Shoot the Moon: The Screenplay

by Bo Goldman

In 1983, Bo Goldman's heartbreaking screenplay was nominated by the Writers Guild of America as Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen. It dramatizes the end of a 15-year marriage, devastating the husband, the wife, and their three children. After the divorce, the husband becomes preoccupied with his writing career and mistress. The wife, who has custody of the children, has a relationship of her own. Although they attempt to lead separate existences, the two are brought back together again when the husband tries to bully his way back into his family's lives.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Bo Goldman was an American screenwriter and playwright celebrated for his richly human storytelling and elegant craftsmanship. He was widely regarded as one of the finest screenwriters of his generation, earning two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and multiple Writers Guild of America honors over a distinguished career spanning decades.
Goldman gained early acclaim for his screenplay of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), a landmark film that won all five major Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. He won a second Oscar for his original script Melvin and Howard (1980), a film praised for its sharp satire and poignant insight into American dreams. His other notable screenwriting credits include The Rose (1979), Shoot the Moon (1982), Scent of a Woman (1992), and Meet Joe Black (1998). Known for writing intelligent, emotionally resonant characters, his work often explored the complexities of family, identity, morality, and class.
Before his success in film, Goldman worked in Broadway and television, writing lyrics for musicals and producing acclaimed live television dramas. He brought a literary sensibility to Hollywood, blending social commentary with compelling narrative. His script for Scent of a Woman, which earned Al Pacino his first Academy Award, was inspired in part by Goldman's own military experience.
Respected among his peers, Goldman was praised for his integrity, distinctive voice, and aversion to Hollywood cliché. Eric Roth once called him “the pre-eminent screenwriter—as good as it gets.” Goldman’s writing reflected a deep understanding of the human condition, delivered with both grace and irony. His influence endures in the screenwriting world, where his work is often studied for its depth, wit, and emotional power.

Reviews

[Maureen Flatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most underrated movies of all time.