Page One: ‘Network’ (1976)

By Paddy Chayefsky

To my knowledge, this is the only time a screenwriter has received a “by” credit. Not “written by.” Just “by.” That’s how much the movie’s director Sydney Lumet respected Paddy Chayefsky.

As long as we’re here, the script pages for Howard Beale’s famous “Mad as hell” monologue.

One of the greatest moments in cinema history.

Almost exactly as Chayefsky scripted it.

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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