One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Difference between revisions

'''Virgil:''' No! And he can't! Hold on... whoa, doc, [[Lampshade Hanging|we are talking about two different things here]]!|[[Static Shock]], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4B5VyOHdqc episode 2.]}}

 

 

A common scenario in comedies. Expect one of the 'conversations' to be sex-related. Similar to [[Three Is Company]], but with the overhearing party actually being a participant. [[Mistaken Confession]] is a possible outcome if the conversation is an interrogation. The technical term in real life is "double illusion of transparency". This can also happen when a question is answered with a seemingly unrelated answer until one thinks about interpertation. Some theorize that when this happens often, it's the result of two souls being housed in one body with very distinct personalities, thus natural misinterpertation compared to how the issue would normally be addressed.

* ''[[Sideways]]'': Paul Giamatti's poetic description of why he loves Pinot Noir probably isn't about wine.

* In ''[[Touch Of Pink]]'' Alim and Giles discuss a man who's played an important role in their lives. Giles talks about the [[Jerk Jock|guy]] he's been sleeping with, Alim talks about his imaginary friend, and both are surprised that the other already knows.

* In [[Billy Wilder]]'s ''The Emperor's Waltz'', the Emperor is suggesting the breeding of two poodles. The general he is talking to believes they are discussing an [[Arranged Marriage]] for his daughter.

* A very good one happens in the first ''[[Shrek]]'' movie when Shrek overhears Donkey's conversation with Fiona about {{spoiler|her turning into an ogre at night. Because he hears only part of the conversation, when she says, "Who could love such a hideous, ugly beast?", he thinks she's referring to him.}} The confrontation he has with her the next day is very much two different conversations:

* In ''[[Enemy of the State]]'', [[Will Smith|Dean]] weaponizes this trope. {{spoiler|Early in the movie some [[Chekhov's Gunman|Chekhov's Gunmen]] [[The Mafia|Mafiosi]] confronted him about a tape being used as evidence in a legal case he was on}}. In the main plot of the movie an acquaintance had slipped Dean a tape with evidence of murder by an NSA agent. When Dean has finally figured out the plot but got captured by the NSA, {{spoiler|he tells the NSA agents that the Mafiosi have the tape they want. A meeting is arranged and the NSA and Mafia play out this trope. They end up murdering each other rather thoroughly, never realizing that they were talking about two completely different tapes.}}

* In ''[[The Rescuers Down Under]]'', Bernard tries to propose to Bianca, but misplaces the ring. While he looks for it, Bianca receives word of the mission to Australia, and when Bernard returns and tries to propose again, she thinks he's talking about the mission and accepts. He is delighted, but is perplexed that she wants to do it now, and that she only needs to wear khaki shorts and hiking boots.

* Used repeatedly, between varying people, in [[Ruthless People]], to glorious effect. A [[Gold Digger]] thinks she send her boyfriend a blackmail tape with him murdering his wife, but it's a man having loud sex with a prostitute. So the boyfriend calls the girlfriend thanking her for sending him the tape and promising to do the same thing to her. This makes the girlfriend fear for her safety and send the tape to a judge... who turns out be the exact man having sex, and while she thinks she's just helping him with his investigation, he thinks she's blackmailing him with the tape to arrest her boyfriend.

 

'''MAYOR:''' Well, you should. Best six hours of your life.

'''MIKE:''' *beat* I think that might be a little optimistic, sir. }}

{{quote|'''Marsha''': If you don't tell her... I will.

'''Tim''': But... you'll spoil the ''surprise''.

== Theater ==

* Most of the Alan Ayckbourn play ''Relatively Speaking''.

* In an relatively old Norwegian theater piece, ''Rett i Lomma'' ("Right in the Pocket", referring to money easily obtained through fraud), the [[Villain Protagonist]] (Erik) has spent the last two years making up fake personalities to cash in on their various "illnesses" and subsequent state support money. Then a tax inspector shows up and wants some signatures on a few papers in order to confirm the next payment to "Mr. Thomasen". Erik promptly says he is Thomasen and signs the paper. But the inspector also needs Erik's signature. He asks his friend Normann to do this, but the attempt is thwarted as Normann is forced to take on another role as the inspector mentions other people and Erik begins lying about them too. This leads to him and Normann having to play various fake roles in order to cover up the fraud as more and more oblivious people arrive at the scene and begin asking questions. [[Hilarity Ensues]] as they take on more and more ridiculous personality traits and come up with more and more complex excuses. Most conversations are then misunderstood as the roles become too complex to keep track of. Several scenes have not double, but ''multi-layered'' conversations.

* In [[Moliere]]'s play ''[[The Miser]]'', Harpagon and his steward Valere are talking about the supposed thievery Valere has done. Harpagon is talking about his stolen money box, while Valere is talking of Harpagon's daughter whom he's in love with. Harpagon is so fixated on the stolen money that he takes unusually long to realize what's up, even when Valere begins talking of the "fair eyes", "modesy" and "purity" of the daughter.

'''June''': Nothing... I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm just saying that that's what happens. It's a psychological reaction to what you're experiencing...

Was...was that really how it happened? It occurred to Junpei that perhaps that was how it worked... Perhaps he'd been mistaken all these years. Had he misunderstood life so gravely? The thought terrified him. June seemed to be entirely oblivious to Junpei's mounting confusion and terror. }}

* ''[[Clannad]]'': Tomoya is an expert at arranging this kind of situation for his own amusement. In one case, Nagisa wants to ask for Ryou's help in establishing the theater club, so Tomoya has Sunohara tell Ryou that someone wants to ask her out on the rooftop. When they arrive, Tomoya introduces Nagisa as the ''girl'' who wanted to "talk to her", and a beautiful [[Schoolgirl Lesbians]] confession scene unfolds until Nagisa finally mentions the club itself. (As a bonus, Ryou said ''yes'', ''before'' she realized what the question was.)

* Larry's final conversation with Annette Boning in ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]] 7: Love for Sail!'' features Larry trying desperately to prevent Annette from thinking he's gay, while Annette is trying desperately to stop Larry from blackmailing her about her husband's assassination.