Movies about Writing

I haven't seen either of those movies. I tend to try and avoid movies about writers and writing. I don't mind reading books about writing and writers, if they're non-fiction,or even watching documentaries about them, but I really am not attracted to fictional works about writing.

In my own experience, I've found that most NON-writers enjoy movies about writers than most writers do. We tend to be more picky and critical of them.

For instance, I loathed "Stranger than Fiction."

Shadow_Ferret said:

In my own experience, I've found that most NON-writers enjoy movies about writers than most writers do. We tend to be more picky and critical of them.

For instance, I loathed "Stranger than Fiction."

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STF could not strictly be regarded as a film about a writer or writers. It incorporates a sub-plot (if you could call it this) about a writer caught in the grips of 'writer's block'.

"Finding Forrester" was a good writer movie. I think writers see something differently and reach different conclusions as far as understanding the writer characters. I don't think it's better or worse.

As far as writer vs non-writer, I think I get more irritated than my non-writer friends at the way books are translated to movies. I know they can't capture everything and sometimes books are really well done (To Kill a Mockingbird with Gregory Peck), but that's not often.

ATP said:

STF could not strictly be regarded as a film about a writer or writers. It incorporates a sub-plot (if you could call it this) about a writer caught in the grips of 'writer's block'.

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And my loathing probably stemmed more from my dislike of Will Farrell than the actual content of the movie.

An old movie, CHAPTER TWO, written by Neil Simon...hang on, let me switch screens & get some basic info....okay found it..
This movie was laugh out loud (even though I was a teenager, I was writing...and got alot of what we writers obsess about), and bring along tissues. Some will label this chick flick. Pffff. Great movie. The ending...oh...the ending...well....ye' just 'ave ta' see it!

George Schneider is an author whose wife had just died. His brother Leo gives him the number of Jennie MacLaine, and somehow they hit it off. And just when things are moving along, the memory of his first wife comes between them.

Chapter Two (1979)




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User Rating: 5.7/10 (278 votes) more



Director:

Robert Moore

Writers:

Neil Simon (play)
Neil Simon (screenplay)

more
Genre:

Comedy / Drama more
Tagline:

It's not supposed to happen twice in your life, but it can.
Plot Summary:

George Schneider is an author whose wife had just died. His brother Leo gives him the number of Jennie MacLaine... more
Plot Keywords:

Based On Play
Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations more
User Comments:

Marsha Mason gets an Oscar Nomination for Playing Herself more
(Cast overview, first billed only)
James Caan... George Schneider Marsha Mason... Jennie MacLaine
Joseph Bologna... Leo Schneider
Valerie Harper... Faye Medwick
Alan Fudge... Lee Michaels Judy Farrell... Owen Michaels Debra Mooney... Marilyn Isabel Cooley... Customs Officer Imogene Bliss... Elderly Lady in Bookstore Barry Michlin... Maitre'D Ray Young... Gary Greg Zadikov... Waiter Dr. Paul Singh... Waiter Sumant... Waiter Cheryl Bianchi... Electric Girl

What's annoying about depictions of writers in films and TV is usually fantasy elements like sudden success, writing a large body of work overnight, and flashes of inspiration somehow replacing hard work. It's normally made to look very easy. Ironically, this story element is usually in place to relieve what might be considered boring in a writer's true story. But I think non-writers find these cliches as hokey and tension-free as the rest of us do.

Movies with writers as main characters which I like:

Bullets over Broadway
American Splendor
Misery
My Dinner with Andre
Hannah and her Sisters

With the first four at least, pressures associated with writing are at the center of the story. Good movies featuring journalists of various sorts are too numerous to mention.

Finding Forrester bugged me... It's been a while since I saw it so forgive me if I get a detail wrong here, but I seem to recall a climactic scene when an audience was supposed to be wowed by a brilliant piece of writing. The screenwriter was either unable to fake that brilliance, or chickened out of trying (at least with a substantial portion that wouldn't have been too long for a movie scene). The content of the piece was skipped over in some sort of time lapse or scene transition, and we only saw the positive reaction to the piece after the fact. It felt contrived and I felt cheated after the terrific buildup the rest of the movie provided.

I only one I've enjoyed is "Something's Gotta Give" where Diane Keaton was a screenwriter, meets Jack Nicholson, has an affair then writes about it in a screenplay while crying, and it turns out to be a sell out.

DeborahM said:

I only one I've enjoyed is "Something's Gotta Give" where Diane Keaton was a screenwriter, meets Jack Nicholson, has an affair then writes about it in a screenplay while crying, and it turns out to be a sell out.

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Yes, that I liked a lot. And 'The Shining', of course, but the story took off from his writers' block into another entity. Horrors seem to like writers as protagonists, but they end up being about the research rather than the writing, generally. 'The Ring', 'Candy Man'...'Salem's Lot', I guess, but that was so little about the writing or research; it might have been any man returning to his childhood nightmares.

OMG! I forgot The Secret Window with Johnny Depp! That was so great! I had it figured out early but it was fun to watch it play out!

DeborahM said:

OMG! I forgot The Secret Window with Johnny Depp! That was so great! I had it figured out early but it was fun to watch it play out!

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Yeah, a lot of S.King's stuff has a writer as protagonist. There's that silly one about the writer's alter-ego - can't remember the title. Haven't seen Secret Window.

His alter ego is the killer...got to see!

Throw Momma from the Train. The writing class Billy Crystal's character teaches near the beginning of the movie had me in stitches.

ChunkyC said:

Throw Momma from the Train. The writing class Billy Crystal's character teaches near the beginning of the movie had me in stitches.

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Oh mi' Gosh, Chunky! I'd seen this so many times, when it first came out, as HBO is famous for, and now, all these years later, I've completely forgotten most details regarding this movie. After thinking I'd never get the bloody thing out of my head--sending HBO invoices for rerun trauma therapy, but they still haven't gotten back to me--now I don't remember that opening scene you're speaking of.
I have warped children. I think they'd appreciate this movie. Thanks for reminding me of it. Think I'll hop over to Amazon & purchase.....because I'm especially curious about this opening scene you spoke of...

zahra said:

Yeah, a lot of S.King's stuff has a writer as protagonist. There's that silly one about the writer's alter-ego - can't remember the title. Haven't seen Secret Window.

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I was thoroughly amazed & caught off guard when I watched The Secret Window. A must see! Excellent.

DeborahM said:

I only one I've enjoyed is "Something's Gotta Give" where Diane Keaton was a screenwriter, meets Jack Nicholson, has an affair then writes about it in a screenplay while crying, and it turns out to be a sell out.

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How could I have forgotten Something's Gotta Give? Yes, yes..suberbly funny movie. I think, to date, this and The Witches of Eastwick are the only movies I really liked Jack in...wait...that one with Helen Hunt wasn't too bad either.

k

IIRC, there's also a thread about this topic in the Writing Novels forum, for anyone here who's interested.

I really enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction, Wonder Boys, Secret Window, Finding Neverland... A little less Finding Forester, Duplex...

dpaterso said:

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

Billy Wilder's classic Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Gillis: Well, this is where you came in, back at that pool again, the one I always wanted. It's dawn now and they must have photographed me a thousand times. Then they got a couple of pruning hooks from the garden and fished me out... ever so gently. Funny, how gentle people get with you once you're dead. Read the script

Dear God in Heaven they're remaking it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469609/

-Derek

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Remaking Sunset Blvd? Why, I oughta....

Sideways

...although maybe I liked it more for the wine than anything else.

cray said:

Sideways

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Hmmm... while the protagonist is a failed novelist, the movie really isn't about writing or being a writer... it's more about wine, if anything.

mmm, wine.

Shakespeare in Love.