Brief Encounters

Worksheet 3A
Night on Earth is a 1991 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It is a
collection of five vignettes, taking place during the same night, concerning the
temporary bond formed between tai driver and passenger in five cities! "os
#ngeles, New $ork, %aris, &ome, and 'elsinki. Jarmusch wrote the screenplay in
about eight days, and the choice of certain cities was largely based on the actors
with whom he wanted to work. (he soundtrack of the same name is by (om )aits.
Los Angeles
#s evening falls, tomboy cabby *orky +)inona &yder, picks up 'ollywood eecutive
-ictoria .nelling +/ena &owlands, from the airport, and as *orky drives, -ictoria
tries to conduct business over the phone. 0espite their etreme differences
socially, the two develop a certain connection. .ometime during the ride -ictoria,
who is evidently a talent scout or casting director, discovers that *orky would be
ideal for a part in a movie she is casting, but *orky re1ects the offer, as she has
plans to become a mechanic.
New York
'elmut /rokenberger +#rmin 2ueller3.tahl,, an East /erman immigrant who was
once a clown in his home country, now works in New $ork as a tai driver. 'e picks
up a passenger named $o$o +/iancarlo Esposito,, a streetwise young man, and
attempts to drive him to 4rooklyn. 'elmut does not really know how to drive with
an automatic transmission so he allows $o$o to drive. 5n their way, they pick up
$o$o6s sister3in3law #ngela +&osie %ere7,. (he story revolves around 'elmut6s
attempts to understand and become a part of the culture of New $ork.
Brief Encounters
Worksheet 3B
Paris
# blind woman +48atrice 0alle, goes for a ride at night with a driver +Isaach 0e
4ankol8, from the Ivory *oast. (hey both take some verbal 1abs at each other
during the ride. (he driver asks his passenger what it6s like to be blind and she
attempts to eplain to him, but their cultural differences and differences of life
eperience make things difficult. #fter he drops off his blind passenger, he feels
fascinated by her and ga7es in her direction. (his inattention to driving causes him
to crash into another car, whose driver angrily accuses him of being blind. #n ironic
twist at the end of the segment turns upon a 9rench pun near the beginning of it!
)hen the driver states his nationality as :Ivoirien,: some other #fricans mock him
with the punning phrase :$ voit rien: +he can6t see anything,.
Rome
In the early morning hours, an eccentric cabbie +&oberto 4enigni, picks up a priest
+%aolo 4onacelli,. #s he drives, he starts to confess his sins. 2uch to the priest6s
discomfort, he goes into great detail about how he discovered his seuality first
with a pumpkin and then with a sheep, then details a love affair he had with his
brother6s wife. (he already3ailing priest is shocked by the confession, and has a
fatal heart attack.
Helsinki
#fter an evening spent drinking heavily, three workers +;ari -<<n<nen, .akari
;uosmanen, and (omi .almela,, one of whom has 1ust been fired from his 1ob,
climb into a cab to return home. 5n the way, the workers talk about the terrible
situation their now3unconscious friend is in, by being out of work and having to
face a divorce and a pregnant daughter. (he driver, 2ika +2atti %ellonp<<,, then
tells them all the saddest story they have ever heard. (he workers are terribly
moved and depressed by the story, and even become unsympathetic toward their
drunken, laid3off companion. #s they arrive home, the sun is beginning to rise.