At work today, one of my classmates mentioned on Twitter that William Goldman had passed, and it brought back so many great memories of the man and his very funny looks at the artifice behind Hollywood and Broadway. THE PRINCESS BRIDE remains one of my all-time favorite films, probably as much for the Peter Falk/Fred Savage exchanges as the actual story.
William Goldman is, of course, an important screenwriter and later script doctor. BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID. ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. MARATHON MAN. MISERY. He's written three of the Writer's Guild of America's top 101 screenplays.
During film school, my class was asked to read two of Goldman's books: ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE, and WHICH LIE DID I TELL, the sequel. Sensing Goldman was important, I managed to flag down a battered copy of FOUR SCREENPLAYS WITH ESSAYS, which contains some of the same content as WHICH LIE DID I TELL with the full screenplays added for context.
Goldman's books are a must-read for film fans, In particular, his story of how Rob Reiner's adaptation of his novel THE PRINCESS BRIDE came to be (in both WLDIT and FSWE) is just brilliant storytelling, as well as very inspirational for would-be writers. As I went to write this, I got a bit swept up in his PRINCESS BRIDE anecdotes again. He's addictive.
Mike Felming Jr. over at Deadline Hollywood has shared one of better anecdotes about Goldman that Goldman didn't tell himself: Jonathan Demme getting a quick piece of advice from Goldman after a rough screening of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. You can see how those cut scenes were great for story and drama... and you can also see how important it was that they were cut to keep the tempo going. Demme trusted the audience to understand that Starling was going off of her own volition, and he did so because Goldman's gut told him to.
Since he passed, there have been some great remembrances on Twitter, as well:
Losing Bill Goldman made me cry. My favorite book of all time is The Princess Bride. I was honored he allowed me to make it into a movie. I visited with him last Saturday. He was very weak but his mind still had the Goldman edge. I told him I loved him. He smiled & said fuck you.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) November 16, 2018
Rest In Peace Bill Goldman. One of the greatest screenwriters of all time. And a true gentleman. We will miss you. Thank you for all the stories you have given us that are seared into our DNA. #princessbride #allthepresidentsmen #butchcassidyandthesundan… https://t.co/qtlXDftHQG pic.twitter.com/62tvLmKTqg
— Carla Gugino (@carlagugino) November 16, 2018
The Princess Bride remains my most watched film, likely always will. I spent a good year of my childhood watching it twice a week (as often as my parents’ sanity would allow). I can still quote it word for word. William Goldman, you were a wizard of words.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) November 16, 2018
R.I.P. Sir. pic.twitter.com/IzHb1mCYs5
It's no small feat to be a smart, witty writer and smart and witty about writing. RIP the legendary adventurer in screenwriting, William Goldman. https://t.co/oqSyQaRq2R
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) November 16, 2018
I was lucky, in 1984, to interview William Goldman at the Savoy. He brightened up when I told him that of all his books, I loved The Princess Bride, then his least successful book, the best. A gentleman: he wrote brilliant novels & screenplays & explained Hollywood to the world.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) November 16, 2018
RIP #WilliamGoldman. One of the greatest most successful screenwriters ever. I was lucky as hell to count Bill as a mentor and a friend. Check his credits & see a William Goldman movie or read a Goldman book over the holiday & give thanks that we had his voice in our world. https://t.co/RWRdCoO1Cm
— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) November 16, 2018
RIP to William Goldman, the fantastic novelist turned screenwriter of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, Misery, All the President's Men, and much more - including The Princess Bride, one of the best and most quotable movies ever, adapted from his own book. pic.twitter.com/3M2ilUnTQH
— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) November 16, 2018
I'll close now with Goldman's own words... the close to ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE, written in 1982... because I believe he's talking about some of you out there, Talkbackers:
I think there's a wave of talent rising now. Thousands upon thousands of young men and women who literally love film. I realize this is a book about Hollywood, so obviously, there has to be a happy ending. Only I'm not tacking this on. I believe that wave is upon us and that it's not going to be stopped. And to all that talent let me say, where the hell have you been and I wish you joy...
...and may you ignore the critics when they attack you, and pay no attention to their praise...
...and may you pleae remember when your scenes are sludge, that screenplays are structure...
...and may you have peers as willing to improve your project as you must be; treat them kindly, for they will save your ass many times over...
...and may you always remember "it's only a movie" but never forget there are lots worse things than movies-- like politicians...
...and may you be lucky enough and skilled enough to make some glorious moments for all the people sitting out there in the dark, as earlier craftsmen created such moments for you...
...and finally and most of all...
...may all your scars be little ones...
- William Goldman, ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE, 1982
... go prove him right.
-- Precious Roy
