How do I format dialogue within dialogue?

[JoseLuis]

Basically, I have a character (Danny) who is telling a joke like the one below, verbatim. How should this look?


So Mary Clancy goes up to Father O' Grady after his Sunday
morning service, and she's in tears.
He says, " So what's bothering you, Mary my dear?"
She says, "Oh, Father, I've got terrible news . My
husband passed away last night."
The priest says, "Oh, Mary, that's terrible. Tell me, Mary,
did he have any last requests?"
She says, "That he did, Father."
The priest says, "What did he ask, Mary? "
She says, He said, 'Please Mary, put down that damn gun...'

Thanks.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

That's a great question. I don't know the answer, but it is one of those formatting questions they should talk about in that section of Script magazine where they do that every month.

Ping--- Bill Martell? Bill are you here? (one of the editors of Script magazine I believe)

 

[Blue_Food]

Here’s a snippet from one of my favourite scenes in FARGO:

MAN
... So, I'm tendin' bar there at Ecklund & Swedlin's last Tuesday and this little guy's drinkin' and he says, 'So where can a guy find some action - I'm goin' crazy down there at the lake.' And I says, 'What kinda action?' and he says, 'Woman action, what do I look like,' And I says 'Well, what do I look like, I don't arrange that kinda thing,' and he says, 'I'm goin' crazy out there at the lake' and I says, 'Well, this ain't that kinda place.'

Regarding the use of single vs. double quotations marks, I would guess that either would be appropriate, as long as you remain consistent. In fact, if you’re using the single marks elsewhere in your script for things like titles or signage, perhaps the double marks might be preferable.

DP

 

[Charli]

I think you can use ... or / to break it up

 

[CallaghanFilms]

Firstly, if this is something you are producing yourself, I would let the actor "make it his own" and formulate the cadence to suit his style. A joke is never gonna be told the same way twice... so you could risk it sounding unnatural.

Otherwise, use Blue Food's methodski (with single quotations)...

 

[skessler]

when I format in celtx this is what i Get is this what your looking for?

scene 1

So Mary Clancy goes up to Father O' Grady after his Sunday morning service, and she's in tears He says,

O Grady

" So what's bothering you, Mary my dear?"

Mary

"Oh, Father, I've got terrible news . My husband passed away last night."

Priest

"Oh, Mary, that's terrible. Tell me, Mary, did he have any last requests?"

MARY

"That he did, Father."

PRIEST

"What did he ask, Mary? "

MARY

He said, 'Please Mary, put down that damn gun...'

 

[JoseLuis]

Thanks for all the replies! Especially that FARGO line, Blue food. You're absolutely right Callahan, if/when it goes into production, I fully intend to let the actors play with the dialogue.