Top 101 Screenplays Of All Time--Ranked By The WGA

Cafe Society
1

Here’s the top ten of that list. Agree? Disagree?

  1. Casablanca

  2. The Godfather

  3. Chinatown

  4. Citizen Kane

  5. All About Eve

  6. Annie Hall

  7. Sunset Boulevard

  8. Network

  9. Some Like It Hot

  10. The Godfather II
    I pretty much agree, but with a caveat. I wonder which version of “Chinatown” they’re including. I own a copy of Towne’s first draft, and despite my admiration for the guy, it’s not (imho) as good as the uncredited Polanski rewrite which was shot. The key scene which everyone remembers

“She’s my sister, she’s my daughter, she’s my sister, she’s my daughter,” etc.

is not in Towne’s draft, Esteban just tells Jake about this fact in a rather unaffecting scene. Still, no less a personage than Harlan Ellison considers Towne’s version superior to what was shot, so what do I know?

Sir Rhosis

2

It just occurs to me: did I misremember the police lieutenant’s name in my above post?

I’ll go look.

Sir Rhosis

3

I did. It is Andy Escobar in the first draft, and I think the character’s first name was changed before filming, though I can’t recall it for the life of me.

Sir Rhosis

4

Here’s the rest:

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

*Voted on by the members of the Writers Guilds, west and East.
Back to 101 Greatest Screenplays

5

A couple of caveats: The nominees had to be English-language screenplays, which excludes, among many others, Grand Illusion, Rules of the Game, Children of Paradise, The Leopard, The Bicycle Thief, The Seventh Seal, The Virgin Spring, 8 1/2, Amarcord.

6

But La Grande Illusion and 8 1/2 are listed at 85 and 87 :confused:

7

I’d add The Two Towers in there. Amazingly well written.

8

Where can one find a copy of the Casablanca screenplay? I am asking, because they did not even know the ending while they were filming it - so how did that work out?

9

I think Pulp Fiction should have been higher up on the list.

10

I don’t know if Star Wars is really one of the top screenplays of all time. And I think Memento could be higher on the list. I’ve seen eight of the top 10 and can’t argue too much about those movies.

11

Yeah, “Star Wars” is kinda iffy as a screenplay nomination, in my opinion… but there do seem to be a few recent additions up there that belong even less. (Why is “The Producers” on that list, for instance?)

A lot of what “Star Wars” did well was in the visual effects, the production design, and in the editing (which contributed to what was then a rapid-fire pace of exposition and which today seems quaintly slow). I’m not sure how much of that came out of the screenplay itself, or what the writing might have done which was revolutionary for the day.

12

If anything, I’d say the writing was deliberately not revolutionary. None of the Star Wars movies has much in the way of writing. It has a lot of lines that have passed into common speech, and that probably has a lot to do with its ranking.

13

The original screenplay won Mel Brooks an Oscar.

14

I didn’t realize “The Producers” won an Oscar for its screenplay. I had seen the movie many times* prior to the hoopla surrounding the Broadway version and I didn’t think it was great shakes, writing-wise.

While in the hospital for nine weeks, one channel was evidently a DVD of “The Producers” on continuous loop. I watched it several times when there was nothing else on.

15

It surprises me that Eternal Sunshine is so high. Not because I don’t think it belongs there, but for the fact that the geniuses in Hollywood didn’t even give it a best picture nom (even though it was the best screenplay, had terrific special effects, excellent cinematography, smart performances and was just clever as shit from every angle). I just thought it was a movie to not ever get its fair due. Or that I was just really, really high on it (figuratively speaking).

I think Jerry McGuire (66) was half a great-written work: the agent-athlete part was excellent, the boy-girl part didn’t ring true for me at all, felt like it was really reaching.

I would never consider “Annie Hall” as the 6th best ever (although a cute movie, nontheless). I was not old enough to see it during its theatrical release so it may ring better with an older audience.

Anybody for “Three Kings” making the list?

16

“The Big Lebowski” is a better screenplay than “Fargo”. It’s balanced, self-referential, logical (while appearing otherwise), humorous, touching, keeps hordes of characters going. It’s really an amazing piece of writing.

It’s better than a lot of those. “Pulp Fiction” could have gone higher.

There’s a lot of movies BELOW Star Wars that probably shouldn’t be.

17

I love Casablanca. I own the video. I have seen it maybe 30 times. It is maybe my all time favourite movie. But it is my all time favourite because of the combination of factors -great acting,directing, cinematography, music.
I think the script is the weak point. From what I have read some of the most memorable quotes were ad-libbed by the actors or producers.
It is a great script, but certainly not the best of all time. It is a very witty script with some great dialogue.
But if you watch it as many times as I have you realise that the multiple story threads make the movie interesting but one realises that these threads are not resolved. That can be a good idea. But to me it is not satisfying (as for Casablanca).