10 Minor Film Characters Whose Lives Were Probably Ruined Forever

5. The Marshall McLuhan "Expert" - Annie Hall

Annie Hall is, without a doubt, one of the most groundbreaking romantic comedies of all time - it transformed and innovated the genre, mainly due to the way that Woody Allen played around with narrative conventions to tell his story. In one inspired scene, during a date with the eponymous Annie Hall, Allen's character, comedian Alvy Singer, stands in line at a movie theatre whilst somebody behind natters on to his date about renowned intellectual Marshall McLuhan. Peeved beyond belief, Alvy comes directly up to the camera and laments: "What do you do when you get stuck in a movie line with a guy like this?" And then, somewhat unexpectedly, the guy follows suit, approaching the camera and asking the audience: "Wait a minute, why can't I get my opinion? It's a free country!" Alvy explains that the guy is wrong in his analysis of McLuhan, to which he replies: "I happen to teach a class at Columbia called TV Media and Culture, so I think my insights into Mr. McLuhan have a great deal of validity." And here's the kicker: Alvy turns and grabs somebody waiting behind a piece of scenery, who turns out to be none other than... yes, the real life Marshall McLuhan! "I heard what you were saying," McLuhan dead pans. "You know nothing of my work." Gob-smacked, the lecturer falls into silence, presumably as every inch of his being is subjected what is undoubtably the embarrassment moment of his lifetime. Having one of his "idols" telling him face to face that he knows "nothing" surely had to break his spirit. If anything, the poor guy had to re-evaluate his entire life perspective.