: Define the "plant and payoff" technique. Introduce the "Julie sets" example from Tootsie as a masterclass in using character dialogue to create structural irony.
: Later, Michael (as himself) meets Julie at a party. Thinking he has the "key" to her heart, he uses her exact line back to her. Instead of the romantic connection he expects, Julie hurls her drink in his face. WALS Julie sets 264-268
: Summarize how effective "sets" (like Julie’s) make a film feel cohesive. They reward the audience for paying attention and ensure that the protagonist's failures feel earned. : Define the "plant and payoff" technique
: Contrast this with other classic set-ups, such as the "Rosebud" mystery in Citizen Kane , where the audience is constantly reminded of the "set" before the final, devastating payoff. Thinking he has the "key" to her heart,
: During a quiet, intimate conversation with Dorothy (Michael in disguise), Julie expresses her frustration with the games men play. She "sets" the stage by claiming she wishes men would just be honest. She even provides a specific "big line" as an example: "I find you very attractive and I'd really like to go to bed with you."
: Discuss why the payoff works. It works because Michael treats Julie’s "honesty" as a mechanical input to get a desired output, whereas Julie’s original "set" was an emotional plea for vulnerability.
In screenwriting, a "plant" is a piece of information given early in a story that takes on new significance later—the "payoff." Julie’s dialogue serves as one of the most effective examples of this technique.
