Best American Screenplays: First Series * Complete Screenplays
The 12 screenplays in this first of a planned series were produced over a 50-year period, 1930-80. Almost all were nominated for a best picture Oscar and some won. Screenplays include All Quiet on the Western Front, Meet John Doe, On Golden Pond, Casablanca, and Arthur. They were selected for their literary merit and for their reflection of a major cultural or social phenomenon. Some of the films included, and many of those omitted, will cause discussion, although Thomas cites copyright problems for the non-inclusion of some classics. These are final versions from which the films were shot, although the completed films may differ in some ways. Brief accounts of script and screenwriter precede each screenplay. Recommended for general collections.Roy Liebman, California State Univ. Lib., Los AngelesCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.