Page One: “The Natural” (1984)

Screenplay by Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry, novel by Bernard Malamud

The movie version of the opening:

Yeah, I know. Long paragraphs. Camera shots. Feels anachronistic compared to contemporary screenplay style which is more about brevity. But the language!

the bright nickel light gleaming on the railheads… he spots a bird hovering motionless on a current of air…

I do connect with the love of language.

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.