Screenplay data
Sam Lowry, a low-level clerk, dreams of escaping his dystopian bureaucracy and rescuing a mysterious woman, Jill Layton, whom he encounters after a clerical error leads to a wrongful arrest. Obsessed with Jill, Sam uses his position to track her, discovering she is deemed a terrorist, and his attempts to help her only entangle them further with the oppressive government. After a chaotic chase and a brief romance, Sam is captured and tortured by his friend Jack, but he seemingly escapes with rebels, only to discover his escape was a delusion. The film concludes with Sam catatonic and strapped to a chair, humming his favorite tune, his mind completely broken by the system.
Save the Cat beat sheet
A low-level bureaucrat, Sam Lowry, lives in a dystopian world of oppressive paperwork.
Open full beat sheetSam Lowry is listed as Protagonist. A low-level government clerk who dreams of escape. In the parsed data, Sam Lowry is connected to 112 scenes, 101 dialogue lines, 104 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
112 scenes / 101 dialogue linesJill Layton is listed as Love Interest. A truck driver who becomes the object of Sam's obsession. In the parsed data, Jill Layton is connected to 38 scenes, 13 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.
38 scenes / 13 dialogue linesMr. Helpmann is listed as Antagonist. The Deputy Minister of Information. In the parsed data, Mr. Helpmann is connected to 13 scenes, 14 dialogue lines, 15 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
13 scenes / 14 dialogue linesHarry Tuttle is listed as Rebel. A freelance heating engineer who operates outside the system. In the parsed data, Harry Tuttle is connected to 9 scenes, 6 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
9 scenes / 6 dialogue linesJack Lint is listed as Antagonist. Sam's friend and an official in Information Retrieval. In the parsed data, Jack Lint is connected to 9 scenes, 4 dialogue lines, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 66.
9 scenes / 4 dialogue linesMr. Kurtzman is listed as Supervisor. Sam's supervisor in the Records department. In the parsed data, Mr. Kurtzman is connected to 8 scenes, 38 dialogue lines, 38 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
8 scenes / 38 dialogue linesIda Lowry is listed as Supporting. Sam's mother, obsessed with cosmetic surgery and social status. In the parsed data, Ida Lowry is connected to 7 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 131.
7 scenes / 2 dialogue linesSpoor is listed as Antagonist. A Central Services official. In the parsed data, Spoor is connected to 5 scenes, 25 dialogue lines, 25 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
5 scenes / 25 dialogue linesDowser is listed as Antagonist. Spoor's assistant. In the parsed data, Dowser is connected to 5 scenes, 8 dialogue lines, 9 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
5 scenes / 8 dialogue linesArchibald Buttle is listed as Victim. A shoe repair operative wrongly arrested due to a clerical error. In the parsed data, Archibald Buttle is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 4.
3 scenes / 0 dialogue linesA camera pans down from a sunset over a futuristic city to a shopping precinct.
Shoppers go about their business while Mr. Helpmann is interviewed on TV screens about terrorist bombings.
Mr. HelpmannA technician in an office watches Helpmann on TV and tries to swat a beetle.
The technician swats the beetle, which falls into a typewriter, causing a clerical error that results in the name Buttle being typed.
Mr. Helpmann, Archibald ButtleA zoom into a residential tower block.
The Buttle family is in their flat while the TV plays Helpmann's interview.
Archibald ButtleJill Layton is in her bath watching TV when she hears someone.
Jill LaytonMrs. Buttle puts her daughter to bed.
The daughter sees a figure descending from the ceiling.
Security troops raid the Buttle flat and arrest Archibald Buttle.
Archibald ButtleJill and workmen observe the raid from above.
Jill LaytonMrs. Buttle is left devastated after the arrest.
Clerks work in a large office pool supervised by Mr. Kurtzman.
Mr. KurtzmanKurtzman discovers a clerical error and tries to find Sam Lowry.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanSam Lowry has a dream where he flies and fights dark forces to save a girl.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam wakes up from his dream to a phone call from Kurtzman.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanSam meets Jack at the Ministry and spots Jill on a security monitor.
Sam Lowry, Jill Layton, Jack LintSam fixes the clerical error for Kurtzman and learns he has been promoted.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanMrs. Lowry undergoes cosmetic surgery procedures.
Ida LowrySpoor and Dowser attempt to enter Tuttle's room, but Sam intervenes with bureaucratic demands, allowing Tuttle to escape.
Sam Lowry, Harry Tuttle, Spoor, DowserSam's mother undergoes cosmetic surgery while Sam argues with her about his career and the doctor.
Sam Lowry, Ida LowrySam and his mother dine with Mrs. Terrain and Shirley; an explosion occurs in the kitchen.
Sam Lowry, Ida LowrySam's dream sequence where he attempts to rescue the girl from a cage in the sky.
Sam LowrySam wakes up from his dream and struggles with the heat in his apartment.
Sam LowrySam's dream continues in the Storeroom of Knowledge.
Sam LowryHarry Tuttle arrives to fix Sam's air conditioning, followed by Central Services agents.
Sam Lowry, Harry Tuttle, Spoor, DowserSam is working at his desk when Kurtzman calls him into his office.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanKurtzman and Sam struggle to process a refund cheque for the deceased Mr. Buttle.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanSam drives his car through a tunnel while listening to the radio.
Sam LowrySam exits the tunnel.
Sam LowrySam arrives at the Buttle residence and is met with hostility from local children.
Sam LowrySam enters the lobby and finds the lift broken.
Sam LowrySam finds the Buttle apartment door.
Sam LowrySam attempts to deliver the cheque to Mrs. Buttle, who is grieving. He catches a glimpse of Jill in a mirror reflection.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam leaves the apartment.
Sam LowrySam runs up the stairs.
Sam LowrySam searches for Jill.
Sam LowrySam enters Jill's flat, finding it empty.
Sam LowrySam rushes down.
Sam LowrySam fails to catch Jill and learns her name.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam researches Jill on his computer.
Sam Lowry, Mr. KurtzmanSam draws on Jill's print-out.
Sam LowrySam arrives home.
Sam LowrySpoor and Dowser dismantle Sam's flat, accusing him of harboring Tuttle.
Sam Lowry, Spoor, DowserSam dreams of the Dream Girl.
Sam LowrySam falls through the sky.
Sam LowrySam lands in a nightmare landscape and faces a giant samurai.
Sam LowrySam wakes from a nightmare and is visited by a singing telegram girl.
Sam LowrySam arrives at his mother's apartment for a party.
Sam Lowry, Ida LowrySam attends his mother's party and interacts with guests including Dr. Jaffe and Mr. Helpmann.
Sam Lowry, Mr. Helpmann, Ida Lowry, Jack LintSam helps Mr. Helpmann in the bathroom and accepts a transfer to Information Retrieval.
Sam Lowry, Mr. HelpmannSam arrives at the Information Retrieval lobby to report for duty.
Sam LowrySam observes the chaotic workflow of Mr. Warren and his expediters.
Sam LowrySam meets Mr. Warren and is shown his new office.
Sam LowrySam struggles with his cramped, bisected office.
Sam LowrySam goes to the neighboring office to investigate.
Sam LowrySam meets his neighbor, Lime, and asks for help checking a suspect.
Sam LowrySam waits in his office while Lime works on the computer.
Sam LowrySam has a dream about a stone ship.
Sam LowrySam wakes from his dream as Lime knocks on the wall.
Sam LowrySam visits Jack Lint at the Ministry to inquire about a case, discovering Jack is involved in the same investigation.
Sam Lowry, Jack LintSam leaves the office and witnesses a chaotic scene with a prisoner.
Sam LowryLime provides Sam with information on Jill Layton.
Sam LowrySam leaves the office and encounters Warren again.
Sam LowrySam spots Jill in the lobby while trapped in a malfunctioning lift.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam rides the lift with a charlady.
Sam LowrySam attempts to find another lift and is confronted by a guard.
Sam LowryJill is cornered by guards; Sam intervenes using his ID.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam arrives at the 50th floor.
Sam LowrySam meets a typist who is transcribing screams.
Sam LowrySam and Jill exit the building while being harassed by an old lady.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam climbs into Jill's lorry and tries to explain his presence.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonThe lorry arrives at a power plant where Jill performs a suspicious exchange.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam and Jill discuss Sam's job at Information Retrieval and the nature of the system while driving.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonDescription of the vast, nightmarish warehouse grid.
Sam warns Jill that Security is coming for her, leading to a physical struggle for control of the vehicle.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonThe lorry skids through the warehouse streets.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam and Jill continue to fight for control as sirens wail.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSecurity vehicles pursue the lorry through the containers.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonSam and Jill struggle as the pursuit continues.
Sam Lowry, Jill LaytonThat is why we always insist on the principle of Information Retrieval Charges. These terrorists are not pulling their weight, and it's absolutely right and fair that those found guilty should pay for their periods of detention and the Information Retrieval Procedures used in their interrogation.
I've tried that! Population Census have got him down as dormanted, the Central Collective Storehouse computer has got him down as deleted, and the Information Retrieval have got him down as inoperative ... Security has him down as excised., Admin have him down as completed
Actually, my bringing this here is rather unorthodox ... Usually any payments are made through the central computer ... but, er ... there were certain difficulties, and rather than cause delay, we thought you might appreciate this now ... it being Christmas.
I think you've got your T41 crystal inductor wired up to a reverse bobbin-threaded-solenoid-control. It's either that or a new washer.
There are no coincidences, Sam. Everything's connected, all along the line.
Why not? All you've got to do is blow yer nose and fix it, haven't you?
I'll fix the damage when they've gone. I'll be ready for you tomorrow.
Into memory. Now ... Central Banking ... Buttle, Veronica ... Deposit
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