All Time Best Pictures--#1 [Part 2]

Last week we talked about Casablanca [1942] and how it came to be the best screenplay of all time according to the WGA’s list. When something is the “best” there are always people who will disagree, and that’s fine. But as this film is the overwhelming winner, let’s talk more about what it is about the film that makes it special.

One of the criticisms of the script from the studio was that there were some funny moments in this film, and it was supposed to be a drama, a serious film. But one of the screenwriters, Julius Epstein responded, “It doesn't matter how serious a film is... the right kinds of laughs can work in any film!”

And that’s often true. Because a story isn’t all serious. Like life, even in the most serious times, there are pockets of humor, things that make us smile. So I’d encourage you to remember that as you write… let your characters take you where they will, and if that’s to a light moment in the middle of a dark story, great—more like real life, right?

One of the other fascinating things about this film is that no one was every sure what the ending was going to be. Howard Koch, one of the screenwriters, said in 1995: “The ending of the film was in the air until the very end... I was working every day on the set... I think we never really had the ending for sure... We thought of many possibilities and finally decided on the one that was in the film. That has proven to be the ending that the audience accepts.”

At one point, Koch said, Ingrid Bergman, who was playing the female lead came to Koch because she was confused. Here’s how he tells the story: “When we began, we didn't have a finished script...Ingrid Bergman came to me and said, 'Which man should I love more...?' I said to her, 'I don't know... play them both evenly.' You see we didn't have an ending, so we didn't know what was going to happen!”

As Julius Epstein, another of the writers said, “Warner had 75 writers under contract, and 75 of them tried to figure out an ending!”

How amazing is it that the best film of all time didn’t have an ending until the last second?

Actually, I think it’s good advice. When I was writing my screenplay on Raymond Chandler [optioned, never produced] I had three suspects who could be the murderer. I didn’t decide until I was writing that last page who the guilty party was. I figured, if I didn’t write the script knowing who did it, anyone reading it would be wondering as well. Again, kind of like life, you don’t know how it’s going to turn out.

This is one reason I encourage writers to do outlines that aren’t over-detailed. You need to give yourself the chance to discover as you go along… to let the story take you where it wants to go. That, for me, is part of the fun of writing.

Next week we wrap up our look at the top 10 films of all time… see you then!

Copyright © Diane Lake

07Jun20

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com