Page One: ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967)

Written by David Newman, Robert Benton

Here is the movie version of the scene:

It’s one of the more famous movie openings, especially at the time… starting the movie with a naked woman! The movie version differs from the script because Bonnie reflects boredom, frustration, and a sense of imprisonment, the latter emphasized visual by the shot of her face between the bed posts.

Great stuff. Now check out the script. Yes, yes, long paragraphs… camera shots… commenting on the character… commenting on the arc of the story itself. But it’s wonderful writing as it clearly conveys the place, time, and most importantly, the atmosphere of the moment.

Oh, and yet ANOTHER example of a movie script which includes so-called ‘unfilmables.’

You may read the script here.

Page One is a daily Go Into The Story series featuring the first page of notable movie scripts from the classic era to contemporary times. Comparing them is an excellent way to study a variety of writing styles and see how professional writers start a story.

For more Page One posts, go here.

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