Remembering William Goldman

William Goldman, the two-time winner of the Academy Award for Best Screenplay (for All the President’s Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), was as iconic (and successful) as screenwriters come. It is hard to imagine the last 50 years of filmmaking without him, so we at The Good Men Project celebrate the life of one of the certifiable “good guys” as only other writers can–with our words.

As our prolific contributor Ken Goldstein put it, “William Goldman was the first true dean of screenplay scholarship. His quintessential three word summary of Hollywood – ”Nobody knows anything” – remains the single most important thing I have learned from a creative master. His iconic book, “Adventures in the Screen Trade,” has not and will not ever be exceeded in style or value. Oh, and those pictures he wrote…seriously, another resume like his simply does not exist!”

“A great inspiration to all of us wanna-be screenwriters and dreamers of movie-making, Goldman proved that story was always king. I was always hoping for a sequel to The Princess Bride, but clearly Goldman has left Buttercup’s Baby to someone else. RIP,” adds Ramon Olivier.

Regarding Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, perhaps Goldman’s most famous film, Executive Editor Wilhelm Cortez says, “One of the greatest “buddy” films of all time that take a legend and makes it mythological in proportion. And what film today could get away with that 5-minute bicycle scene?”

—

And what about Misery, his adaptation of the Stephen King novel about a writer whose “number one fan” takes things, um, a bit too far in her admiration of his work? Executive editor Kara Post-Kennedy admits, “I am a bonafide horror nerd, so this is my pick over the more classic choices. Kathy Bates deservedly won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role and even Uncle Stevie himself was pleased by this film. Goldman had a knack for the twisted, the off-kilter–check out The Stepford Wives, Magic, and Marathon Man if you don’t believe me–but Misery is timeless. As long as there is a need in this world for an appreciative audience, there will be misery.”

—

But Goldman’s predilection for the odd and the off had a whimsical side as well. Perhaps his best loved film, apart from Butch and Sundance, that is, would be The Princess Bride. Adapted from his book, this cracked fairy tale is a treasure to be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. It is definitely his most quotable script; if you don’t know the line “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,” then you are SERIOUSLY overdue for a movie night.

—

No discussion of Goldman, particularly in today’s political climate, could be complete without mentioning All the President’s Men, his adaptation of “The Washington Post” reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein‘s uncovering of the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon‘s resignation. Earlier this year ‘The West Wing’ Cast Denounced Donald Trump with an ‘All The President’s Men’ Live Reading; freedom of the press is a hot-button topic again, courtesy of this administration. A must-see for the resistance, Goldman’s legacy as the quintessential Hollywood “insider” who preferred the perspective of an outsider will forever remain set in stone.

—

The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation—The Conversation No One Else is Having—you will learn all of the ways we support our Writers’ Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and How to Create Social Change.

◊♦◊

Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:

Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.

Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:

Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world
View the website with no ads
Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
Commenting badge.

Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.

If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.

◊♦◊

Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:

◊♦◊

Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:

◊♦◊

Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:

Join our exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” — where community members are encouraged to discuss the issues of the week, get story ideas, meet other members and get known for their ideas? To get the call-in information, either join as a member or wait until you get a post published with us. Here are some examples of what we talk about on the calls.

Want to learn practical skills about how to be a better Writer, Editor or Platform Builder? Want to be a Rising Star in Media? Want to learn how to Create Social Change? We have classes in all of those areas.

While you’re at it, get connected with our social media:

To join our Facebook Page, go here.
To sign up for our email newsletter, go here.
To follow The Good Men Project on Twitter, go here.

◊♦◊

However, you engage with The Good Men Project—you can help lead this conversation about the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Join us!

Do you want to talk about how to have richer, more mindful, and enduring relationships?

Join like-minded individuals in The Good Men Project Community.

◊♦◊

We have pioneered the largest worldwide conversation about what it means to be a good man in the 21st century. Your support of our work is inspiring and invaluable.