# The 101 Best Screenplays As Per The Writers Guild: Guess Who Won **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2006, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944 "2006-04-09T10:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/21 "2006-04-10T05:44:32Z")
Citizen Kane Annie Hall Lion in Winter The Godfather Splendor in the Grass ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/22 "2006-04-10T05:47:11Z")
You know, I was going to say **Casablanca** , but I remembered that a lot of critics felt that the script was OK, but the movie was great because of the actors. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/23 "2006-04-10T12:27:57Z")
Weird list. **Casablanca** turned out great, but it was certainly screenplay-by-committee, and I’m surprised it came out as good as it did. Ditto on “The Wizard of Oz”. So Robert Bolt gets credit for “Lawrence of Arabia”, but nothing for the much superior and more litrary “A Man for All Seasons”? What’s the sense in _that_? and I agree that comedies are grossly under-represented. One of my all-time favorite scripts isn’t in evidence: “Arsenic and Old Lace” and how about: Twelve Angry Men To Kill a Mockingbird I’ll take The Day the Earth Stood Still over ET any day. And — I don’t believe this – they included _Star Wars_! For screenplay? The movie about which Harrison Ford said “George, you can write this shit, but you can’t say it?” The movie with lines like “Your devotion to that ancient religion has not given you wisdom to find the Rebels’ hidden base, or clairvoyance enough to conjure up the hidden data tapes.”?? There are a lot of good screenplays on that list, but some of the inclusions and exclusions seem pretty weird, and I don’t think it’s just my personal taste. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/24 "2006-04-10T13:51:54Z")
Citizen Kane The Godfather Casablanca The Thin Man The 3 Faces of Eve. Off the top guesses. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/25 "2006-04-10T13:58:24Z")
I really just guessed memorable films made before 1975. There are much better picks by Dopers here than the committee! Splendo in The Grass - Fargo - Pulp Fiction ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/26 "2006-04-10T15:20:50Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > Now that I look at the list, why didn’t they leave out 85 and 87 and stick American in the title. Surely they are not suggesting that they considered non-American screenplays and could only find 2 worthy of inclusion. _Lawrence of Arabia_ (#14) and _The Third Man_ (#33) are also non-American productions. Yes, foreign films, and particularly non-English language films are grossly underrepresented (as are films out of Hollywood’s “Golden Age”), but this was a survey of WGA writers, not film historians, and as such, they vote for films they know the best. There are, from my perspective, some peculiar omissions and some even more odd selections; _Moonstruck_? _Jaws_? _Terms of Endearment_? And while _Groundhog Day_ could arguably belong on the list, does it really belong at #27? Where is _Out Of The Past_ (a seminal noir film), _The Killers_, or _Brazil_? How come _Pulp Fiction_ makes the list but the superior _Reservoir Dogs_ doesn’t? _The Producers_ but not _Young Frankenstein_ or _Blazing Saddles_? > [@saoirse](#): > > You know, I was going to say **Casablanca** , but I remembered that a lot of critics felt that the script was OK, but the movie was great because of the actors. Actually, I thought the opposite. The lead actors were, well, okay, and the key plot driver makes no sense, but they were elevated by some great snappy dialog and terrific supporting players. There were also at least half a dozen uncredited writers that contributed to the script, in addition to the five listed by IMDb. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/27 "2006-04-10T15:31:00Z")
**Chinatown** **Witness** **The Godfather** **Casablanca** **One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest** ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/28 "2006-04-10T15:41:41Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Actually, I thought the opposite. The lead actors were, well, okay, and the key plot driver makes no sense, but they were elevated by some great snappy dialog and terrific supporting players. There were also at least half a dozen uncredited writers that contributed to the script, in addition to the five listed by IMDb. > Stranger **Casablanca** was criticized by the writers themselves as being “slick” and unrealistic - none of the context of the movie existed. I guess they felt like it wasn’t “heartfelt.” But it was well-written, and a great story. I don’t think I’ve heard the script being criticized except as I just noted. **Chinatown** is studied by everybody who takes any screenwriting classes, so I’m not surprised by that at all. I personally don’t care for **Citizen Kane**. The script seems too…_constructed_…to me. I’m too aware of all the devices of storytelling as I watch it. Not smooth at all. 3 out of 5. I feel good. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/29 "2006-04-10T15:45:42Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > And — I don’t believe this – they included _Star Wars_! For screenplay? The movie about which Harrison Ford said “George, you can write this shit, but you can’t say it?” The movie with lines like “Your devotion to that ancient religion has not given you wisdom to find the Rebels’ hidden base, or clairvoyance enough to conjure up the hidden data tapes.”?? > There are a lot of good screenplays on that list, but some of the inclusions and exclusions seem pretty weird, and I don’t think it’s just my personal taste. Yeah, _Moonstruck_ made that list. When was the last time you heard someone praising a film by comparing it to _Moonstruck_, especially the screenplay? Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/30 "2006-04-10T15:51:42Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > _Lawrence of Arabia_ (#14) and _The Third Man_ (#33) are also non-American productions. In addition to those two there’s also: 1. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE Written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard 2. AMADEUS Screenplay by Peter Shaffer. Based on his play Interestingly, classic British production like The Bridge on the River Kwai (co-written by Michael Wilson, also the co-writer of Lawrence of Arabia) and The Lion in Winter had American screenwriters. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/31 "2006-04-10T16:27:26Z")
I have seen only 2 of that list’s top 10 films. And I’m a card-carrying member of the Writers Guild! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/32 "2006-04-10T16:31:53Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > I have seen only 2 of that list’s top 10 films. And I’m a card-carrying member of the Writers Guild! I have to say that is rather surprising. I knew **Casablanca** would be #1, it is revered among screenwriters in large part due to the almost “magical” way it came together with the various screenwriters, re-writes, last minute changes and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Iyamity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/96bed5/32.png) [@Iyamity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iyamity)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/33 "2006-04-10T16:35:09Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > The Writers Guild Of America just came out with their list of the top 101 movie screenplays of all time. > > Before you click on the following > > [link](http://www.wga.org/subpage_newsevents.aspx?id=1807), > > play fair and try to > > **guess the top five** of their list. > Don’t read any other posts in this thread first. > > Just hit reply and post your guesses for the > > **top five best movie screenplays of all time** , > > Then click on the link above to see how you did. > and then come back and click on the link to see how well you did. 1. Casablanca 2.Chinatown 3.African Queen 2. The Godfather 3. The Usual Suspects ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/34 "2006-04-10T16:35:51Z")
Chinatown American Beauty Citizen Kane Casablanca Taxi Driver ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/35 "2006-04-10T16:58:20Z")
OK, now I’ve looked at the entire llist. **Back to the Future** is a TERRIBLE script. Just horrible. One that should be on the list, but wasn’t because it got murdered in production, is **Dead Poet’s Society**. The script as written was a more interesting story that hinted Robin Williams’ character was gay, which made more of the plot make sense. Better than **Star Wars** , certainly. **Ruthless People** deserves a mention too. Incredibly clever intricate comedic plot. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/36 "2006-04-10T17:37:59Z")
Okay, as per the OP’s dare, I’ll take a stab and guess that the top five screenplays are “Chinatown”, “Network”, “the Godfather”(part I), “Rear Window” and “Ran.” The first three I’m pretty sure about, the latter two are kind of stabs in the dark. Now, to see if I’m right… ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/37 "2006-04-10T17:43:54Z")
Two out of three, with a third choice coming in the top ten. Well I guess that ain’t bad, but I’m disappointed with myself that I couldn’t think of “Citizen Kane.” ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/38 "2006-04-10T18:36:27Z")
Without going to page linked in the OP, here’s what I came up with (in order that they came to mind): Sunset Boulevard Citizen Kane The Usual Suspects The Manchurian Candidate The Long Goodbye Now I’m off to the site to see how I did… ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/39 "2006-04-10T18:52:50Z")
Three out of five. Good, but that seems to be the average for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944/40 "2006-04-10T18:55:27Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > Three out of five. Good, but that seems to be the average for this thread. Of course, I’m referring to: > [@](#): > > Chinatown > American Beauty > Citizen Kane > Casablanca > Taxi Driver [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-101-best-screenplays-as-per-the-writers-guild-guess-who-won/351944.md?page=3)