Page One: “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)

Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, short story by Annie Proulx

A few small differences. In the movie, the perspective remains outside the truck. As a result, no dialogue. No Patsy Cline song. Why those changes? It’s subtle, but I suspect the decision was based on keeping the viewer at an arm’s length to the Ennis character. Who is the person? Why does he get off a truck at such a remote place as Signal, Wyoming? Create more of a mystery.

That said, as a screenwriter, there is a takeaway from the script. Note the extensive introduction to the Ennis character:

Seven lines. Apart from the last sentence, it is what is sometimes called “unfilmable” description, dipping into the character’s personality, even his personal history (“a high-school drop-out country boy with no prospects”).

What’s the takeaway? That introduction is written for an actor. It is written in such a way to seduce the actor into reading on to learn more about this character. Every “unfilmable” description speaks to the character’s “compelling” nature. Even the physical description in the last sentence speaks of a character who has outgrown his Old Self and ready to change.

As my DePaul screenwriting faculty colleague Brad Riddell says, “Scripts are actor bait.” Never forget that.

You may read the screenplay here.

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!

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.