Book Review of Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman (1983)

Adventures in the Screen Trade. William Goldman. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing, 1983. 594 pages

By Patrick Charsky

    Hollywood was in major crisis mode in the early 1980’s. Heaven’s Gate had just crashed and brought an end to the period of American Film History known as The New Hollywood. What was to be done? How would Hollywood survive? It was another existential moment for Hollywood. Chronicling these years and the movie events that made them is William Goldman. Famous Hollywood scribe who made his bones with hits like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, and A Bridge too Far.

    Adventures in the Screen Trade is the first of three books that deal with Goldman’s career as a screenwriter. Adventures in the Screen Trade is not only a very funny book with plenty of anecdotes, advice, and attitude, it is also deeply insightful into Hollywood during Goldman’s early days as a screenwriter. The book is replete with stories about stars like Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Goldman also divulges numerous tips for aspiring screenwriters to pay attention to. Like not talking too much at meetings. Or how to “protect” the star. Or write for stars. Through the delineation of these details I will show why Goldman’s book is funny, educational, and a joy to read.

    In the beginning of his career as a writer Goldman was a struggling novelist. His big break came when he met up with an actor who thought he had promise as a writer. This actor’s name was Cliff Robertson. Robertson read one of Goldman’s early novels and thought he might be a good screenwriter. This was how Goldman cut his teeth in Hollywood. Still, Goldman faced some travails before his big hit Butch Cassidy. He lost a job. Was taken off a screenplay. It was no walk in the park. And Goldman makes that clear. It took him eight years to write Butch Cassidy. And his screenwriting career see sawed from hit to miss, to walking off a project or winning an Academy Award for Screenwriting. As a matter of fact Goldman won two.

    Some of the most interesting parts of the book are when Goldman writes about his interactions with Robert Redford. Goldman makes clear that Redford, in the 1970’s, was the biggest star in Hollywood. And the writer and actor collaborated extensively during this time. Goldman wrote The Great Waldo Pepper, All the President's Men, and A Bridge Too Far all of which starred Redford. There are many detailed stories that concern the production of each film. They are lucidly recalled and open the door to the mystery and legend of how movies get made.

    Adventures in the Screen Trade also has much advice about how to write a screenplay. A gem of writing advice from Goldman is to “protect” the star. By this he means giving the star of the film a great part. Goldman recalls numerous actors and actresses and the roles they played. He uses Humphrey Bogart, Robert Duvall, and Gene Hackman as examples of how to write for particular actors. It wasn’t just that they were in the movie, it was that they played a big role with memorable lines. Or a role that suited their acting style. He also divulges advice about making descriptions of characters a bit vague and open to interpretation because if you made it too narrow you would leave out a lot of casting possibilities.

    Among his other tidbits of advice concern how to behave as a screenwriter. He talks about two different kinds of meetings. One being audition meetings. The second being rewrite meetings. He also says meetings are the way Hollywood functions. People are taking meetings all the time. Only all the good meetings are taken. Go figure! Alas his most memorable piece of advice to screenwriters at a meeting is to SHUT UP!

    The last part of the book that comes across clearly is Goldman’s attitude. It is clear that he has no fear. His famous saying from the book is “Nobody knows anything” in Hollywood. To back up this statement Goldman writes about film executives or producers who passed on big box office smashes like Star Wars or Jaws or gave the greenlight to films like Heaven’s Gate or some other film that was a “stiff” that no one remembers.

    Goldman knows the mind of executives and producers possibly better than they know themselves. His story about what a “non-recurring phenomenon” is shows just how addicted Hollywood has become to franchise pictures. And even more so comic book films which become franchises. If only Goldman were alive to see all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies; I wonder what he would think? I’m sure he wouldn’t be surprised.

    The other part of Adventures that shows Goldman’s attitude is when he talks about how he wasn’t moved by The Deer Hunter, but how he was really emotional about Bambi. Goldman thought Bambi was the better movie. Another example of Goldman’s attitude coming through was when he wrote about the 1977 Academy Awards race. Goldman’s film All The President’s Men was up for a slew of Oscars including Best Picture. Only his movie didn’t win. The boxing movie Rocky won for Best Picture. Goldman dissects the awards and makes clear that he doesn’t think Rocky deserved to win. He supports his opinion by showing how Rocky became a franchise and none of the films that followed the first movie won any recognition. Goldman thinks Taxi Driver was the film most people will remember from that year at the Oscars.

    The writing sparkles with wit, humor, and erudition. I’ve not read anything quite like Adventures in the Screen Trade. I’m looking forward to reading his next take on Hollywood; Which Lie Did I Tell? More Adventures in the Screen Trade and Goldman’s book of essays Who Killed Hollywood? I also plan on reading some of his screenplays. Really getting into the primary sources and learning about this great scribe. There is much to learn from Adventures in the Screen Trade. Especially for Screenwriters.