Am I literally the only person

[very_improbable]

who thinks that Peter Morgan is not actually a good screenwriter? I can't fault him on matters of structure, but I don't think he, you know, writes good lines. When he has to convey a piece of exposition or a character's opinion on something (which accounts for most of The Queen) he loses whatever sense of character voice he had and everybody sounds like a newspaper editorial, and most of the time when he goes for a moment of emotional truth it's on the clunky side.

I mean, I saw Frost/Nixon tonight and I thought the film was extremely well-done and gripping, and the dialogue that was identical to or closely modeled on the historical record was dramatically compelling, and it basically did not have good dialogue other than that. But, like Nixon, I appear to have an opinion that is shared by no one.

Comments

[aris-tgd.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I really enjoyed the movie. Looking back I can't remember any of the dialogue aside from the clever stuff, and Frost's comments about making it in America being different than making it anywhere else. That was really poignant, somehow.

[aris-tgd.livejournal.com]

I suppose the point that I would make is that structure really isn't easy, that a screenwriter who can put together a really, really solid structure but can't write clever lines is actually better than one who you can quote. I mean, Frost/Nixon actually gave away the climactic moment of the film in the trailer and still made it mean something, really mean something when it came to seeing it in the movie. That really impressed me.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I'll let you know when I have seen the film! I really liked the play on stage (we'd been disappointed not to be able to book a comedy, and then enormously pleased to find we had accidentally at least managed a very funny play).

[pocky_slash.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the film, but I saw the original cast on Broadway and it was one of the greatest theatrical experiences of my life. I feel like it's one of those things that I'll brag to my kids about. "Yeah, you think this revival's good? I saw Frank Langella and Michael Sheen in the original production!"

[swallowedbysky.livejournal.com]

It's funny, I saw the play last year and walked out with the distinct sense that I would have like it better than a movie which was a huge first for me.

I watched the movie with that in mind, and while it did work better on screen, I was so focused on that comparison that I didn't absorb much beyond that.

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

I had that problem with Doubt--I never quite felt like I was absorbing it as a movie because I kept thinking of the play.

[swallowedbysky.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Doubt yet, but a friend's brother said exactly the same thing last week.