Page One: “Courage Under Fire” (1996)

Written by Patrick Sheane Duncan

The movie version of the opening:

As we have seen so often in the Page One series, the movie version of the opening is much bigger and more action-oriented than the script. As noted previously, it doesn’t take much guesswork to figure out why: Start the movie with a metaphorical — and in this case actual — BANG. This immediately grabs the viewer’s attention. Moreover, what transpires in a big, dramatic opening plays underneath the subsequent scenes in the first part of Act One, typically comprised of exposition scenes to set up characters, place and time, central conflict, and the like.

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.