Page One: ‘The Fugitive’ (1993)

Screenplay by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, story by David Twohy, characters by Roy Huggins

The movie version of the opening:

The movie has a completely different opening including a montage-type visualization of the murder. It continues with a news report, then a cocktail party where the Protagonist (Dr. Richard Kimble) gets introduced. My guess: The filmmakers figured two things: (1) Get the story off to a more active start as compared to a courtroom setting; (2) Create more of an emotional connection on the part of the audience to the story by watching a version of Kimble’s murder.

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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