Writers Guild names 101 best screenplays

Publié le 12 avril 2006 par david castel

By John Horn

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Screenwriters should know a good movie script when they see one, and "Casablanca" has been crowned the best screenplay ever.

The members of the Writers Guild of America voted Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch's "Casablanca" into the top spot of the guild's 101 greatest screenplays.

Francis Ford Coppola's collaborations with Mario Puzo on the first two "Godfather" scripts were both voted into the top 10 - although "Godfather III" somehow didn't make the cut.

Among living screenwriters, Woody Allen tied with Coppola (who also was honored for his work on "Patton" and "Apocalypse Now") for the most mentions, with four: "Hannah and Her Sisters" (No. 95), "Crimes and Misdemeanors" (No. 57), "Manhattan" (No. 54) and "Annie Hall" (No. 6).

Charlie Kaufman ("Adaptation," "Being John Malkovich" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") and William Goldman ("Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "All the President's Men" and "The Princess Bride") each earned three recognitions.

Neither the script for "Crash" nor "Brokeback Mountain," which won this year's WGA and Academy Award screenplay awards, landed on the list.

Here is the complete list from the Writer's Guild of America:

1. CASABLANCA, Screenplay by Julius J. & Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch. Based on the play "Everybody Comes to Rick's" by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison.

2. THE GODFATHER, Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Based on the novel by Mario Puzo.

3. CHINATOWN, Written by Robert Towne

4. CITIZEN KANE, Written by Herman Mankiewicz and Orson Welles

5. ALL ABOUT EVE. Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Based on "The Wisdom of Eve," a short story and radio play by Mary Orr

6. ANNIE HALL, Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman

7. SUNSET BLVD., Written by Charles Brackett & Billy Wilder and D.M. Marshman Jr.

8. NETWORK, Written by Paddy Chayefsky

9. SOME LIKE IT HOT, Screenplay by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond. Based on "Fanfare of Love," a German film written by Robert Thoeren and M. Logan

10. THE GODFATHER II, Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo. Based on Mario Puzo's novel "The Godfather"

11. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, Written by William Goldman

12. DR. STRANGELOVE, Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George and Terry Southern. Based on novel "Red Alert" by Peter George

13. THE GRADUATE, Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. Based on the novel by Charles Webb

14. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. Based on the life and writings of Col. T.E. Lawrence

15, THE APARTMENT, Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond

16. PULP FICTION, Written by Quentin Tarantino. Stories by Quentin Tarantino & Roger Avary

17. TOOTSIE, Screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal. Story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart

18. ON THE WATERFRONT, Screen Story and Screenplay by Budd Schulberg. Based on "Crime on the Waterfront" articles by Malcolm Johnson

19. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Screenplay by Horton Foote. Based on the novel by Harper Lee.

20. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, Screenplay by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett & Frank Capra. Based on short story "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern. Contributions to screenplay Michael Wilson and Jo Swerling

21. NORTH BY NORTHWEST, Written by Ernest Lehman

22. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Screenplay by Frank Darabont. Based on the short story "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King

23. GONE WITH THE WIND, Screenplay by Sidney Howard. Based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell

24. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman. Story by Charlie Kaufman & Michel Gondry & Pierre Bismuth.

25. THE WIZARD OF OZ, Screenplay by Noel Langley and Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf. Adaptation by Noel Langley. Based on the novel by L. Frank Baum

26. DOUBLE INDEMNITY, Screenplay by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler. Based on the novel by James M. Cain

27. GROUNDHOG DAY, Screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis. Story by Danny Rubin.

28. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, Written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard

29, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, Written by Preston Sturges

30. UNFORGIVEN, Written by David Webb Peoples

31. HIS GIRL FRIDAY, Screenplay by Charles Lederer. Based on the play "The Front Page" by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur

32. FARGO, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
33. THE THIRD MAN, Screenplay by Graham Greene. Story by Graham Greene. Based on the short story by Graham Greene.

34. THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, Screenplay by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman. From a novelette by Ernest Lehman

35. THE USUAL SUSPECTS, Written by Christopher McQuarrie

36. MIDNIGHT COWBOY, Screenplay by Waldo Salt. Based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy
37. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, Screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart. Based on the play by Philip Barry
38. AMERICAN BEAUTY, Written by Alan Ball
39. THE STING, Written by David S. Ward
40. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, Written by Nora Ephron
41. GOODFELLAS, Screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese. Based on book "Wise Guy" by Nicholas Pileggi.
42. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan. Story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman
43. TAXI DRIVER, Written by Paul Schrader
44. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, Screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood. Based on novel "Glory For Me" by MacKinlay Kantor
45. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman. Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

46. THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, Screenplay by John Huston. Based on the novel by B. Traven

47. THE MALTESE FALCON, Screenplay by John Huston. Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett

48, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, Screenplay by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson. Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle

49, SCHINDLER'S LIST, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian. Based on the novel by Thomas Keneally

50. THE SIXTH SENSE, Written by M. Night Shyamalan

51. BROADCAST NEWS, Written by James L. Brooks

52. THE LADY EVE, Screenplay by Preston Sturges. Story by Monckton Hoffe

53. ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, Screenplay by William Goldman. Based on the book by Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward

54. MANHATTAN, Written by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman

55. APOCALYPSE NOW, Written by John Milius and Francis Coppola. Narration by Michael Herr

56. BACK TO THE FUTURE, Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale

57. CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, Written by Woody Allen

58. ORDINARY PEOPLE, Screenplay by Alvin Sargent. Based on the novel by Judith Guest
59. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, Screenplay by Robert Riskin. Based on the story "Night Bus" by Samuel Hopkins Adams

60. L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, Screenplay by Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson. Based on the novel by James Ellroy

61. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Screenplay by Ted Tally. Based on the novel by Thomas Harris
62. MOONSTRUCK, Written by John Patrick Shanley

63. JAWS, Screenplay by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb. Based on the novel by Peter Benchley

64. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, Screenplay by James L. Brooks. Based on the novel by Larry McMurtry

65. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, Screen Story and Screenplay by Betty Comden & Adolph Green. Based on the song by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown

66. JERRY MAGUIRE, Written by Cameron Crowe

67. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, Written by Melissa Mathison

68. STAR WARS, Written by George Lucas

69. DOG DAY AFTERNOON, Screenplay by Frank Pierson. Based on a magazine article by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore

70. THE AFRICAN QUEEN, Screenplay by James Agee and John Huston. Based on the novel by C.S. Forester
71. THE LION IN WINTER, Screenplay by James Goldman. Based on the play by James Goldman
72. THELMA & LOUISE, Written by Callie Khouri

73. AMADEUS, Screenplay by Peter Shaffer. Based on his play.

74. BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, Written by Charlie Kaufman

75. HIGH NOON, Screenplay by Carl Foreman. Based on short story "The Tin Star" by John W. Cunningham

76. RAGING BULL, Screenplay by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin. Based on the book by Jake La Motta with Joseph Carter and Peter Savage

77. ADAPTATION, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman. Based on the book "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean

78. ROCKY, Written by Sylvester Stallone

79. THE PRODUCERS, Written by Mel Brooks

80. WITNESS, Screenplay by Earl W. Wallace & William Kelley. Story by William Kelley and Pamela Wallace & Earl W. Wallace

81. BEING THERE, Screenplay by Jerzy Kosinski. Inspired by the novel by Jerzy Kosinski

82. COOL HAND LUKE, Screenplay by Donn Pearce and Frank Pierson. Based on the novel by Donn Pearce.

83. REAR WINDOW, Screenplay by John Michael Hayes. Based on the short story by Cornell Woolrich

84. THE PRINCESS BRIDE, Screenplay by William Goldman. Based on his novel.

85. LA GRANDE ILLUSION, Written by Jean Renoir and Charles Spaak

86. HAROLD & MAUDE, Written by Colin Higgins

87. 8 1/2, Screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, Ennio Flaiano, Brunello Rondi. Story by Fellini, Flaiano.

88. FIELD OF DREAMS, Screenplay by Phil Alden Robinson. Based on the book by W.P. Kinsella

89. FORREST GUMP, Screenplay by Eric Roth. Based on the novel by Winston Groom

90. SIDEWAYS, Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor. Based on the novel by Rex Pickett

91. THE VERDICT, Screenplay by David Mamet. Based on the novel by Barry Reed

92. PSYCHO, Screenplay by Joseph Stefano. Based on the novel by Robert Bloch

93. DO THE RIGHT THING, Written by Spike Lee

94. PATTON, Screen Story and Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North. Based on "A Soldier's Story" by Omar H. Bradley and "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" by Ladislas Farago

95. HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, Written by Woody Allen

96. THE HUSTLER, Screenplay by Sidney Carroll & Robert Rossen. Based on the novel by Walter Tevis

97. THE SEARCHERS, Screenplay by Frank S. Nugent. Based on the novel by Alan Le May

98. THE GRAPES OF WRATH, Screenplay by Nunnally Johnson. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck

99. THE WILD BUNCH, Screenplay by Walon Green and Sam Peckinpah. Story by Walon Green and Roy Sickner

100. MEMENTO, Screenplay by Christopher Nolan. Based on the short story "Memento Mori" by Jonathan Nolan

101. NOTORIOUS, Written by Ben Hecht

Source: Writers Guild of America