to the top [tilt up]. Only the lens moves; when the whole camera is lifted =
crane shot.
The camera moves on a 'dolly', enabling it to follow people who are moving along.
A shot in which two people are shown (cameramen also speak of 'one-shot' and 'three-shot').
Television filming. The images are recorded not on film stock, but on videotape.
The images of a film.
Commentary by an unseen narrator.
A lens with a broad angle of view, increasing the sense of depth and distance.
An optical effect in which one image appears to push the previous image off the screen.
A lens that can be adjusted from 'wide-angle' to 'telephoto'. Such a lens can 'zoom in' or 'zoom out'
(seem to move closer or further away from an object).
29
Plot Events

Complete each statement to build up an outline of the events.
1. The crew of an Italian fishing boat
2. Giancarlo removes
3. Then he finds a device
4. When the man wakes, he discovers
5. Over the next few days on the ship, he finds he is fluent
6. and can perform unusual tasks such as
7. but he cannot remember
8.
When the ship docks in Imperia, Italy, he sets off for
9. to
10. At CIA HQ, Abbott finds out about a failed assassination attempt on
11. In Zürich, the amnesiac is approached by
12. when they attempt to arrest him, he
13. The next morning, he visits the bank and
14. finding
15. He also finds
16. He assumes the name from the first
and
17. He puts all the passports and money
licence
but leaves
18. As he leaves, a bank employee calls
19. He informs them that
20. Bourne goes into the U.S. Consulate to
21. He sees a young German woman Marie Kreutz who
22. Pursued by Marine Security Guards, he
23. Outside, he offers Marie
24. Back at Langley, Conklin, the head of Treadstone, assures Abbott that he will destroy any
25. Not knowing what Bourne is up to, he activates
26. Bourne arrives at the
27. where he is recognised by
30
28. In his apartment, he
29. and is connected to the Hotel
30. where one of his passport aliases –
– is recognised.
31. They tell him that Kane
32. Castel
33. Castel
34. Marie has found
35. She goes
36. Bourne swiftly escorts
37. Bourne stashes his red bag
38. He tells Marie to go to the authorities and explain
39. Marie
40. The police
41. Bourne leads them on a chase through Paris during which he discovers
42. They evade the police and abandon
43. They take refuge in
44. where Bourne dyes
45. The next morning, Bourne
46. He discovers that Kane
47. Marie has located
48. Wombosi has already
49. but realised
50. The Professor shoots
51. Bourne finds the body
52. and that Wombosi
53. Newspaper reports on Wombosi's death tell Bourne
54. Marie is
55. He decides that he and Marie
56. They travel into
57. They plan to hide at the house
58. Eamon arrives back with
31
59. He reluctantly
60. Jason, worried about the children, tells
61. He suggests they
62. In the morning,
63. Bourne immediately tells Eamon
64. He takes Eamon's
65. and shoots
66. He then
67. The Professor reveals
68. Bourne gives Marie
69. He sends her away
70. Using the Professor's phone,
71. He tells him to
72. Bourne watches
73. He also spots
74. Bourne plants a
75. He follows it to the
76. He gains access to the house
77. As Conklin talks about the failed operation, Bourne begins to
78. He failed to kill Wombosi because
79. Jumping from the boat, he was
80. Bourne tells Conklin that he has
81. Seeing Conklin is wearing a transmitter,
82. Leaving Nicky unharmed, he
83. He escapes
84. Conklin regains consciousness
85. where Manheim
86. Receiving confirmation from Zorn that Conklin is dead, Abbott
87. Abbott goes before an oversight committee and explains Treadstone
88. and immediately shifts the focus of the hearing to
89. Jason finds Marie running
90. They
32
33
Close Reading: Scene Analysis
Opening Sequence: EXT. THE OCEAN & FISHING BOAT – NIGHT
SHOTS
NOTES – SOUND ETC
ACTION
a body floats on the surface of the sea,
illuminated by a flash of lightning
a fishing boat in a storm
fishermen play cards
ship at sea
lightning, thunder, rain
SCREEN TEXT:
'MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 60 MILES
SOUTH OF MARSEILLES'
card game – the hands;
fishermen: faces, hands, cards
fishermen, hands, cards – the pot is won
the floating body with small flashing
beacon
a seaman carries rubbish along the deck
walks to the rear
throws the rubbish over the stern
sees the body lit by a flash of lightning
his face
the floating body, on its back
his face
the body
BLACK
the man is winched aboard
the body on a stretcher
lifted over onto the deck
fishermen
they think he is dead – one crosses
himself – but his hand moves
34
Sequence 19: Castel
EXT. ROME – DAY
SHOTS
NOTES – SOUND ETC
ACTION
road
Castel rides a motor scooter
past the Coliseum
street
Rome
data
a corridor cf. catacombs;
Castel walks
Castel and his picture
"LOCATION ROME ITALY
TRANSMISSION
CONFIRMED"
MONITOR 'Police Urbaine'
the Professor with a gun
he points the gun
Castel goes through door
closes door
opens box – a hand gun
Castel
the gun, cash, passports
Castel
passport d.o.b. April 12, 1969;
issued 1997
an emotionless Castel leaves
35
Character Match

Beside the description of the character, write the appropriate name from the list below.
1. an amnesiac assassin
2. a Bohemian German traveller
3. a CIA Deputy Director
4. a CIA field operative in Paris
5. co-ordinator of Treadstone
6. a deposed African dictator
7. a father of two children
8. a French employee
9. an Italian fisherman
10. a key member of Treadstone's control team
11. a Treadstone operative based in Barcelona
12. a Treadstone operative based in Hamburg
13. a Treadstone operative based in Rome
Ward Abbott, Jason Bourne, Castel, Alexander Conklin, Eamon, Giancarlo, Marie Kreutz, Manheim, Nicky
Parsons, Picot, the Professor, Nykwana Wombosi, Danny Zorn,
36
Scene-by-scene Commentary
Use abbreviations: // = CUT; M = motif; || = parallels/echoes; F/B = flashback

1.
2.
3.
C1. 'Dead' Man
EXT. THE OCEAN & FISHING BOAT –
NIGHT
SCREEN TEXT: 'MEDITERRANEAN
SEA, 60 MILES SOUTH OF
MARSEILLES'
a body is seen floating at sea and is
brought aboard a fishing boat
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
Giancarlo removes two bullets from the
man and a small capsule which emits a red
light which reveals a Swiss bank account
number.
Giancarlo is suddenly attacked by his
patient, who does not know who he is.
EXT. // INT. TREADSTONE HQ
Screen text: CIA HQ LANGLEY,
VIRGINIA
Danny Zorn goes to Conklin's office: It's
been confirmed, sir. Mission failed.
4.
Conklin holds a photo of a luxury yacht //
C2. It's Not Coming Back
EXT. / INT. FISHING BOAT – DAY
the fishermen work with the net – Bourne
works with them. // In a cabin, Bourne
pulls off a plaster to look at a still raw but
healing bullet wound
Bourne climbs the riggings, speaks French:
6 mins 17
Je ne sais pas qui je suis. (I do not know who I am.)
5.
6.
7.
He works on his fitness. He tells his image
in a mirror – in Dutch – to tell him who he
is. Meal time – Italian is spoken. We learn
he has been on the boat for two weeks,
and although he has not lost his skills, he
still does not know who he is. And that
the boat will land on the next day.
C3. To Switzerland
EXT. BOAT // TOWN – DAY
The boat comes into port. Giancarlo gives
Bourne enough money to get him to
Switzerland; he leaves the boat in an
unnamed sea port.
EXT. // INT. EXPRESS – DAY
a sleek train disappears into a tunnel //
inside Bourne stares into the darkness, his
reflection double beside him. He leaves
the train, still bewildered.
EXT. ZURICH STREET – NIGHT
8 mins 12
filmed at Imperia, in Liguria, Italy
TGV = Train à Grande Vitesse (high speed train)
37
he looks at the bank at the other end of a
deserted snowy street //
8. EXT. PARK – NIGHT
Two police officers try to arrest Bourne
for sleeping in the park; in a few swift
movements, they are on the ground and he
has their gun trained on them. He drops
the gun and runs, discarding his jacket as
he goes.
C4. The Wombosi Problem
9. INT. CIA HQ, LANGLEY
TV film: Wombosi complains of a CIA plot
to kill him. The screen is being watched
by a room full of senior CIA
administrators. Abbot is silent.
Abbot to cafeteria where he sits with
Conklin, who admits they have lost contact
with Bourne.
C5. My Name is Jason Bourne
10. EXT. ZURICH – DAY
11 mins 08
13 mins 04
Text: GEMEINSCHAFT BANK… SWITZERLAND
Bourne shivers in a corner //
11. INT. BANK – DAY
In the bank, he accesses his box and finds
passport, credit cards, and his driver's
licence with his address in Paris. In the
lower level of the box: several more
passports, credits cards, bundles of bank
notes, and a gun. He grabs a red bag and
puts everything in it – except the gun.
a man watches him; he telephones
12. EXT. SNOW-COVERED STREETS – DAY
Bourne calls his own phone number; sees
he's been identified and walks away //
cars, trams, horns – he walks and is seen
by two policemen who follow him, calling
for backup; police sirens
C6. The American Embassy
13. He escapes into the American embassy;
the Marines stop the policemen from
following him in.
Inside, he watches Marie Kreutz, a
German trying to get a student visa; he is
stopped and arrest is imminent. He
disarms three men, grabs his bag and runs.
He escapes the pursuing marines by
climbing down the outside wall.
14. INT. UNDERGROUND CAR PARK, USA
Conklin is updated on Bourne's progress:
that he cleaned out the deposit box but
left the gun.
C7. Find Jason Bourne
15. EXT. ZURICH STREET – DAY
18 mins 54
24 mins 36
38
Bourne offers Marie $10,000 – raised to
$20,000 – to drive him to Paris. Initially
reluctant, she eventually agrees.
16. INT. TREADSTONE HQ
Conklin's team searches video footage and
finds Bourne – 38 minutes earlier.
C: Get everybody up. Do it now. I want them all
activated. … You heard me. I want Bourne in a body
bag by sundown.
hi-tech computer programmes are activated to
locate the operatives
17. Barcelona //
INT. APARTMENT, BARCELONA
'the Professor' is teaching a small boy the
piano.
a text message: "PREP MODE AND ARM
READY FOR TRANSPORT / HOLD
PATTERN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE"
18. EXT. PORT of HAMBURG// INT.
BUSINESS MEETING
text message for Manheim
19. EXT. ROME
Castel rides a motor cycle past the
Coliseum, // across the city to a corridor
cf. catacombs // Castel walks down
corridor towards camera //
Castel accesses his documents and selects
a passport.
C8. Marie Helena Kreutz
20. EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD – DAY
Marie is chattering; he lets the words flow
over him – "It's relaxing." She turns on
the radio but Bourne doesn't know what
music he likes. He tells her he has
amnesia.
28 mins 02
I can't remember anything that happened before two
weeks ago… I don't know who I am. I don't know
where I'm going. None of it.
21. INT. TREADSTONE HQ
Bourne and Marie are found in surveillance
photographs of the streets around the embassy;
she is quickly identified.
The girl's a gypsy. She pops up on the grid here and
there, but it's chaotic at best.
Conklin gives out info sheets on both of them.
22. TREADSTONE SAFE HOUSE, PARIS
Nicolette works at computer: Bourne and Marie
appear on her computer screen
23. EXT./ INT. SERVICE STATION – NIGHT
Bourne has told Marie about himself, and
expresses his anxieties.
How can I know that and not know who I am?
24. EXT. / INT. CAR – NIGHT
39
Marie drives through the night; Bourne sleeps.
25. EXT. PARIS – DAY
Marie wakes him; they are in Paris, on the banks
of the Seine, with Notre Dame behind them.
C9. Home
35 mins 05
26. EXT. PARIS STREET – DAY
Bourne locates his apartment; he gives her the
rest of the money and suggests she wait – or
come up.
27. EXT. / INT. APARTMENT
He rings the bell and is eventually let in by the
concierge.
Any clues? // I think I'm in the shipping business.
He redials his last call, to a Paris hotel, where he
asks for Bourne, and then for John Michael Kane.
28. INT. APARTMENT
Bourne on phone is told Kane died in a car
accident two weeks earlier; his 'brother' collected
his things. He is alerted by something – a noise
outside?
C10. Assassin
the glass is shattered by Castel smashing
through with a machine pistol. Bourne
disarms him and then they fight for their
lives. Bourne grabs a pen and uses it as a
weapon.
He demands to know his attacker's name;
Marie finds their 'wanted' photos in his
pack. Bourne is distracted while he tries
to calm her down and Castel dives head
first out the window.
Marie is almost catatonic with shock; he
bundles her down the stairs where the
concierge sits with a bullet hole in her
forehead.
29. Nicky reports that Bourne killed Castel.
Conklin wants info.
C11. The Right Thing
30. EXT. // INT. GARE DU NORD, PARIS
Bourne puts the red bag in a locker; Marie
gets herself a drink. He tries to persuade
her to go the police, that it is no longer
safe for her.
42 mins 09
46 mins 27
Safe? This is from inside the embassy. Who can do
this? This is from yesterday.
I don't know.
How can they even know that we're together? …
I don't know what happened! I don't know who this guy
was! I don't know about that picture! I don't know who I
am!
C 12. Paris Pursuit
31. EXT. PARIS STREETS
The mini is identified by the police and
they are chased until they can hide the
car in a parking building.
49 mins 43
40
32. INT. CAR IN CAR PARK
Bourne says they will clean out the car and
can never return to it.
33. EXT. / INT. PARIS MORGUE - EVENING
Screen text: HOFFENMEIN MORGUE,
PARIS
Wombosi is taken to see the body of Kane.
He feels underneath the body and says it
is not Kane.
34. EXT. // INT. TREADSTONE, PARIS
Nicky answers the phone // a vehicle
drives under one of Paris's many bridges
// Wombosi in the vehicle
INT. TREADSTONE HQ, LANGLEY
Conklin // Wombosi // Nicky // Conklin
puts phone down, thinks.
35. EXT. STREET // INT. CAR – NIGHT
a car speeds along the wet street; the
professor's phone beeps
36. EXT. / INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Bourne rinses Marie's hair – now dyed
black – and then cuts it short. She kisses
him and the camera withdraws.
the city
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
C13. Mr Kane's Hotel Bill
INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Bourne has already wiped down the room
for fingerprints so they don't leave a trail.
EXT. / INT. WOMBOSI'S PLACE
Wombosi is shot through the window //
the Professor hears the cries and packs up
his rifle //
EXT. PARIS STREET – DAY
EST. Hotel Regina
Bourne goes over the details with Marie.
She walks to the hotel; he watches.
INT. HOTEL – DAY
She comes in; follows Bourne's
instructions; the desk clerk looks at her
EXT. STREET – DAY
Bourne in phone box // Maria has the
records.
59 mins 20
B: What happened? Did something go wrong?
M: I've got the records. This guy at the front desk
was smiling at me. I thought – all this trouble –
maybe it's easier to just ask for them.
B: Do you have the bill?
M: He made me a photocopy.
B: You just asked for it?
42. INT. TREADSTONE HQ
Abbott asks Conklin about the assassination;
Conklin says it was Bourne finishing the job.
41
43. AERIAL EST. PARIS – ARC DE
TRIOMPHE
EXT. PARIS STREETS - DAY
Bourne on the phone.
44. CAR PARK, PARIS: the police locate the
mini
PARIS: Nicky picks up the info
PARIS: Bourne is asked for his name,
hangs up
CAR PARK: the police can't find a
fingerprint
LANGLEY: Paris police have found the
vehicle //
the Professor gets another text message
//
PARIS: Bourne on phone – answer phone
from a Paris firm. It is after 5 p.m.
45. EXT. // INT. OFFICE BLOCK, PARIS
PARIS – LA DÉFENSE
Bourne approaches the great arch; goes
into Alliance Securité, Maritime Division.
He is recognised as 'Mr Kane' and taken to
see Rawlins. He learns that Kane was
negotiating to 'buy' a boat; Wombosi's
photograph is attached.
C14. The Wombosi Connection
46. EXT. CAFÉ – DAY
Bourne looks through the sheets Rawlins
gave him. He tells Marie that he is Kane
as well as Bourne. Marie meanwhile has
found Kane's body in a Paris morgue.
47. INT. MORGUE
Bribery gets Bourne to see Kane's body –
which has disappeared. When he is
refused information about who took the
body, he tears the page out of the
register.
48. EXT. PARIS – EVENING
The police are in attendance at Wombosi's
residence. A newspaper reports on
Wombosi's assassination.
It says that three weeks before he was killed Mr
Wombosi told police that a man came on to his yacht
five miles off the coast of Marseilles and tried to kill
him. It says that he chased the man off the boat
and shot him twice in the back. It says I'm an
President Mitterrand initiated the building of 'La Grande Arche',
which was to be seen as 'a 20th century Arc de Triomphe'. Danish
architect Otto van Spreckelsen designed the hollow cube, really a
football field-sized white office building with the middle part left
open. You can take the elevator to the top of the Arche de la
Défense and view the heart of Paris.
67 mins 08
(Ex-dictator Wombosi assassinated in his Paris residence. The
former strong man of Nigeria took power in 1997 after a serious
petrol crisis. In November 1998, he left the country following
popular demonstrations.)
assassin.
Marie tries to assimilate this information.
49. EXT. PARIS – NIGHT
Bourne notes police activity near their
hotel and realises they have been
discovered. Outside the hotel, the
42
Professor watches. Marie runs, but
Bourne persuades her that her only safety
is with him.
The police will find us, and the people who took that
picture in the embassy – the people who killed Wombosi
– they are going to kill us.
The people who you work for.
I will take you wherever you need to go. I will take you
there. I will leave you there. You can do whatever you
want. You never have to see me again. But not here. If
we stay here, we die.
50. INT. TREADSTONE HQ, LANGLEY
Conklin instructs them to continue
pursuing Bourne and Marie.
Abbot and Conklin discuss the situation;
Conklin promises to clear it up.
CONKLIN: You're worried about a budget meeting?
We don't take care of this, we don't make it to the
men's room. Is that clear enough for you? We will
burn for this. We will both of us burn. //
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
Marie in a phone box in the snowstorm;
Bourne tapes up the window of the icecovered car //
Conklin's boys run down Marie's life,
identifying five places to focus on. //
Marie returns to the car, says no-one
answered her call // map of France
C15. Eamon
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
The car speeds along the road // a gate;
Marie's head appears over it. She can't
find the key; Bourne smashes in.
Christmas lights flash; Bourne says they
have to leave.
Eamon is not pleased to see Marie. He has
two children in the car, and a dog.
INT. HOUSE – EVENING
Marie in the kitchen watches Bourne and
the children outside // they eat // in a
bedroom, Eamon gives them pyjamas to
wear // Bourne says he will sleep on the
floor.
INT. TREADSTONE
Conklin reports to Abbot; they work out
that Bourne has gone to Riom, in the
Auverge.
EXT. FAIRGROUND – NIGHT
Nicky meets the Professor, gives him the
address.
EXT. // INT. EAMON'S HOUSE –
NIGHT
Marie wakes, finds Bourne gone. He is
looking at the children.
75 mins 30
I don't want to know who I am anymore. I don't
care. I don't want to know. Everything I found out,
I want to forget. I don't care who I am or what I
did. … We have this money. We can hide. Could we
43
do that? Is there any chance you can do that? // I
don't know.
C16
56. EXT. // INT. EAMON'S HOUSE – DAY
Marie and Bourne come in to say goodbye
to Eamon. The children say they can't
find the dog. Bourne tells Eamon to get
the children into the basement.
80 mins 54
You're in danger. Your family's in danger. I don't
have time to explain. … You need to get out of sight
and in the basement as quick as you can. … I'm
sorry.
Eamon takes the children and goes. The
phone is dead; Marie is upset.
Bourne leaps into action, searching for
weapons. He finds cartridges, a shotgun.
We should never have come here. I – These children
–
That's not going to happen.
57. EXT. HOUSE – DAY
Bourne walks to the corner of the house
and shoots the gas tank; a huge explosion
the Professor looks up from his rifle sight,
calmly sights again but the cloud of smoke
obscures his vision // he tracks Bourne
with his telescopic view and fires but
Bourne is moving too fast and he misses //
the Professor packs up his rifle
he runs down the hill // Bourne dodges
through trees // the Professor coming
down hill // Bourne coming downhill //
Professor in the grass // Bourne in the
grass // Professor ducks down // Bourne
fires a shot, disturbs birds // the
Professor moves through the grass //
Bourne shoots him, in the shoulder //
Professor falls // Bourne reloads, walking
steadily // just as the Professor grabs his
gun and stands, Bourne shoots him again //
Bourne walks forwards, shotgun pointed //
the Professor on the ground //
B: Who else is out here? How many you got with
[not all shots have been listed]
you? I'm not going to ask you again.
P: I work alone, like you. We always work alone.
B: What do you mean?
Who are you? Rome? Paris? Treadstone – both of
us.
B: Treadstone?
P: Which one?
B: Paris. I live in Paris.
P: Do you still get the headaches?
B: Yeah.
P: I get such bad headaches. You know at night when
you're driving a car? Maybe it's something to do
with the headlights.
B: What is Treadstone?
P: Treadstone said… Pills… They said, ''Go to
Paris.''
44
B: Is Treadstone in Paris?
P: Look at this. Look at what they make you give.
And the Professor dies. Bourne sits in the
grass with the body
58. EXT. HOUSE – DAY
Eamon takes the children to the car.
Bourne gives her the red bag with most of
his money.
This is not going to stop, Marie. You've got to get
out now, away from me. You've got to get out.
You've got to start running. You get low. You stay
low. No more friends. Nothing familiar. There's
enough in there for you to make a life.
What are you going to do?
I'll end it.
She finally gets in the car and Eamon
takes off. Bourne watches them leave.
C17. Bourne's Game
59. INT. HOUSE – DAY
Bourne goes through the contents of the
Professor's backpack. He finds a cell
phone and hits redial.
60. INT. SAFE HOUSE // TREADSTONE
Nicky transfers the call // the phone is
picked up; Abbot puts it on speaker phone.
Bourne tells Conklin that Marie is dead and
that he will meet him on the Pont Neuf in
Paris at 5.30 that day.
68 mins 12
C: I told you I'd clean this up. That's what I'm
doing.
61. EXT. AIR FIELD – NIGHT
Conklin arrives and boards a jet //
62. EXT. SEINE BANK, PARIS – DAY
Bourne walks to a spot where he can watch
the Pont Neuf.
63. MONTAGE
a plane lands // a van // inside it, Conklin
wires up; Picot loads a gun
64. EXT. THE SEINE – AFTERNOON
Bourne, high above the river, watches the
bridge with a telescope. He identifies the
watchers. //
Conklin arrives, walks onto bridge, takes
off his coat // Bourne identifies him and
sticks a tracker to the van
65. INT. VAN: Conklin tells Picot to call Nicky
//
INT. HOTEL: Manheim, lying on a bed,
with a gun beside him, gets a call //
PARIS STREET: Nicky is told to clear the
safe house //
SAFE HOUSE: Nicky works at her
computer //
45
CAR INTERIOR: Bourne follows the van
//
EXT. SAFE HOUSE: Conklin gives
instructions to the sentries //
STREET: Bourne identifies the van //
INT. BUILDING: Conklin goes upstairs //
AIRPORT: a plane arrives – Manheim //
C18. A Malfunctioning Weapon
66. AERIAL: PARIS, EIFFEL TOWER –
NIGHT
Nicky on the phone; Conklin shreds
documents
Outside, Bourne sets off all the car alarms
and then climbs the building behind the
sentries/
Nicky's security systems are going
haywire // Conklin gets the field box,
loads a gun // the phones are dead; the
lights go out
94 mins 55
It's Bourne, isn't it?
67. INT. TREADSTONE SAFE HOUSE –
NIGHT
Conklin moves carefully through the rooms
but Bourne gets the drop on him. Conklin
demands to know what happened in
Marseilles
You brought John Michael Kane to life. You put
together a meeting with Wombosi. You found the
security company. You broke into the office. You're
the one who picked the yacht as the strike point.
scenes on the boat
C: You picked the boat. You picked the day. You
tracked the crew, the food, the fuel. You told us
where. You told us when. You hid out on that boat
five days. You were in, Jason. You were in. It was
over.
Bourne holds a gun to the head of the
sleeping Wombosi, sees the children;
Wombosi opens his eyes
Bourne remembers // flashes of memory
he lowers his gun, turns to leave, gunfire,
he falls;
floating in the sea; thunderstorm.
C: No, you do remember. Don't you?
B: I don't want to do this anymore.
C: I don't think that's a decision you can make.
Bourne hits him. BCU OVER SHOULDER
Conklin
B: Jason Bourne is dead. Do you hear me? He
drowned two weeks ago. You're going to tell them
that Jason Bourne is dead. Do you understand?
C: Where are you going to go?
Bourne hits him again.
B: I swear to God, if I even feel somebody behind
me, there is no measure to how fast and how hard I
46
will bring this fight to your doorstep. I'm on my own
side now.
C19. Forced Retirement
Bourne sees a blinking light on Conklin's
belt. He hits Conklin for the third time,
looks at Nicky and moves carefully
towards the door.
the door bursts in – Picot. Bourne
disarms Picot, and shoots the agent coming
up the stairs. He pauses – and Picot gets
up and hits him. Bourne's guns flies over;
he efficiently disposes of Picot and pushes
his head through the stair rails //
a shooter at the bottom of the stairwell
looses off a volley of machine gun fire
upwards – no doubt killing Picot – and then
begins to climb the stairs.
Bourne reloads, and then pushes the body
through the rails and uses it as a cushion
to break his fall, shooting the climbing
agent as he falls.
Momentarily winded by the fall, he pulls
himself together and struggles to his feet
//
68. INT. SAFE HOUSE – NIGHT
Conklin bursts from the upstairs room,
sees the bodies, leans over the balustrade
and sees the body on the floor below. He
grabs his coat //
101 mins 12
69. EXT. TREADSTONE SAFE HOUSE –
NIGHT
Conklin comes out the door //
Bourne walks along the street //
a silencer is screwed to a gun // Manheim
// the street, and in the rear view mirror,
someone walking towards him // Manheim
gets out of the car // Conklin //
Manheim waits, shoots Conklin in the pale
gold-lit streets
70. INT. TREADSTONE HQ
Zorn at his computer.
Z: It's done.
A: Shut it down.
Abbot looks at his watch and leaves; Zorn
turns off the lights.
71. EXT. PARIS, SEINE – NIGHT
Bourne walks across the Pont des Arts
towards the imposing C17 Institut de
France building and disappears
47
72. EXT.// INT. WASHINGTON – DAY
Washington //
Abbot is making submissions to the Senate
budget committee; Zorn is with him.
The Treadstone Project has already been
terminated. It was designed primarily as a sort of
advanced game programme. We'd hoped it might
build into a good training platform, but, quite
honestly, for a strictly theoretical exercise, the
cost-benefit ratio was just too high. It's all but
decommissioned at this point.
AURAL BRIDGE his submission
73. EXT. MYKONOS, GREECE – DAY
very blue and calm water, to a small chapel
(a modest echo of the Institut de France
building) // tourists hiring motor bikes
from Marie //
the island and town, Marie by a bike shop
//
she goes into the shop; the red bank bag is
a full of purple petunias
Bourne appears in the doorway, as
suddenly as he disappeared; Marie is happy
to see him.
Mykonos – a sort of paradise.
74. C20. End Titles
end credits
107 mins 18
song: Moby: Extreme Ways'
48