Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting

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Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting

by William Goldman

4.13 · rating details · 961 ratings · 92 reviews

As befits more than twenty years in Hollywood, Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman's sparkling memoir is as entertaining as many of the films he has helped to create. From the writer of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and Marathon Man, Adventures in the Screen Trade is an intimate view of movie-making, of acting greats such as Redford, Ol...more

Paperback, 594 pages

Published March 10th 1989 by Grand Central Publishing

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Jul 22, 2008

Scurra rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

Nobody Knows Anything.

Goldman could almost have saved us the 400-pages of what is still one of the most insightful books about the movie-industry, and just printed his Law on a single page at the front.
But then we'd have missed a glorious roller-coaster ride through Tinseltown stuffed to the gills with anecdotes of such toe-curling detail that you believe every word.
And even now, 25 years later, it still all rings true. Read it, and you too might understand how lucky w...more

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Dec 05, 2008

Michael rated it

This is perhaps the best book about screenwriting and the film business ever written.

Oscar winner William Goldman, who wrote such classic films as HARPER, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, MARATHON MAN and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN shares his unique, often difficult, experiences working with top directors, producers and stars like Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier.

If survival in the Hollywood film industry is possible, then there is no better "...more

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Mar 21, 2011

Heather rated it

I really loved this book. Although it was written in the early 80s, so much of what he says about the film industry still seems to hold true.

The first section explains how a project is put together, including some horror stories of projects that took a lot of everyone's time, effort and money and still didn't end up getting made.

The middle, main section deals with some of his screenplays - massive hits such as 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and 'A Bridge Too Far' - and ...more

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Sep 25, 2010

Mike Hankins rated it

I once met Mark Waid (prolific DC comics writer) and asked him if he had any advice for aspiring writers. He told me anything he would say was in this book, that he reads this book once a year, and any aspiring writer would do well to do the same. So I took his advice and immediately picked it up. While I don't read it every year, this most recent reading was my third time, not counting the numerous times I've gone over certain sections for reference.

This book is a treasure, not just...moreI once met Mark Waid (prolific DC comics writer) and asked him if he had any advice for aspiring writers. He told me anything he would say was in this book, that he reads this book once a year, and any aspiring writer would do well to do the same. So I took his advice and immediately picked it up. While I don't read it every year, this most recent reading was my third time, not counting the numerous times I've gone over certain sections for reference.

This book is a treasure, not just for writers, but anyone interested in Hollywood and filmmaking. Goldman is one of the better writers of the last generation, and the perfect man to analyze the craft of writing, it's specific application for the screen, and to shed an unbiased light into the dark, mysterious, and hilarious corners of the film industry.

Since it was written in the early 80's, some of the references are a bit dated, but his points ring true. He spends equal time analyzing the filmmaking process as a whole, talking about the craft of writing (his points apply well to writers of prose for the most part, only occassionally going into things that are unique to screenwriting) and discussing several important films he's worked on in detail. The latter section especially is an interesting section, as each film he choses to discuss holds an incredible and often weird story. Of special interest to me are the sections on "The Right Stuff," "The Great Waldo Pepper," "All the Presidents Men" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

In fact, this book presents the entire script to Butch, and an in-depth discussion of what works, what doesn't, and why. Also included is a short story by the author, which he proceeds to adapt to a screenplay, taking the reader through the process of writing a script start to finish. The processes he goes through are great to see, and very helpful for aspiring writers out there.

If you're a writer, you should definitely have this on your shelf, but even if you're not into writing, this is a great and hilariously entertaining look at Hollywood and the film industry as a whole, and worth a read for any movie fans out there.(less)

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Jun 11, 2009

Rickeclectic rated it

Recommends it for: film folks, writing folks

Recommended to Rickeclectic by: noone

Shelves: film

Good, chatty, casual book about screenwriting by someone who has done very well at it. The book may seem a bit long but it is actually sort of 3 books. One about Goldman's history with screenwriting. One that is the Butch Cassidy screenplay and one that is an actual effort to adapt a short story to a screenplay and then get it critiqued by film folks.

Goldman wrote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, All the Presidents Men, etc. etc. He is an insider and has very good in...more

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Dec 30, 2010

Ed rated it

I've had this on my shelf since I was a teenager but never really read it all the way through. Truth be told, I didn't this time either. But I think it's okay to skip a published script to a movie I've seen and another for a short I could care less about. I've read all of Goldman's other books which I highly suggest. This was his first book about screenwriting written in 1982 and his observations about the industry are obviously outdated when they aren't frighteningly predictive. What's nice is ...more

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Sep 23, 2010

Kevin rated it

I started reading this book 25 years ago and finally got around to finishing it. Funny how dated the references feel. (The biggest Hollywood stars at the time of writing were Burt Reynolds and Dudley Moore). And now with the internet and TMZ and cable "inside entertainment" shows, the book's behind-the-scenes reveals seem quaint. But it's still an entertaining read full of great Hollywood stories by one of my favorite authors, Williams Goldman, who wrote my favorite book of all tim...more

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Jul 07, 2010

Denis Farley rated it

I borrowed this dog eared, twenty year old copy from a friend in the film industry. He wants it back. Enterprise Car Rental company has a nice perk in that they will "pick you up" when renting at a non-airport location. I don't know, maybe they'll pick you up at the airport too but I tend to doubt it. So the agent that picked me up last week was a recent graduate of USC film school, starting out as a screenwriter. He read it too. The Daily Mail, hyping the book on the cover got g...moreI borrowed this dog eared, twenty year old copy from a friend in the film industry. He wants it back. Enterprise Car Rental company has a nice perk in that they will "pick you up" when renting at a non-airport location. I don't know, maybe they'll pick you up at the airport too but I tend to doubt it. So the agent that picked me up last week was a recent graduate of USC film school, starting out as a screenwriter. He read it too. The Daily Mail, hyping the book on the cover got good cross promotion with this quote, "William Goldman's book is the best I have read on Hollywood."

I've met some writers on current sitcoms and have read quite a few of their scripts. Not knowing much about this end of the business I found it all quite fascinating. Recently I read a feature screenplay from a source with a proven track record with an eye to dabble in the film production business. The events that followed weren't anything I could have predicted or imagined. This book has helped put some of those events into perspective.

Probably the most meaningful exchange in the book for me was when Goldman took a meeting with Robert Redford after writing the script which had been accepted by Redford and declared a "go" project (funded) by the studio. The project later became the hit movie, 'All The President's Men.' At that pre-production meeting, Mr. Redford, I believe the producer and one of the lead actors on the project, suggested to Mr. Goldman that he read a new script just written by Carl Bernstein and Nora Ephron, Carl having been one half the reporter/author team of the best selling book (same title as the movie), Woodward & Bernstein. Nora Ephron, then Bernstein's writer/girlfriend would later marry and divorce him. A stunned Goldman recalled that he said something like, "I couldn't read a word of it until I am told I can by my lawyers." With that he quickly left the meeting.

I believe I have read a few of Goldman's novels and certainly have seen quite a few of the movies for which he has written scripts. I enjoyed this, took a long time reading it between other endeavors and recommend it to anyone contemplating an 'adventure in the screen trade.'

(less)

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Jan 21, 2011

Twobusy rated it

Bill Simmons has been raving about this book for years, and so my expectations were high when I finally picked up this take on a life in screenwriting by the man responsible for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride, All The President's Men and many other screen classics. And did he deliver? Absolutely. While I have no interest in screenwriting per se, the book offers incredible insight into the filmmaking process — providing not just terrific and memorable behind-the-scenes sto...more

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Dec 26, 2010

Mark Harding rated it

· review of another edition

Well worth the read, even if you have only the slightest interest in Hollywood screen writing.

Flavours:

* An intelligent Hello! Magazine
* Goldman knowing better than anyone else (may, or may not, be true)
* Lots of fun
* Terrific vignettes
* Chapter 14 to 17 - very interesting section on turning a short story into a film script and getting comments from people in the industry. Weirdly:
they come up with some whithering criticisms
the eventual ...more

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Jun 26, 2010

Travis McClain rated it

· review of another edition

William Goldman may not be familiar by name, but you're bound to recognize his work. The subtitle, "A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting," would suggest that this is Goldman's memoirs. In truth, this is really more of an introduction for laymen to how movies are made, told from a screenwriter's perspective. There are three sections, each distinctive in its offerings.

The first section is an introduction of the key roles in films, complete with anecdotes illustrati...moreWilliam Goldman may not be familiar by name, but you're bound to recognize his work. The subtitle, "A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting," would suggest that this is Goldman's memoirs. In truth, this is really more of an introduction for laymen to how movies are made, told from a screenwriter's perspective. There are three sections, each distinctive in its offerings.

The first section is an introduction of the key roles in films, complete with anecdotes illustrating each's ability to influence the outcome of the project. Studio people with power of approval, directors, writers, actors, stars, agents; Goldman's thesis is that each is insecure and paranoid, and that everything one does is strictly to better his own idea of what his own self-interest might be. A star encounters an agent at a gathering, and the latter scoffs at the former having to take a taxi on the way, rather than a limousine being sent for him; the star switched agents not long after. Sound petty? Sure it is; but petty by which party? The agent who poached a client, the star who was talked into being upset about taking a taxi...or the original agent, who saw fit not to pamper his star client? What of Dustin Hoffman deliberately making an aged Lawrence Olivier go through a series of physically demanding takes just to wear out the acting legend? Olivier's graceful compliance--with nary a registered complaint--underscores not only Hoffman's insecurity and pettiness, but exposes the difference between a star and a real actor.

The second portion of Goldman's book is chock full of anecdotes from his film work up to the date of writing, on a film-by-film basis. How's this for a filmography: Charly, Masquerade, Harper, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Thing of It Is..., The Stepford Wives<i/>, The Great Waldo Pepper, All the President's Men, Marathon Man, The Right Stuff<i/>, Great Hotel and A Bridge Too Far. Of these, only Butch and Bridge are written glowingly. In point of fact, Goldman spent five years working to make Great Hotel...and ultimately removed himself from the project; the rest, he completed and the results varied.

What makes this volume so fascinating, though, is the third act: "Da Vinci." The title refers to a short story published by Goldman in 1960, which is included in its entirety. Goldman then walks us through how he would approach adapting his short story as a screenplay. Once that's finished, he presents a screenplay (again, in its entirety). These three pieces (story, screenplay and notes about the adaptation process) were then sent to key movie-makers for their thoughts on how each would approach this were it an actual film. Production designer Tony Walton, cinematographer Gordon Willis, editor Dede Allen, composer David Grusin and director George Roy Hill each weigh in about not only how each works in general (expanding the scope of Goldman's book in the process), but questions and remarks concerning this specific screenplay.

Anyone who has seen or heard Goldman speak on a DVD feature will expect the salty language that permeates this work. This is a guy that is entirely in love with movies, and largely frustrated by participating in the making of them. (Small wonder, once you've read these "adventures.") Very few people named in this account come off very well; Olivier and Richard Attenborough are the only two that come to mind as I write this. Even Robert Redford, with whom Goldman collaborated several times, fails to come out of this unscathed.

Be advised that there is a streak of sexism throughout--key personnel, when not named, are called "he;" there are "copy girls" and other such titles. These are not necessarily to be taken as Goldman's sexism, though, but rather a reflection of the industry at the time. Even today, there are few women directors, studio executives or producers. For those who aspire to change that, I would strongly suggest they start by reading this account of the dangers and frustrations that lie ahead.

Note: A subsequent edition includes the complete screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. This is noted on the cover of such printings.(less)

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Sep 23, 2010

Mariel rated it

Recommends it for: anyone interested in why no one knows anything

Shelves: mymemoir, letsgotothemovies, high-larious

William Goldman wrote the truly special The Princess Bride. If you've only seen the movie (he penned the screenplay too), read the book and have one of the warmest reading experiences of your life. Tongue in cheek, heartfelt, unabashedly romantic (true love!). An honest to goodness gem.

Adventures in the Screentrade is the other best thing that Goldman has ever written. William Goldman is a great writer about not just true love. If I could pick one person to teach me about subjects I ...moreWilliam Goldman wrote the truly special The Princess Bride. If you've only seen the movie (he penned the screenplay too), read the book and have one of the warmest reading experiences of your life. Tongue in cheek, heartfelt, unabashedly romantic (true love!). An honest to goodness gem.

Adventures in the Screentrade is the other best thing that Goldman has ever written. William Goldman is a great writer about not just true love. If I could pick one person to teach me about subjects I can't grasp, I'd want to ask William Goldman to do it. He writes about another subject that no one knows anything about- making movies- in the way that makes sense like nothing else has before. The stories are funny, insightful, just pure pleasure to read. This book breaks down every aspect of filmmaking and screenwriting. Even if you are not interested in writing, the anecodotal stories are priceless.

How the hell does anything good ever get made? How does the stuff that should have been good end up like crap? What makes a star, what doesn't? (The stories about Robert Redford are hilarious. Goldman says that Redford looked like any other Californian kid. Yet, there were people who would've done anything to sleep with him. Just once. It's that illusion of being a star.) (By Goldman's accounts, Redford must've been a huge dick. Paul Newman must've been a living and breathing PRINCE when he was alive. I don't find it difficult to take Goldman's word for it.)

I haven't seen all of the films brought up therein, I didn't even know who everybody was (some before my time). Doesn't matter. You can substitute the stars of today with the stars of the past.

In the '70s William Goldman wrote such famous screenplays like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. After 'Screentrade' made the wrong people mad, his career somehow fizzled out... Huh. His 2000 sequel Which Lies Did I Tell? (also fantastic, and covers projects after 'Screentrade' came out in the early '80s, such as The Princess Bride) pissed people off all over again. The man has balls and guts. (And quite clearly the brains and heart.)

It's all a mistake if anything works out. It is magic that anything ever does (perhaps a miracle). The unforseeable (and forseeable) bullshit that wrecks havoc on the most well-intentioned of projects... Goldman explains it all.

*Note- Goldman's books do not cover independent films. These are Hollywood stories of a man living outside (once in New York. His attempt to live in L.A. was hilariously painful).
(less)

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Aug 01, 2011

Michael Mcclelland rated it

· review of another edition

Though in some regards dated (written in the early 80s, many of the movies I haven't even heard of), I suspect that much about the U.S. movie industry remains the same. By William Goldman, one of the more successful screenwriters going around, it's perhaps no surprise that these musings on the cinema industry make for a good read. There's a bit of gossip, a bit of an education, and a bit of advice from an old hand. Of interest to any movie buff or aspiring writer (though you may not stay the ...more

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Jan 15, 2011

Diana180 added it

Shelves: read2011

My officemate Susan, a huge Redford fan, insisted I read this book in 1987 or 88 and I'll always be grateful to her. The opening explanation of stardom is classic and the analysis of Butch and Sundance is a classic of narrative study. The final experiment in converting a rote short story of the type taught in high schools to a screenplay is disappointing, but something can be learned from the discussions with different craft professionals about why it fails.

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Aug 02, 2009

Eric rated it

Goldman's a raconteur, telling great stories of his (early) years as a writer of screenplays. He gives a great sense of why movie development people are in constant fear, why stars are insane and what their function is (namely, to get people to come to the movie the first weekend; job done), where the real work in making a film is (shooting it is just a small facet), and many other insights about how movies get made & how many flop despite people's best efforts.

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Oct 20, 2009

Fionnuala rated it

Shelves: twentieth-century

A wonderfully funny, honest, humble, cynical, inspiring look at Hollywood and the role of the screenwriter - part anecdote, part memoir, part how-to book on screenwriting. Be warned, though: I read most of this while in bed with the flu and despite being almost too weak to focus on the print and having no interest in emulating Mr. Goldman's career, I finished it and immediately wanted to start writing a screenplay.

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Oct 15, 2008

Unbridled rated it

Wasn't sure what this was before I started reading it but I quickly remembered the buzz from its original release (early 80s), notably his (now famous) quote about Hollywood: 'Nobody Knows Anything' - which is directed to executives particularly, but everyone in the business generally. And if you've seen an M. Night Shyamalan movie recently, you'd probably find it hard to refute that this is still the case in Hollywood. The book is entertaining, the 1st 2 parts being reflections on the business ...more

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Jul 29, 2011

Ernest rated it

· review of another edition

This is an interesting book filled with insights and anecdotes about the author’s experiences as a screenwriter in Hollywood. This book is not a technical book, and perhaps is starting to date as the films described may not be readily familiar with current readers (certainly I got more enjoyment and interest out of films I recognised or knew).

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Oct 22, 2011

George Anders rated it

This is a Hollywood classic -- which is a great rarity. Lots of funny stories. Some great insights about managing in an environment of enormous uncertainty.

The commentary on stars of 30 years ago is obviously quite dated, but it isn't hard to think of new names that still fit his template.

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Dec 26, 2009

Alexander Evans rated it

I loved it, and paged through this in a few days. Goldman is charismatic and charming, knowledgeable and insightful without ever being condescending. I do wonder how this book would read if you weren't as interested in the subject matter (hollywood) as I, but for my tastes it was great.

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Sep 26, 2008

Thompson rated it

Although the book's time of publication is apparent throughout, what with the references to Burt Reynolds's considerable star power and the immediacy of Watergate in the public consciousness, etc., AiSC is a deeply insightful and at times painfully honest accounting of one genius's rough road through the Hollywood development process. Goldman is rightfully revered for his gift in composing tightly structured narratives that never fail to realize the human element of the players on the screen. He...more

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Feb 16, 2008

Laura rated it

Shelves: read-2003

Like The Princess Bride, I read this book, just to say hello, inbetween others.

I first read William Goldman as part of an Intro to Screenwriting class in college. This was his first book that we read. I love it all in here, not only because I spent the first part of my life wanting to work in film, and the second part in the creative nuts and bolts of advertising, but because of his style. Man has style - like a good talker, a funny guy, the type of person you invite out to the ba...more

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Jul 25, 2007

Milton rated it

Recommends it for: movie lovers

Shelves: finished

I was supposed to read this book for my Entertainment Law class but we all know how supplemental reading materials go once the semester gets rolling. Fortunately I had purchased this book with the intention of reading it before I got bogged down in the semester and it happened to be laying around. I found this book insightful and entertaining.

Mr. Goldman is an excellent storyteller and managed to keep my attention without being "textbooky" and bland. I did not realize ...more

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Feb 01, 2012

Stephen rated it

Shelves: film, non-fiction, memoirs

In Hollywood "nobody knows anything" is the most over-used quote in the film industry. It was said by the acclaimed screenwriter William Goldman and this is the book he said it in. Absolutely essential reading for anyone with even a slight interest in screenwriting.

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Mar 09, 2009

Benito rated it

Really loved this - the extraordinarily practical advise on the craft of writing and selling screenplays is balanced with the titillating behind-the-scenes tales of the megalomaniacaly neurotic actors, 'auter' directors, gold-digging producers, and in particular 'hyphenates' of all of the above, who steal the thunder of what Goldman considers the great unappreciated talents of Hollywood - writers, editors, composers, designers and cinematographers.

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Dec 12, 2011

Damon rated it

· review of another edition

Ironically this is not as good as its sequel, Which Lie Did I Tell?. But it's still really good and Goldman's turn of phrase is just fantastic at times. This is worth it if only for the way that George Roy Hill tears apart the author's spec screenplay at the end. Brutal and hilarious.

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Jan 04, 2009

Randy Lander rated it

If you want to know why most movies suck (and some don't), this book by Goldman is a pretty good, darkly funny look at the business realities and creative process of Hollywood. His other books are entertaining as well, but this one's my favorite.

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Dec 21, 2008

Hanna rated it

Probably it's dated in terms of advice other than the time-honoured wisdom stuff. There are better practical guides but this book is worth it for the anecdotes and the author's witty and fluid style. If he wrote the phone book, I would read it.

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Sep 06, 2009

Linda Robinson rated it

· review of another edition

William Goldman is incredible. Prolifically incredible. In several genres. I read this book on 3-18-97 straight through. I know I did because I wrote this quotation:

"Nobody knows anything.

Again, for emphasis...

Nobody knows anything."

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Sep 09, 2009

Brian Wilson rated it

One of the absolute, best books on the inner workings of the entertainment industry and a must-read for anyone who dreams of writing a screenplay and seeing - or not seeing as the case may be - their dreams become reality on the screen.

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About William Goldman

Goldman grew up in a Jewish family in Highland Park, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, and obtained a BA degree at Oberlin College in 1952 and an MA degree at Columbia University in 1956.
William Goldman had published five novels and had three plays produced on Broadway before he began to write screenplays. Several of his novels he later used as the foundation for his screenplays. In the 1980s he w...more

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