Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back the Screenplay

by Leigh Brackett

From the Rebels' defeat at the Battle of Hoth to the battle between Luke and Darth Vader, The Empire Strikes Back continues the story of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and the others as they struggle to overthrow the evil Galactic Empire.

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Film

137 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Leigh Brackett was born on December 7, 1915 in Los Angeles, and raised near Santa Monica. Having spent her youth as an athletic tom-boy - playing volleyball and reading stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs and H Rider Haggard - she began writing fantastic adventures of her own. Several of these early efforts were read by Henry Kuttner, who critiqued her stories and introduced her to the SF personalities then living in California, including Robert Heinlein, Julius Schwartz, Jack Williamson, Edmond Hamilton - and another aspiring writer, Ray Bradbury.

In 1944, based on the hard-boiled dialogue in her first novel, No Good From a Corpse, producer/director Howard Hawks hired Brackett to collaborate with William Faulkner on the screenplay of Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep.

Brackett maintained an on-again/off-again relationship with Hollywood for the remainder of her life. Between writing screenplays for such films as Rio Bravo, El Dorado, Hatari!, and The Long Goodbye, she produced novels such as the classic The Long Tomorrow (1955) and the Spur Award-winning Western, Follow the Free Wind (1963).

Brackett married Edmond Hamilton on New Year's Eve in 1946, and the couple maintained homes in the high-desert of California and the rural farmland of Kinsman, Ohio.

Just weeks before her death on March 17, 1978, she turned in the first draft screenplay for The Empire Strikes Back and the film was posthumously dedicated to her.

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So a few years ago I discovered that Leigh Brackett wrote the original Empire script, though it was always dismissed as very different to the final version and it seemed like George credited her was a courtesy rather than because she actually did write it. But I just finished reading it and it was nearly all there! Han didn't get frozen in carbonite and Luke wasn't Vader's son. But Hoth, Dagoba, Cloud City, the asteroids, it was all here. The characters didn't really sound like themselves, but I'm guessing she was writing based on the original script and only having seen the film once. It was quite a wonderful glimpse and a lovely pulpy version. The Cloud people sounded great, and Lando was a clone! Luke was still in love with Leia (though there was hints about their relationship) and Vader luring Luke to Cloud City, cause he knew he loved Leia made that make much more sense. There was also a LOT more kissing in the asteroid field which I really liked. I'm really glad I found a copy of this. I think it's a shame that Leigh died before being able to revise it. But it's really nice to be able to have read the first draft.

Those who are interested the full script can find it here http://scyfilove.com/wp-content/uploa...

[Brian Melchers · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s interesting to think how Empire Strikes Back would have been different if it didn’t have the “I am your father” business. It might have been a better story because it deals more with Luke’s temptation. In this script, he does have a dark side that is at odds with his oath as a Jedi. In the movies, I always thought it was kind of a missed opportunity that Luke never thinks about using the dark side, except for maybe the end of his duel in Return of the Jedi, where he attacks Vader. Luke does, however, slaughter most of Jabba’s minions, which seems pretty dark. Maybe the point is that you don’t really think about using the dark side. It just sort of happens.

LUKE: Darth Vader struck at me. And I felt… power. I struck back.
MINCH: The dark side of the force. Luke you’re in greater danger than I realized. Even untrained, you’re far more powerful than I, far more powerful than Obi-Wan.
LUKE: But why should that be dangerous, to be strong?
MINCH: The more strength, the greater the temptation. Skywalker, if your ship could fly, I’d order you off my world right now. You’re too great a burden.

LUKE: I, Luke Skywalker, do swear on my honor, and on the faith of the brotherhood of knights, to use the Force only for good, turning always from the Dark Side; to dedicate my life to the cause of freedom and justice. If I should fail of this vow, my life shall be forfeit, here and hereafter.

DARTH VADER: Have you never wanted power, Luke? Power to strike back at your enemies, to avenge wrong, to keep those you love safe from harm? What about Princess Leia?
LUKE; I’ve sworn an oath.
DARTH VADER: Other men’s words, other men’s shackles. Will you be a child all your life?
LUKE; I’ve sworn an oath.
DARTH VADER: You’re in love with Leia. You don’t want to lose her to Han Solo… but you will, if you lack the courage to use the strength that’s in you. A strength as great as mine, Luke. If you join with me, nothing can stand against us.

Luke escapes Vader by deactivating his saber and jumping down a ventilation shaft.

[Dan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A substantial improvement on the original "Star Wars" script, "Empire" is a thrilling story. It has everything you want from a good adventure — suspense, action, screwball comedy, romance — and is paced excellently.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations were a nice addition.

[Stephane Watteeux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read the screenplay of the great story

Very enjoyable even though not weird to see the words verbatim

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is not much to say about this book, as it is the exact script of the film with illustrations along side. If I reviewed the story I would more or less be reviewing the film which I have watched so many times, and love. However I must say that in almost every scene I could see the scene in the film exactly.
As a Star Wars fan it is a must read, although a bit odd when they refer to light sabers as swords and don't use some other Star Wars specific terms. Yet as it was the second movie in the franchise it is expected.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay... there's "I love you"-"I know" dialogue which is missing from the novel!!!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I love you, I know", classic.