Magnifisyncopathological

=====================

The scene juxtaposing Adam Susan's monologue ("December 12th, 1997. First Version:") and V's speech to Statue of Justice at the top of the Old Bailey ("The Old Bailey. Second Version:") was missing from the movie. Susan's bit had him openly talking about his embrace of fascism as well as his peculiar relationship to the Fate computer, which is also largely absent from the film.

[being driven to work, passing the Statue of Justice]

My name is Adam Susan. I am the leader. Leader of the lost, ruler of the ruins. I am a man, like any other man.

I lead the country that I love out of the wilderness of the twentieth century. I believe in survival. In the destiny of the Nordic race. I believe in fascism. Oh yes, I am a fascist. What of it? Fascism...a word. A word whose meaning has been lost in the bleatings of the weak and treacherous.

[glances up at the Statue of Justice]

The Romans invented fascism. A bundle of bound twigs was its symbol. One twig could be broken. A bundle would prevail. Fascism...strength in unity.

I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it.

I will not hear talk of freedom. I will not hear talk of individual liberty. They are luxuries. I do not believe in luxuries.

V's bit was quite different.

[on the roof, talking to the Statue of Justice]

I thought it was time we had a little chat, you and I.

[...]

I've long admired you...albeit only from a distance. I used to stare at you from the streets below when I was a child. I'd say to my father, "Who is that lady?" And he'd say, "That's Madam Justice." And I'd say, "Isn't she pretty."

Please don't think it was merely physical. I know you're not that sort of girl. No, I loved you as a person. As an ideal. That was a long time ago. I'm afraid there's someone else now.

[speaking for the Statue]

"What? V! For shame! You have betrayed me for some harlot, some vain and pouting hussy with painted lips and a knowing smile!"

I, Madam? I bed to differ! It was your infidelity that drove me to her arms!

Ah-ha! That surprised you, didn't it? You thought I didn't know about your little fling. But I do. I know everything! Frankly, I wasn't surprised when I found out. You always did have an eye for a man in uniform.

[...]

Deny that you let him have his way with you, him with his armbands and jackboots!

[...]

So you stand revealed at last. You are no longer my justice. You are his justice now. You have bedded another. Well, two can play at that game!

[speaking for the Statue]

"Sob! Choke! Wh-who is she, V? What is her name?"

Her name is Anarchy. And she has taught me more as a mistress than you ever did!

She has taught me that justice is meaningless without freedom. She is honest. She makes no promises and breaks none. Unlike you, Jezebel. I used to wonder why I could never look you in the eye. Now I know.

[places explosives at the Statue's feet, walks off, detonates them]

The flames of freedom. How lovely. Ah, my precious anarchy..."O Beauty, 'Till Now I Never Knew Thee."

As I said yesterday, I don't think the movie mentioned the word "anarchy", "anarchist", or "anarchism" once. If it did, it was used offhandedly to prevent the dialogue from repeating "chaos", "terrorist", and their derivatives too often. In the graphic novel, it's scattered throughout the text and spoken with full consciousness of what is implied. Leaving that out and turning more attention (as clever as it was - and I admit that openly) to things like:

• the "former United States" and its ongoing civil war
  
• American prisoner rendition
  
• dark implications of a failed, disastrous war with the Middle East
  
• an anti-war banner that shows the US and British flags together with "Coalition of the Willing" across the top and a large Nazi Swastika in the middle

pulls viewer focus from the abstract ideas and to the particular circumstances of today. I won't be surprised if most people discussing the movie quickly fall into the tired, familiar side-taking we've seen for the last four years.

UPDATED 3/28/2006 1:52pm
A Failing of V for Vendetta