What's the best screenplay ever written?

JoDB Fri, May 22, 2009 at 03:43 AM EST

The best screenplays ever:
1. American Beauty (Alan Ball). It's just brilliant, maybe one of the best films ever made. That humour, the tension, ... Really great.
2. The Eight Day (Le Huitième Jour) by Jaco Van Dormael.
3. Dead Poet's Society by Tom Schulmann.
4. The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan.
5. The Village by M. Night Shyamalan.
6. Forrest Gump by Eric Roth.
7. The Truman Show by Andrew Niccol.
8. The Full Monty by Simon Beaufoy.
9. The Blues Brothers by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis.
10. Monty Python and the Holy Grail by the whole Monty Python team.

10 very great movies, with great screenplays. Humour, tension, memorable scenes and quotes and surprises in the plot: that's just what a film needs.

Maya Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 08:51 PM EST

and what about any woody allen?? Deconstructing Harry was great, especially the dialogues and the idea that some guy goes out of focus.

and definitely Hollywood Ending, dialogue had me rolling on the floor.

#James Bungay Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 07:26 PM EST

i cant be botherd to go thru em all but i think back to the future and star wars and the old supermans should be in the top 10 mabe the top 20

John Keating Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 09:59 PM EST

I really need to stress that Dead Poets Society is my number one all time favorite movie and that it's screenplay should be included in the top ten on this list. It inspires and captivates like no other movie ever made and it won a very well deserved 1989 Best Screenplay Oscar, which says something (but doesn't matter in some aspects because the movies on the list don't have to be Oscar winners; too many are.)Anyway, here are a few other films that should be on the Best Screenplays of All Time List:
1. Dead Poets Society (Tom Schulman)
2. Scent Of A Woman (Bo Goldman)
3. Breaking Away (Steve Tesich)
4. 12 Angry Men (Reginald Rose)
5. American Graffiti (George Lucas)
6. Awakenings (Steven Zaillian)
7. On Golden Pond (Ernest Thompson)

Overall, I was pleased to see American Beauty, The Godfather, To Kill A Mockingbird, and It's A Wonderful Life on the list, but in many ways, this list is shameful and poor. Too many old & overrated films are on the list.

John Keating Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 09:28 PM EST

Where's Dead Poets Society? Tom Schulman's screenplay is definitely the best one I've ever had the privelege of seeing. Great movie all around. How about Breaking Away by Steve Tesich?

Betsie is my pen name Thu, Jun 28, 2007 at 06:51 PM EST

Personal fave's Cinema Paradiso (S.Tornatore) and Million Dollar Baby (P.Haggis) should be on the list.
Cheers.

Bryan Catherman Fri, Feb 16, 2007 at 10:22 PM EST

Wow, it's good to see that many of these started as novels.

ron Thu, Apr 13, 2006 at 04:41 AM EST

Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking Kramer vs. Kramer and The Green Mile. And of course The Outlaw Josey Wells has some classic lines.

Bonnie Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 09:15 PM EST

Didn't see the list, but am so-o glad to see 'To Kill a Mockingbird'....to me, one of the best films ever...and there are some good ones...

Mom Nancy Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 08:05 PM EST

12 Angry Men was one of the most powerful screenplays, The Days of Wine & Roses was another, and for humor nothing beats Young Frankenstein

Arlo J. Wiley Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 04:31 PM EST

Adaptation only at #76? Wow. It would've been my choice for best.

And I think that This Is Spinal Tap or Serenity need to be on this list, because damn it, they are great...

BoxOfficeGoddess Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 03:58 PM EST

Everyone's already mentioned ones I would have included, like "Heathers", but how about "The Piano"?

Stephanie Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 01:51 PM EST

Waiting for Guffman? Best in Show was Guests best screenplay. It looked like a classic SCTV skit. Anyway my pic for best screenplay is Fargo. The one liners are memorable.

Mary Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 11:57 AM EST

I'm hoping the reason no one has said so yet is because the script was largely improvised, but if it could be counted, then Waiting for Guffman NEEDS to be on that list.

Jill Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 10:59 AM EST

I think "At Close Range", starring Christopher Walken and Sean Penn should definitely be added to the list. The dialogue between the two leads is electrifying.

Robert Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 08:17 AM EST

Howards End..it's a perfect movie. And Murder on the Orient Express: an amazing adaptation in that every line is purposeful and funny from a book that is not well written.

tony Mon, Apr 10, 2006 at 06:56 AM EST

The absence of so many excellent non-US movies in the English language (forget all the foreign-language possibilities) makes this list a total nonsense, along with "the world series" of baseball, etc etc.
Maybe the guild members needed a translator to help them through, for instance, [Lock, Stock and] Two Smoking Barrels?
There are many great movies on the list, and it provides a useful talking point. But that is as far as it goes.

Anne Sun, Apr 9, 2006 at 05:28 PM EST

happy about ESOTSM, Princess Bride, & Harold and Maude. where are heavenly creatures, crouching tiger, the incredibles, lotr, young frankestien, dogma, and breakfast at tiffany's?

Dylan Sun, Apr 9, 2006 at 03:16 PM EST

The Last Seduction-I thought the dialogue was clever as hell or maybe it was just how brilliantly it was delivered by Linda Fiorentino.

Brandon Bivens Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 10:19 PM EST

How dare they leave out Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece "Boogie Nights"! How could they also leave out "Punch-Drunk Love" or "Magnolia"? Yet they put that overrated film "Shakespeare in Love" on it! Also where is "Saving Private Ryan"!

cliff Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 08:55 PM EST

Can we maybe lose American Beauty in favor of Rebel Without A Cause? If it's already on there, I apologize. Gotta skim these lists as quickly as possible on the job, you know.

Nancy Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 04:50 PM EST

Y Tu Mama Tambien had a really good screenplay. I don't like these lists because they usually only include English language screenplays, and then call them the best ever. There are plenty of great screenplays from around the world. Talk to Her, Amelie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, just to name a few.

Jaime Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 04:29 PM EST

Some ones missing were Rushmore, Sense and Sensibility, any Lord of the Rings movie, Airplane, and Heathers, but my nomination for most glaring omission is Toy Story, which I don’t think has been mentioned yet. With all its technical wizardry, it wouldn’t have been such a great movie without its screenplay.

jjgarr01 Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 03:44 PM EST

um, The Big Sleep?

Andres Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 02:14 PM EST

gosford park, the royal tenenbaum, amelie, dazed and confused, waking life, rashomon, trainspotting, hable con ella, the man who wasn't there and mulholland drive

alias Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 12:56 PM EST

And where's Life is Beautiful? That was such a wonderful and touching movie. It definitely should have been on the list.

alias Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 12:53 PM EST

I'm SO glad to see The Usual Suspects make the list, as well as Eternal Sunshine. Although I think that Grosse Pointe Blank should have made the list. Granted, it's not what critics usually go for, but I thought it was such a clever and funny movie. I also think that Shawshank Redemption should have been higher up on the list, due to it being adapted from a short story.

Ale&QuailClub Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 09:23 AM EST

Preston Sturges can't crack the top 25? Not a serious list. . . .

Aramis Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 09:15 AM EST

Ah, I'm such a dork...

CORRECTION for my list:

"Twelve Monkeys"....sorry, I was watching "Thirteen Ghosts" as I was writing my list out....brain meld. LOL.

Sean Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 09:11 AM EST

Actually, I thought the Writer's Guild choices were pitch-perfect. I was glad to see 3 great Woody Allen Movies (Annie Hall, Manhatten, and Hannah and Her Sisters), made the list, and so did three excellent Charlie Kaufman films (ESOTSM, Being John Malkovich, and Adaptation). Something about Adaptation being the last Kaufman film on the list is wrong. It should at least outrank Being John Malokovich.

Jakeem Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 02:59 AM EST

Plus ya gotta love the concept of a DeLorean as a time machine!!!!

Jakeem Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 02:55 AM EST

I don't have an argument about any of the other screenplays cited, but I absolutely admire what Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale did with "Back to the Future." It's an airtight storyline that put some new wrinkles in the time-travel genre.

Marcy Sat, Apr 8, 2006 at 01:16 AM EST

Seeing a John Hughes script would of been quite nice. As for foreign films, what about Spirited Away?

Dan Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 11:25 PM EST

I agree with dmac. P.T. Anderson should have been on there for Magnolia. I think he is the best writer working today.

Kati Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 11:13 PM EST

I think you mean Twelve Monkeys -- yeah, that would be a nice one to put on the list. I was happy to see Eternal, It's A Wonderful Life, and The Lion in Winter on there. Here's a question: best written television shows ever?

dmac Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 10:14 PM EST

1.Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
2.The Matrix.
3.Crash.
4.She Hate Me

jay Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 08:40 PM EST

Magnolia...Boogie Nights...PT Anderson deserves his due

AJ Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 08:36 PM EST

Very recent? 30 before 1960 means that its about 8 or 9 movies per decade before 1960, 31 through the 60's which would be about 15 movies a decade, and then after 1980 that would mean about 12 per decade, so i would think that all the movies are very spread out.

Corran Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 07:49 PM EST

Hands down, bar none, Pulp Fiction is the best screenplay every written. Godfather the second best, but even then it can't touch Pulp Fiction.

Jai Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 07:13 PM EST

As Good As It Gets and Erin Brockovich demonstrate how structure, story and emotion can come together to make strong films.

Rob Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 07:10 PM EST

Good Will Hunting.

sam Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 06:34 PM EST

Where is Sofia's Lost in Translation? It is simple, elegant, and shockingly real. Nice to see Eternal Sunshine... in the top 30. Also, clueless was one of the best screenplays of the 90's. They don't all have to be "oscar-winners"!

Beth Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 06:26 PM EST

I've always loved Ron Shelton's screenplay for "Bull Durham." And where is Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's "A Room With A View"?

The Other Kyle Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 06:24 PM EST

Laura-

Sure Airplane and Young Frankenstein were genius. Comedies are tough to categorize in a "best of" list. But I'll give you those.

But Clueless? Really?

Come on PopWatchers, you're better than this.

Aramis Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 06:23 PM EST

My Top Ten Choices Choices:

10. "Thirteen Monkeys" - A gritty look into the mind and the possibility of time travel. Succeeded for me where list-making "Enternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" failed in creating the melding worlds of the mind as seen by the main character.

9. "Clueless" is a nice surprise, but I think Emma Thompson's more direct approach to Jane Austen should be recognized for "Sense and Sensability".
So for me, they both are tied.

8. "The Godfather" 1 & 2 tied together because to me, like "Lord of the Rings," it's all one story.

7. "Schindler's List" - as powerful as the final product itself.

6. "Lord of the Rings" - all three films because it survived the scorn it COULD HAVE received if it failed in translating Tolkein's beautiful words.

5. "Kill Bill" both volumes - while "Pulp Fiction" made the list because it's been around longer than The Bride's mission, I choose this one because it expanded beautifully on the writing concepts for "Pulp Fiction". The only difference is, with "Kill Bill," we actually are given characters that we love (even when we were hating them) and dialogue as epic as any movie genre they were playing homage to.

I feel my remaining top choices speak for themeselves.

4. "Casablanca"
3. "To Kill a Mockingbird"
2. "All About Eve"

1."American Beauty" - okay, ecxept for this one. I chose this one because Alan Ball is a genius. Taking the distorted ideal that is The American Dream and ripping it to shreds, he makes the perfect family that we all aspire to be, but know we shouldn't. The first script I've ever read and still a favorite. I read this before actually seeing the movie and it was a monumental moment for me that told me I wanted to be a screenwriter.

Laura Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 06:07 PM EST

Good call about Sense and Sensibility! Emma Thompson's script was fantastic! It was tight, snappy, it moved well, it had so much depth... she even improved upon the novel! Definitely the most glaring omission from this list.

And I would also put Bridget Jones' Diary up there as well, along with Amelie and LOTR: Return of the King. And sorry "The Other Kyle", but I think tight, clever, hilarious movies like "Clueless", "Airplane", and "Young Frankenstein" most definitely deserve to be there.

And why aren't "Amadeus" and "The Princess Bride" higher on the list?? Surely both of those movie are better than "American Beauty"...

The Other Kyle Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 04:29 PM EST

What? No "Snakes on a Plane"?!?

GOB Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 04:22 PM EST

I think Susannah Grant's screenplay for Erin Brockovich deserves as much credit as Julia Roberts for the success of that film.

Also, I'd guess that a lot of the in The Birdcage was improvised, but Elaine May's screenplay was a big part of that movie's brilliance. The dialouge is hilarious.

Rahul Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 04:13 PM EST

How about Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker's Airplane? Or Steven Gaghan's Traffic?

Alexa Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 04:03 PM EST

I agree that Magnolia should be up there, and where's the Emma Thompson love? Her Oscar winning work adapting Sense & Sensibility is truly amazing - it's not easy to make Jane Austen flow so well on screen. In the same category, I think 1999's Mansfield Park is an amazing piece of adaptation, considering the book is dry, tediious and has a spineless heroine at its center, but the film is stylish, witty and engaging.

On the indie front, one of my favorite screenplays is for Roger Dodger, which is a real dialogue-based film with some really memorable lines and characters. I would also have loved to have seen something by German director Tom Tykwer, such as Run Lola Run or The Princess and the Warrior (both of which he wrote, too). Or Head On by Faith Akin or Goodbye Lenin, as well.

I would have loved some more adaptation love, really. Bridget Jones's Diary, About a Boy and The Joy Luck Club are some of my favorites, especially since in the case of the latter two, I prefer the movies! David Hare's work on The Hours is also commendable (esp. since it's just like his play/movie Plenty, and better than the book IMHO), and Lee Hall's work on Billy Elliot is similarly notable.

Bobby Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:55 PM EST

It's like that just picked 101 of the most popular movies of the past 50 years, along with some underrated classics, and then arbitrarily placed them on the list. The complex"Hannah and Her Sisters" is in the 90s, while the simpler "Annie Hall," a film shot with a screenplay much different than the movie we ended up with, is in the top ten.
Goes to show all these lists are crap.

Heather Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:46 PM EST

Anyone else feel like Woody Allen is way overrated? And "Do the Right Thing" is so high on the list? That was much better than some of these other movies. And "Star Wars" is on the list for a screenplay? Don't get me wrong, I am a geek and all, but the dialogue is a bit wooden...
I agree, "Heathers" should be on there (not just because of my name or anything)...maybe not "Clueless" even though I am a fan but what about something like "Magnolia" which was rich in it's stories and content or "Reservoir Dogs". Can a cartoon get into the list? If so, what about "The Incredibles?" God, I could go on forever...

Flick Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:37 PM EST

I've always thought screenplays that were original, and had an impact on movies over the next few years were always "the best." Having said that, I'm all about "Se7en."

Kudos to Charlie Kaufman on getting on the list numerous times!

The Other Kyle Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:29 PM EST

The movies are very masculine because, like it or not, that's the way most of our greatest films are.

Think of your top 10 movies of all time and I'd say just about everyone's is going to 3/4's, if not all, masculine type movies.

Jordan Gray Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:26 PM EST

Where the F is Ikiru????????

The Other Kyle Fri, Apr 7, 2006 at 03:23 PM EST

CLUELESS?!?!?! On the best screenplay list?!?!?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!..........*breathe*.....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Thanks I needed a good laugh.