The Bucket List: Marxism Analysis

Edward abruptly stands.

EDWARD

I run hospitals, not health spas. 

Two beds to a room.  No

exceptions.  Look, I passed up a

lunch with Michelle Pfeiffer to be

here.  So can we desist from

further inane posturing.  You need

me, boys and girls... I don't need

you.  Now, there's a sizeable

check in this envelope.  Let me

know if you decide to cash it.

Coughs into his handkerchief again.

BOARD CHAIRMAN

Mister Cole?

Edward stares in shock at the ugly puddle of clotted

blood staining the white silk of the handkerchief...

DISSOLVE TO:

5 INT. GREYHALL MEMORIAL ONCOLOGY CENTER - DAY 5

A pair of elevator doors open at the far end of a long

hallway emitting THOMAS, mid-30s, lugging a set of two

massive suitcases and a bunch of flowers tucked under his

arm as he counts room numbers.  

6 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY 6

Thomas barrels in and drops the bags onto the empty bed

by the door.  He opens the first suitcase, beginning to

set up the room with practiced efficiency...

He plugs in a cell phone cradle and sets it on the bedside

table along with the laptop computer...

(CONTINUED)

THE BUCKET LIST - Rev. 12/14/06 6A/7.

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*6  CONTINUED:  6

He places a Royal Classic copper coffee siphon on the

window sill, along with a copper Thermos and saucers and

spoons, and an elegant wooden box.

Finally he removes a crystal vase and stuffs the flowers

into it.  VOICES are heard in the hallway -- a commotion

drawing closer.

Anticipating their arrival, Thomas, looking for a place

for the flowers, quickly walks around the bed and yanks

open the separator curtain which bisects the room,

revealing Carter. 

THOMAS

What are you doing here?

Carter is thin and drawn and plugged into a network of

tubes.  His bedside table is stacked high with an

imposing tower of books.

The wall behind him is collaged with get well cards and

pictures of his family:  two sons, several grandchildren

and a beautiful 20-year-old daughter.

CARTER

Oh, you know, fighting for my

life... You?

THOMAS

No, I was just surprised that...

Just as the hallway brigade bursts into the room as

doctors and nurses and handlers hover over --

EDWARD 

(lying in a gurney)

And tell Dr. Shit-for-brains I

want a full rundown on this

Bleomyacin drip he wants to get me

on.  What's the upside?  I hear it

eats your lungs.  When I address

Congress next month, I don't want

to be breathing through a hole in

my throat.

DOCTOR

That's not exactly what --

EDWARD

Where the hell is Thomas?

THOMAS

In plain view, sir.

 

(CONTINUED)

THE BUCKET LIST - Rev. 12/4/06 8.

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*6  CONTINUED:  (2)  6

NURSE SHING

We're going to move you into the

bed now.

EDWARD 

I can do it myself, goddammit.  I

ain't dead yet.

He tries to lift himself into the bed, but falls to the

floor.

THOMAS

How 'bout now?

EDWARD

Have I fired you lately?

THOMAS

Not since the Oprah interview.

He bends down and helps Edward into the bed.  Edward

settles a moment before noticing Carter.

EDWARD

Who the hell is that?

CARTER

Who the hell are you?

CARTER (V.O.)

That was the first time I laid

eyes on Edward Cole.  An

inauspicious beginning to be sure.

CUT TO:

7 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - EARLY MORNING 7

ELECTRIC CLIPPERS SHAVING SMOOTH AVENUES ONTO EDWARD'S

SCALP.

Edward's mood has not improved.

EDWARD

I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend

the next three weeks lying next to

this guy.  He looks half dead

already.  

THOMAS

You can't have your own room.  It

would create enormous PR problems.

(CONTINUED)

THE BUCKET LIST - Rev. 12/21/06 9.

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*7  CONTINUED:  7

EDWARD

I don't give a shit about PR.  I

want my own room.  It's my

hospital, for Christ's sake. 

Don't tell me I can't have my own

room.

(to Carter)

No offense, pal.

THOMAS

You have defended this policy

publicly countless times.  You run

hospitals, not health spas.  Two

beds to a room.  No exceptions.

EDWARD

I never been sick before.

The movie I chose is called “The Bucket List” directed by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It is a story about two strangers who've met each other in a hospital at the condition of “terminally ill”. They both have cancer at the last stage. As time passed they knew each other better until they are best friend. As the time is running out they decided to complete their bucket list before they “kick the bucket”. This is where the title came from. I select this quote because I find it funny. In a Marxist point of view, the fact that “two beds per room” meant that everyone is equal. Why? In private hospitals usually people with money (or upper class people) could pay extra to have the room privately for them. However in Edward’s hospital, he made it clear that there will be two beds in each room no matter what.  The funny part is after he became sick, and had to ‘admit’ into hospital. He wanted to have his own private room. Unfortunately, since he cannot do this, even if he is the owner of the hospital. It would mean that all of his fight to defend his policy would mean nothing. Therefore he had to “suck-it-up” and sleep in the same room with another stranger. The movie then continues to show the adventurous journey and thoughtful conversation they had together. In a way it portrays two men with totally different personality and status. Edward who is awfully rich, but with a rude and angry attitude. As seen from the script, "Look, I passed up a lunch with Michelle Pfeiffer to be here" shows how self-centered he is that he prioritize his lunch than to attend the court.  Meanwhile, Carter is a working man who's been working his entire life, with a charming and calm characteristic as seen in the conversation "Oh, you know, fighting for my life... You?", where he struggles to live both physically and financially. This part of the script reflects the ideals of Marxism. The true equal right is rare to be found. One can argue that he wanted equal rights for everybody even to himself, but when it really comes to the point where he himself wanted “more” than others, he would abandon this belief.  Another reflection made from this movie in this Marxist view is that everyone is equal in the fact that everyone will go through the cycle of life. Everyone will have to go through the process of birth, aging, pain, and death no matter how much property or wealth they have.