The Crush | Oscar® Nominated Short Film

NITVShorts

26 Mar 202115:50

Summary

TLDRIn this dramatic script, a young boy named Ardal develops a deep affection for his teacher, Ms. Purdy, and goes to great lengths to express his feelings. When he learns of her engagement to another man, Ardal's jealousy escalates to a point where he threatens the suitor with a toy gun, leading to a tense confrontation. The incident reveals Ardal's innocence and the complexities of adult relationships, ultimately resulting in a poignant realization about love and maturity.

Takeaways

📚 The script revolves around a classroom setting where a teacher is preparing her students for a spelling test and promises a DVD reward if they do well.
🎁 A student named Ardal uses a week's pocket money to buy a gift for his teacher, showing his affection and the importance he places on their relationship.
💍 Ardal's gesture leads to a conversation about marriage, with the teacher considering the possibility of being engaged to him, although it's hinted that it might be a child's innocent misunderstanding.
🗣️ A humorous and tense interaction occurs between Ardal and another adult, who mocks Ardal's height and financial stability, leading to a challenge for a duel.
👢 Ardal buys cowboy boots, which are a symbol of his youthful spirit and perhaps a hint at his playful nature, contrasting with the serious undertones of the script.
💎 A significant event occurs when the teacher shows off an engagement ring, indicating that she is engaged to another man, which complicates Ardal's feelings.
😡 Ardal confronts the teacher's fiancé with a toy gun, escalating the situation into a dramatic and humorous standoff, reflecting his childish yet earnest protectiveness.
🚓 The toy gun is mistaken for a real one, causing panic and concern among the adults, highlighting the seriousness of gun-related issues even in a comedic context.
🏠 The script ends with Ardal deciding not to marry the teacher, citing financial instability and the desire for her to have everything she wants, showing his self-awareness and maturity.
🎶 The script is peppered with music that sets the tone for different scenes, from soulful and soft piano to lighthearted and gentle guitar, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.
👦 The character of Ardal is central to the script, his actions and emotions driving the plot and revealing themes of love, innocence, and the complexities of adult relationships from a child's perspective.

Q & A

What is the initial task given to the class by the teacher?
-The teacher asks the class to look for the words 'reveal,' 'pretend,' and 'love' in their readers and to be able to spell them by Monday.
What is the incentive offered by the teacher if the class does well on their spellings?
-The teacher offers to show a DVD next week if everyone does well on their spellings.
What does Ardal do with his week's pocket money, and why?
-Ardal uses his week's pocket money to buy something special for the teacher, to show how much he cares about her.
What misunderstanding occurs regarding Ardal and the teacher's engagement?
-A misunderstanding occurs when the teacher thinks Ardal is proposing to her, but Ardal only suggests they could get engaged if she wants to.
Why does Ardal confront Pierce with a gun?
-Ardal confronts Pierce with a gun because he believes that Pierce should not marry Ms. Purdy, as he, Ardal, loves her and wants to be with her.
What is the nature of the gun Ardal uses in the confrontation with Pierce?
-The gun Ardal uses is actually a toy gun, not a real one, despite his claims.
How does the situation with the gun get resolved?
-The situation is resolved when Pierce pretends to agree not to marry Ms. Purdy, and Ardal lowers the gun.
What is the reason Ardal gives for not wanting to marry Ms. Purdy at the end of the script?
-Ardal decides not to marry Ms. Purdy because he believes he is not financially stable enough to take care of her needs.
What is the role of the school bell in the script?
-The school bell serves as a signal for the beginning and end of classes or school activities, providing a backdrop to the events unfolding.
How does the script use music to set the mood?
-The script uses soulful, soft piano, lighthearted, and gentle guitar music to set different moods for various scenes, enhancing the emotional tone of the narrative.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 School Spelling Challenge and Unexpected Engagement

The script begins with a teacher urging students to learn the words 'reveal,' 'pretend,' and 'love' for a spelling test, promising a DVD reward if they do well. A student named Ardal uses his pocket money to buy a gift for his teacher, expressing his feelings for her. The teacher, touched by the gesture, hints at a possible engagement. The narrative then shifts to a police officer's humorous recount of a chaotic day at work, including dealing with a child on glue attempting to rob a news agent. The segment concludes with a child's innocent question about the legal age for marriage, followed by a light-hearted interaction between the teacher and Ardal, who has bought cowboy boots, and the teacher's engagement announcement.

05:13

😔 Ardal's Confession and a Playful Duel

Ardal confronts his teacher about her engagement to another man, expressing his belief that she should be with him instead. The teacher tries to explain the complexities of adult relationships, but Ardal remains adamant. He challenges the fiancé, Pierce, to a duel at the Humboldt court after school, which is met with laughter and disbelief. The duel is set to be a dramatic affair, with Ardal bringing a toy gun to the confrontation, leading to a tense yet comical standoff.

10:16

🔫 Ardal's Dangerous Ultimatum and Resolution

The situation escalates when Ardal brings a real gun, which he claims belongs to his father, who is part of an emergency response unit. He threatens Pierce, insisting that he is not good enough for the teacher and demands that Pierce promise not to marry her. The teacher and Pierce are terrified, but in a surprising twist, Pierce reveals he never wanted to marry the teacher, citing her constant complaining. Ardal fires the gun, and the teacher manages to defuse the situation by convincing Ardal to hand over the weapon. It is revealed that the gun was a toy, and the teacher takes it for safekeeping, while Ardal decides not to marry the teacher, citing financial instability as the reason.

15:20

🎶 Closing Reflections on Love and Youth

The script concludes with a reflective song that captures the essence of young love and the complexities of emotions. The lyrics speak of waiting for love, the beauty of youth, and the longing for a connection that may never be reciprocated. The song serves as a poignant backdrop to the day's events, highlighting the innocence and intensity of Ardal's feelings, as well as the broader themes of love and desire.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡reveal

The word 'reveal' refers to the act of making something known or visible that was previously hidden or unknown. In the context of the video, it may be related to the unfolding of the plot or characters' true intentions. For instance, Ardal's feelings for Ms. Purdy are revealed when he expresses his love for her and his disapproval of her engagement to Pierce.

💡pretend

'Pretend' is the act of making a pretense or falsely claiming to be something one is not. In the script, the concept of pretending is evident when Pierce pretends to be engaged to Ms. Purdy, and Ardal pretends to have a real gun to express his feelings and prevent the marriage.

💡love

Love is a complex and profound emotional state that involves affection, protectiveness, and a deep sense of attachment. The theme of love is central to the video, as it drives the actions of the characters, particularly Ardal's love for Ms. Purdy, which leads him to extreme measures to express his feelings.

💡engagement

An 'engagement' signifies the period of time between a marriage proposal and the wedding itself, often marked by the exchange of rings. In the video, the engagement between Ms. Purdy and Pierce is a pivotal point, as it sets off a series of events and emotions, including Ardal's dramatic reaction.

💡drama

Drama is a genre of narrative fiction intended to be more serious in tone and focused on character development and emotional depth. The script contains elements of drama, such as the intense emotional expressions and conflicts between characters, particularly the confrontation involving Ardal, Ms. Purdy, and Pierce.

💡toy

A 'toy' is an object for children to play with, typically a model or miniature replica of something. In the script, the term 'toy' is used in a deceptive manner when Ardal presents what appears to be a toy gun but is later revealed to be real, adding tension to the narrative.

💡Garda

Garda refers to a member of the Irish police force, An Garda Síochána. The script mentions Ardal's father being a Garda, which is significant because it provides a plausible source for the real gun that Ardal uses in the dramatic climax of the video.

💡financial stability

Financial stability refers to a state of financial security where one has a steady income and few financial worries. In the video, the concept is brought up when Ardal decides not to marry Ms. Purdy, citing his lack of financial stability as a reason to not be able to care for her needs.

💡confrontation

A 'confrontation' is a face-to-face meeting or situation in which conflicting parties express their disagreements. The script features a confrontation between Ardal and Pierce, which escalates to a point where Ardal threatens Pierce with a gun, highlighting the intensity of the characters' emotions.

💡humor

Humor is the quality of being amusing or funny. The script incorporates humor in various scenes, such as the playful banter between characters and the absurdity of a child challenging an adult to a duel, which lightens the mood amidst the serious undertones.

💡romance

Romance refers to a feeling of love or a romantic relationship. The theme of romance is evident in the script through the engagement between Ms. Purdy and Pierce and the unrequited love Ardal has for Ms. Purdy, which drives much of the narrative.

Highlights

Student is asked to learn to spell 'reveal', 'pretend', and 'love' by Monday.

Teacher offers a DVD reward if the class does well on spellings.

Child expresses affection for the teacher using a week's pocket money.

Discussion about marriage and engagement between a student and the teacher.

Teacher and student have a playful banter about the student's cowboy boots.

Introduction of a teacher's fiancé, creating a complex dynamic with a student.

Student Ardal expresses his love for the teacher and disapproval of her fiancé.

Ardal challenges the fiancé to a duel to prevent the marriage.

Humorous misunderstanding leads to a toy gun being mistaken for a real weapon.

Tense standoff where Ardal threatens the fiancé with a toy gun.

Fiancé reveals he never wanted to marry the teacher, ending the engagement.

Ardal's toy gun fires, causing a chaotic scene but no harm.

Teacher and Ardal have a heart-to-heart conversation about love and marriage.

Ardal decides not to marry the teacher, citing financial instability.

Teacher reflects on Ardal's actions and their implications.

Song lyrics at the end of the transcript convey themes of love and longing.