Plots and Characters: A Screenwriter on Screenwriting

by Millard Kaufman

Part Hollywood history, part history of the art of storytelling, this title is infused with Kaufman's wit, intelligence and love of words. The plots are those of classic films from the 1940s, and the characters are the bosses, bombshells and bad boys of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Genres: Writing, Film, Nonfiction

265 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Millard Kaufman was an American Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and novelist.

Reviews

[Robert Craven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaufman is probably most famous for the movie script 'Bad Day at Blackrock', but was a journeyman screenwriter and completed his first novel at the age of 86.

This is quite a light read but filled with great examples of plain-English writing advice. Not only for screenwriters but cinema journalism and creative writing. He occasionally drifts into asides without getting to the point, but overall a great addition to Syd Field and Blake Snyder,

occasionally dated in language and attitude, but some real writing nuggets here!

[planetkiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaufman dispenses helpful advice and back it up with stories from his personal and professional life and examples from movies. His range of examples is broad, ranging from epics like "Citizen Kane" to children's films like "Babe." He approaches the subject with a humour that makes his advice palatable and rememorable.

[Daniel Beaulieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, helpful advice interspersed with memories of a Hollywood screenwriter. I was expecting more of a textbook, but it delivered on a personal tour guide through Kaufman’s experiences and second-hand legends.