Page One: “Parenthood” (1989)

Screenplay by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel, story by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel & Ron Howard

The movie version of the opening:

This entire movie is wonderful — as is the script — which starts off with this fantastic opening scene. It’s not only clever — halfway through, we realize this is a memory of Gil, now an adult — but also a terrific way to convey exposition, e.g., about Gil’s relationship with his father, Gil’s father’s relationship with his father, and Gil’s determination to be a better parent. Great writing from Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel.

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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