Jeri Smith-Ready: It starts with words on a page

Saturday, April 15, 2006

It starts with words on a page

The Writers Guild of America has named the 101 Greatest Screenplays of all time.

Nothing controversial about the Top Ten. I doubt anyone out there is thinking,

"What!?? Casablanca, that piece of crap??!"

But I feel a sense of validation regarding some of the other choices, underrated movies that rank among my all-time favorites:

Shawshank Redemption (#22)
Groundhog Day (27)
Unforgiven (30)
Moonstruck (62)
Memento (100)

What movie would you add to the list? I'm torn between Pleasantville and The Big Sleep.

posted by Jeri @ 8:01 AM
8 comments

8 Comments:

I'm glad to see they put The Princess Bride on but I have to admit, I can't believe they didn't include Philadelphia. They have The Philadelphia Story but Philadelphia with Tom Hanks was a great movie. And why isn't Wuthering Heights on the list? That was such a beautifully tragic classic.

Posted by: Kathy at 4/15/2006 7:07 PM

Can't think what else I'd put on there right now -- maybe American Splendor? -- but I was glad to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind represented.

Posted by: Rob S. at 4/16/2006 1:07 PM

I love American Splendor and Philadelphia. I can't remember if I've ever seen the movie version of Wuthering Heights. I read the book when I was about 12, after hearing the Kate Bush song (OK, after hearing Pat Benatar's cover of the Kate Bush song, the original of which I discovered years later).

Posted by: Jeri at 4/17/2006 9:57 AM

There are several I'd like to take off, none of which I can remember w/o the list in front of me. But my big complaint is not enough Coen Brothers films.

Cecilia

Posted by: Anonymous at 4/17/2006 5:24 PM

You're right; I would have put Miller's Crossing on there, definitely, and would have to be talked out of putting The Big lebowski and The Hudsucker Proxy on there, too.

"The Wacky Circumference!"

Posted by: Rob S. at 4/17/2006 5:55 PM

We weren't crazy about Miller's Crossing. I liked it but didn't love it; I think Chris actually disliked it. Haven't seen Big Lebowski yet but adored Hudsucker Proxy. If you haven't seen The Man Who Wasn't There, check it out. It was their attempt to do something less commercial after O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which should probably be on the list, too).

Posted by: Jeri at 4/17/2006 6:13 PM

Another good movie that wasn't on the list is the classic Cary Grant comedy Arsenic and Old Lace. That movie cracked me up. I love the old black & whites.

Posted by: Kathy at 4/18/2006 3:39 AM

My obvious choice, which paradoxically took a while to come up with, would be Duck Soup. My less-obvious choice would be Hopscotch, a delighful spy caper movie with Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Ned Beatty and a pre-wattle Sam Watterston.

It's a difficult task to consider a screenplay on its own, since the primary experience of film is visual. It makes sense, then, that adapted plays turn up a lot on the list.

Posted by: Dave S. at 4/20/2006 4:03 PM