Page One: “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005)

Written by Judd Apatow, Steve Carell

The movie version of the opening:

Two big changes from the script: (1) The song in the movie is “Living the Life of Illusion” by Joe Walsh. The choice of the song probably has something to do with the fact that Andy, forty years old, would presumably not be a virgin. That’s the illusion. (2) Andy wakes up with a… um… let’s just say he does not suffer from erectile dysfunction.

You can 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.