Writers love “Casablanca”

　　By Josh Grossberg 李芳 译

　　The 1942 Kleenex classic, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and directed by Michael Curtiz, tops the Writers Guild of America’s inaugural list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays of all time.

　　The beginning of a beautiful friendship indeed. And who could blame them?

　　Casablanca’s Oscar-winning screenplay, penned by Julius Epstein, Philip Epstein and Howard Koch, offered up unmatched repartee and some of the most memorable lines in movie history.

　　A small sampling: “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she had to walk into mine”; “Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time”; “We’ll always have Paris”; and capping off the coolest-sounding brush-off speech ever: “Here’s looking at you, kid.” (The line “Play it again, Sam,” as cinephiles know, isn’t actually in the flick but comes from the 1972 movie of the same name written and starring Woody Allen).

　　This poll, voted on by members of the WGA’s East Coast and West Coast branches, was created to honor the best of the written word on the big screen.

　　In second place was a script Tinseltown writers couldn’t refuse, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 Mafia masterpiece, The Godfather, written by Coppola and Mario Puzo.

　　Rounding out the top five: Robert Towne’s Chinatown; Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz’s Citizen Kane; and Joseph Mankiewicz’s All About Eve.

　　“This list and the films on it are meant to be scrutinized4 and criticized, dissected and collected, viewed and reviewed,” WGA West President Patric Verrone said. “They are the literature of our industry and the legacy of our union.”

　　The WGA countdown is similar in vein to annual lists released by the American Film Institute, such as its 100 Best American Films, 100 Best Thrillers, and 50 Greatest Actors (which Bogie finished atop), and Best Love Stories, on which Casablanca ranked number one.

　　The WGA’s 101, which was cosponsored by Premiere magazine, was unveiled at a gala tribute Thursday night at the Writers Guild Theater, hosted by comic actor, writer, director and radio host Harry Shearer.

　　A who’s-who of writers attended, including George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark), Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally...), Buck Henry (The Graduate), Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential), Bob Gale (Back the Future trilogy), Nicholas Pileggi (GoodFellas), Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) and Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys).

　　The 101 finalists were compiled from 1,400 screenplays nominated by members for consideration. The only eligibility6 requirement was that the script had to have been turned into a film. A total of 45 scripts were originals, while 56 were adaptations, with dramas and thrillers being favored heavily over comedies.

　　Coppola, Allen and Billy Wilder had four scripts apiece make the cut, while Charlie Kaufman, William Goldman and John Huston each had three.

　　Here’s a rundown of the Top 10:

　　1. Casablanca (Julius J. & Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch)

　　2. The Godfather (Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola)

　　3. Chinatown (Robert Towne)

　　4. Citizen Kane (Herman Mankiewicz and Orson Welles)

　　5 . All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz)

　　6. Annie Hall (Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman)

　　7. Sunset Boulevard (Charles Brackett & Billy Wilder and D.M. Marshman Jr.)

　　8. Network (Paddy Chayefsky)

　　9. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond)

　　10. The Godfather Part II (Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola)