Best American Screenplays: First Series * Complete Screenplays [Hardcover]

Sam Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Series: Best American Screenplays | Publication Date: March 30, 1985

Cinema buffs take note: Best American Screenplays is a collection of 14 screenplays.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The 12 screenplays in this first of a planned series were produced over a 50-year period, 1930-80. Almost all were nominated for a best picture Oscar and some won. Screenplays include All Quiet on the Western Front, Meet John Doe, On Golden Pond, Casablanca, and Arthur. They were selected for their literary merit and for their reflection of a major cultural or social phenomenon. Some of the films included, and many of those omitted, will cause discussion, although Thomas cites copyright problems for the non-inclusion of some classics. These are final versions from which the films were shot, although the completed films may differ in some ways. Brief accounts of script and screenwriter precede each screenplay. Recommended for general collections.Roy Liebman, California State Univ. Lib., Los Angeles
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Cinema buffs take note: Best American Screenplays is a collection of 14 screenplays.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 538 pages
• Publisher: Crown (March 30, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517555425
• ISBN-13: 978-0517555422
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #699,640 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful collection of classic screenplays., February 6, 2000

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Best American Screenplays: First Series * Complete Screenplays (Hardcover)

The screenplays in this collection range from golden age to relatively modern. They include:

All Quiet on the Western Front
Meet John Doe
Casablanca
Miracle on 34th Street
Rebel Without a Cause
Bonnie and Clyde
The Graduate
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Sounder
On Golden Pond
Arthur
The Candidate

It's also worth reading for the very entertaining and useful foreward by Frank Capra. Beware of only one thing: the typeface in this book is very tiny and takes some getting used to.

Worthwhile book for students of film and screenwriting.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great possession for screenwriters., June 18, 2011

By 

Vernon Eckleberry "Dr. Eck" (Brunswick, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Best American Screenplays: First Series * Complete Screenplays (Hardcover)

The best way to sharpen screenplay writing is to read good screenplays. This series of books provides just that opportunity. Having the best screenplays hardbound and easily accessible on the bookshelf is what makes "Best American Screenplays" such a valuable asset to the screenwriters library.