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L.A. Story and Roxanne: Screenplays
'Behind the clownish make-up, Steve Martin gives a sweet and serious performance as a latter-day Cyrano de Bergerac in Roxanne. It's easy to see why Mr. Martin, who wrote the film...was moved to reinvent this role...Mr. Martin's screenplay is bighearted and funny.' The New York Times
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 4, 2015
Roxanne is one of those few "perfect" screenplays. Always fascinating to find out what was written and didn't make the final cut of the movie. I highly recommend this book to writers of romantic comedies - you will learn a TON!
June 14, 2008
screenplays of two of my favorite steve martin movies. he's a smartypants and not in the bad way.
March 15, 2009
Both are fantastic movies, with LA Story having a long time place in my top 10. Steve Martin is one of my favorite writers and these screenplays did not disappoint.
January 25, 2013
Two amazing movies!
November 26, 2023
I seldom give a 5 star rating but this is Steve Martin and these are two of his very best scripts.
"A four-way stop, shot from overhead. A car waiting at each sign. They simultaneously start
across the intersection and smash into each other."
Ok, that's absurd.
That's L.A..
That's Steve Martin.
That's the point.
(or less).
And Roxanne.
The best remake of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand !
Itself the best romance.
"Unrequited love's a bore, yeah, And I've got it pretty bad.
But for someone you adore, It's a pleasure to be sad."
"A four-way stop, shot from overhead. A car waiting at each sign. They simultaneously start
across the intersection and smash into each other."
Ok, that's absurd.
That's L.A..
That's Steve Martin.
That's the point.
(or less).
And Roxanne.
The best remake of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand !
Itself the best romance.
"Unrequited love's a bore, yeah, And I've got it pretty bad.
But for someone you adore, It's a pleasure to be sad."
June 18, 2017
It's pretty remarkable how the screenplays capture Martin's unique voice, in that the stage directions are often as wry and funny as the characters he writes. I love L.A. Story but had never seen Roxanne. The latter seemed pretty slight compared to the genius of the former. In fact, L.A. Story's cut scenes only further flesh out his love letter to Los Angeles. Fun reads.
August 11, 2022
LA Story: I didn’t understand the movie when I first saw it but now I do. This script as many levels to it.
Roxanne: One of my most favorite movies of all time! It’s nice seeing it in writing. I need to read the play it is based on.
Roxanne: One of my most favorite movies of all time! It’s nice seeing it in writing. I need to read the play it is based on.
January 1, 2020
Witty style to be sure! Watched Roxanne to compare to script too
January 27, 2020
These are a very good stories that kept my interest from start to finish.
April 4, 2023
Two brilliant scripts from one of the most versatile entertainers of the 50 years. L.A. Story and, especially, Roxanne capture the whit, whimsy and romance of Steve Martin.
January 5, 2020
The funniest thing I've read in ages! So glad I found this printing of the screenplays. Heartwarming.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews