Characters
No. No, Mother, I have not been drinking. No. No. These two men, they poured a whole bottle of bourbon into me. No, they didn’t give me a chaser.
— Roger Thornhill ‧ North by Northwest
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker denies to their mother that they have been drinking by the ordinary route, insisting instead that two men forced a full bottle of bourbon into them, with no chaser. The tone is flustered and defensive, piling up denials while explaining the state they are in.
Context reviewed