Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays by Steve Cuden

Author:Steve Cuden [Cuden, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-12-29T22:00:00+00:00

THE GENERAL

Written by

Buster Keaton,

Clyde Bruckman,

Al Boasberg,

Charles Smith

Directed by

Buster Keaton

&

Clyde Bruckman

Premiered 1926

1)FIRST MOVEMENT, Springtime, 1861. The WESTERN & ATLANTIC FLYER, also known as THE GENERAL, speeds into Marietta, Georgia. At the helm, Engineer JOHNNIE GRAY. NORMAL WORLD, CHAPTER ONE—THE RULES OF THE ROAD

2)Johnnie and his FIREMAN leave the train. TWO BOYS watch as Johnnie inspects the train’s wheels. PASSENGERS get off. A CARD reveals that there were two loves in Johnnie’s life, his engine and ANNABELLE LEE.

3)Johnnie, now dressed in a fine suit, heads off to see Annabelle. The two boys follow him. Annabelle catches sight of Johnnie and follows him to her home. She lets Johnnie and the boys inside.

4)As Johnnie and Annabelle sit down together, he realizes the boys are there, too. He shoos them out. Johnnie gives Annabelle a framed photo of himself in front of his train, The General. ANNABELLE’S BROTHER enters. He wants to tell their FATHER that Fort Sumter has been fired upon. The war is on. Annabelle’s Brother says he’ll be the first to enlist. Her Father follows him out. Annabelle wonders if Johnnie will enlist, too. She kisses him as he leaves. INCITING INCIDENT, CHAPTER TWO—A GRAND GOAL

5)Johnnie hurries into town to be the first to enlist. MANY MEN stand in line to sign up. When asked what his occupation is, Johnnie replies that he’s an engineer. The CLERK informs the DRAFT OFFICER, who states that Johnnie will be more valuable as an engineer than as a soldier. Told he can’t be used, Johnnie is shoved aside. Johnnie exercises, wondering why he can’t be used. The Draft Officer even accepts a SHORT, SCRAWNY MAN. So Johnnie gets back in line, now calling himself WILLIAM BROWN, and claiming that he’s a bartender. But the Clerk recognizes him and kicks him out of line again. Johnnie steals the draft paper of the man in line behind him but is caught by the Draft Officer and escorted out.

6)Johnnie sees Annabelle’s Father and Brother in line. They invite him to join him, but he turns them down.

7)Johnnie forlornly sits on The General. When Annabelle’s Father and Brother return home, Annabelle is disappointed to learn that Johnnie didn’t even bother to get in line. She thinks he’s a disgrace to the South.

8)Annabelle goes to the train to confront Johnnie. He confesses that he was rejected. She thinks he’s lying and tells him she won’t speak to him again until he’s in uniform. She walks away leaving him heartbroken. He sits on a strut between wheels and as the train heads out he rides up and down on the strut.

9)ONE YEAR LATER in a Union encampment north of Chattanooga, Union GENERAL THATCHER and his chief spy, CAPTAIN ANDERSON, discuss strategy. Anderson knows every foot of the railroad from Marietta to Chattanooga. With ten handpicked men he cannot fail. He plans to enter the south as a civilian coming from Kentucky, a neutral state, to join the Confederate cause. He plans to hijack the train at Big Shanty while the passengers and crew eat dinner.

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