M Butterfly: analysis and themes

Butterfly Screen Play

M Butterfly Movie Proposal

Log Line

Rene Gallimard, the assistant to the ambassador of China, is the victim of a terrible and malicious rouse to obtain classified information. Lured into a romantic relationship with the woman Song Liling who he later discovers to be a cold, cruel manipulative and male spy. This comedic story, told from Rene's perspective reveals just how far a spy will go to complete his mission.

Characters

Rene Gallimard: Rene may not be the most bright member of the embassy staff, but his employer at least assumed he had some common sense. In fact, Rene is a socially inept Frenchman who prefers to surround himself in his work due to his failed attempts at love. After marrying a bossy and strong-willed woman in order to obtain his current position, Rene is looking for true love. Instead of finding love in the arms of his wife, this dumb-witted Frenchman seeks it out in the arms of a man dressed as an opera diva. Rene thinks he is finally being appreciated, what he does not realize is that is being reeled in hook, line, and sinker as a security leak within the French Embassy.

Song Liling: Song is an accomplished spy who is given the most challenging assignment of his career. His job is to somehow strike up a relationship with Rene Gallimard, an employee in the French embassy, for the purposes of obtaining confidential information. This is one assignment that will take every ounce of Song's spying and lying ability to pull off. The only question is whether he can keep his nerve long enough to get the information his government requires.

Comrade Chin: A leader of the Chinese Communist government and the supervisor of Song. Chin trains Song on the ins and outs of femininity and continually orders Song to push harder and harder in his quest for information. Chin is very assertive, but also blindly believes communist doctrine and constantly states some of the strangest quotes from their doctrine in order to prompt Song's actions.

Manuel Toulon: The French ambassador with a motive of his own. Manuel understands the power of the Chinese government and the Chinese's ability to fool even the most intelligent of spy. Manuel assumes he can trust his assistant Rene who seemed to have a good head on his shoulders (especially since he spent his every waking hour at work). This all changes when Rene starts getting sloppy at work and Manuel must get to the bottom of why.

Treatment

Within a dank, drab french prison cell, Rene Gallimard welcomes the viewer as a visitor. He explains that he is imprisoned for committing life's greatest sin, he loved too much. Rene's appearance is disheveled and he seems very quirky to the viewers. After realizing that is guests are wondering what he is talking about, he invites them to sit down and listen to his story.

The story begins with Rene, a college student who studied and worked hard to please his parents. Rene was a typical college nerd. He would always attempt to flirt with women, but his attempts were quickly squelched by other more masculine men. Realizing that Rene is just not cut out for courting women, he resolves to study hard and make a life of his career. Much to his surprise, a young woman has become interested in him. She is strong and sees great potential in Rene, so she tolerates his awkward behavior. The couple marries and his wife helps Rene gain employment with the French Embassy in China.

In an office next to the embassy, the Chinese are attempting to somehow gain access to the confidential information regarding the French's plans for China. Realizing that the French appear to be planning something, Commarade Chin employs the help of one of China's best spys, Song Liling. Song's assignment is to somehow gain access to the embassy through the embassy's newest member, Rene. So immediately Song begins researching Rene and hashes out a plan to strike up an affair with the man. The key to Song's plan is to convince Rene that he is a misunderstood woman. Song already knows that Rene is not the brightest member of the embassy, so with the help of Chin, he creates his disguise.

Knowing how much Rene loves the opera, Chin works with the local opera house to have Song impersonate an opera diva on the night when Rene is seeing the opera "Madame Butterfly." The plan works and Rene is taken aback by this talented opera diva. Rene goes to speak with Song after the performance where Song uses all of his "feminine" charms among them his ability to use an effective falsetto voice and bat his eyes. Rene is so flattered by the flirting that he is instantly charmed and decides to sneak away from his wife that night in order to have an affair with Song. Their love affair continues during the duration of Rene's stay in China. Unbeknownst to Rene, he is constantly revealing classified information to his lover who is reporting every word to Chin.