Rating: 
Summary: Garbage - pure and simple
Review: Wow. I picked this book up on the strong reputation of Field as the script guru. I'm even now amazed that I was able to finish the book. Toward the end, my reading was only fueled by my desire to point out to my wife how Field massacres the English language. We got so many laughs out of his chapter on computers; it was so haphazardly thrown together. Observing how seriously flawed his uninformed views on technology are made me question many of the views he'd presented on screenwriting, because he began to sound more and more like someone who injects personal opinion without having a basis in fact. I won't quibble about whether the man knows scripts. If his resume shows that he's read thousands, then so be it. But his command of the English langugage is atrocious. In one section he set every few words off in quotations, with hilarious results. Turn to page 170 and find how he encourages writers to not feel "guilty" and expect people to "get upset" or "not understand." Syd needs a good editor in a big way. Then again, judging from the number of five star reviews on this site, Syd's reputation appears safe with the mind-numbed minions. I only gave this work two stars because I've used his three act structure and found it to work admirably. It's all the superfluous verbiage that he packages around those few good thoughts that dooms this book to eventual failure. I knew I was in for trouble when I experienced deja vu midway through the first chapter. He states information in the introduction that is repeated almost verbatim all the way through the book, such as the cloying simile of how a screenplay is like a noun. I also find his many insecure references to the "famous" so-and-so he knows to be very annoying. If someone is "famous," then it is redundant to keep telling the reader that fact, but Field seems intent on convincing himself that he is somebody important (I see glimpses of Stuart Smalley). I agree with another reviewer who points to Seger and Trottier for much more substantive screenplay writings. They are not only screenplay gurus, but they can actually communicate their thoughts in an educated, coherent, and insightful manner.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for the absolute beginner...but ultimately limiting
Review: For the absolute beginner with no clue how to write a screenplay, this book (for better or for worse) is probably essential reading. It effectively describes the basic structure of a basic screenplay. The problem is that what Syd Field does not realize is that many truly great screenplays effectively break his "rules." Granted, that is only done by accomplished screenwriter who spent years following the rules when they wrote screenplays. But the fact of the matter is that if all screenwriters followed Field's advice to the letter, Hollywood cinema would be even worse off than it currently is! A few examples: Field insists that a good screenplay's first plot point must occur around page thirty. The first plot point in Star Wars (a film Field makes reference to) occurs around page fifty. Additionally, I would love to see Field sort out the plot points of Pulp Fiction and fit it into his beloved paradigm! Field insists that a good screenplay must have three acts. Shakespeare wrote the bulk of his works in five acts. Enough said. Field claims that "a name is a name" as he names a character Sara Towsend in an example exercise. Would Huckleberry Finn have had the same magic if Huck had been named Jim Johnson? Dickens' names added another dimension to his stories, Oliver Twist for example. Other names to consider: Scarlett O'Hara, Yossarian, or even Dr. Wilbur Larch, as a more modern example. To Field's credit, he focuses on building a character in the same chapter that he downplays the importance of names. Undoubtably, what's inside a character is more important than the label slapped on him or her. But equally undoubtable is the ability of the perfect name to enhance an effective character. I could nit-pick this book apart chapter by chapter, but the most troubling issue surrounding "Screenplay" is this: Syd Field is an awful screenwriter. He wrote a decent how-to book on the subject, but he can't write a screenplay himself. If you have a copy, take note of how the "about the author" section doesn't mention any screenplays Field has had produced. There's a reason for that. Then read the exerpt from Field's unproduced screenplay "The Run" in chapter 13 and you'll begin to understand. The story premise is laughable and the dialogue is an embarassment to screenwriters everywhere. The bottom line: "Screenplay" is an fine choice for beginning screenwriters. It was my first screenwriting book and it gave me a good foundation. Just don't expect to follow Field's instructions to the letter if you want to write a truly unique and memorable screenplay. A better idea: read lots of screenplays, plays, and novels by people who are actually good at writing them.
Rating: 
Summary: A must for any film maker.
Review: This book has been the best, is the best and will stay one of the best in the future. It is a must for any filmmaker. It is written very well and to the point. It guides filmmakers to develop the blue print of their projects. e-mail: neschaut@hotmail.com
Rating:
Summary: The Standard
Review: This book is an easy and excellent read on how to structure any kind of writing. I highly recommend it even if you just want to write short stories or other fiction!
Rating: 
Summary: Great for beginners!
Review: This book is a good one for novice screenwriters. I bought it on the recommendation of a friend who writes screenplays--I'm actually in the middle of writing my first one! It's one of the better books I've read so far on writing screenplays; however, it gets EXTREMELY repetitive! I got a bit frustrated at how often Field stressed the 3 act structure. It belittles the reader. I know that repetition is necessary to stress importance, but it's a ridiculous to have multiple chapters on the same thing. The only other thing I had issues with was how outdated it was. Hopefully the next edition is a little more current. All the movies Field says are "must sees" I really hadn't seen. A couple I hadn't even heard of! I came across my copy on eBay. I'd definitely recommend it if you have the chance to pick up a used copy.
Rating:
Summary: Out of its time, yet still relevant
Review: One of the problems I had with this book is that Field's prose is incredibly mundane. The question I kept asking myself was "Why am I taking writing advice from someone who's such a boring writer himself?" It led to the old axiom: "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." I pegged Mr. Field as one who couldn't, so he's teaching. Another problem was that the book was ludicrously out of date. Two examples of this: 1) his reliance on 'Chinatown' as an example of good screenwriting; it definitely is, but it is also a couple of decades old; 2) the chapter on writing with a computer was unintentionally hilarious; it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but just like the tacky clothes we all wore in eras gone by, it's best not to look back on it. But I realized that it wasn't about the style of the prose, or whether Field's own screenwriting was any good, or whether the specifics of his examples were still relevant. He was able to simplify the basic tenets of the screenplay, and give practical and easy-to-follow exercises for overcoming any obstacles. His paradigm of the three-act story structure (which he must have diagrammed at least a million times!) is simple, and yet effective. After first seeing it visually portrayed, many of the pieces of the story that'd been floating around in my own head fell into place. He also gives helpful hints on how to develop character, how to construct scenes and sequences, and how to begin the story itself (you begin by starting with the end!). Maybe his ideas seem obvious to others, but they are a real help to me. So my rating is not based on the style of the book. It's based on the effectiveness of the teaching. And this book does well in that regard.
Rating: 
Summary: Examples Don't Work
Review: As a thirty-year (successful) script writer and scriptwriting prof, I always check the new books. This one was disappointing. It simply does not address basic script structure to the degree people need. Mr. Field also uses far too many examples in his book. When examples are used, students tend to "lean" on them, and eventually (consciously or not) imitate them. Once a person understands the basics of proper script structure (not lay-out, which is entirely different), he or she can then write something completely original . . . and saleable. Try Louis Catron. I started with him, and recommend him to all my students, even though I've written my own books. Catron is simply the best.
Rating:
Summary: The Wrong Intentions
Review: As a 30-year (successful) script writer and scriptwriting prof, it seems this book was intended for those who quickly want to market an idea rather than construct a complete, saleable screenplay. The basics of SCRIPTwriting just aren't here, and without those, you might sell an idea or a treatment, but this book just doesn't hold enough information to take one from novice to knowledgeable screenwriter. For those who are serious about script structure, don't buy this OR my own books (which are out of print anyhow). Try Louis Catron, the most highly respected scriptwriting professor and writer on Earth. Thank you, Dr. Catron, wherever you are.
Rating:
Summary: The Book To Look At
Review: I own pratically ever screenwriting-related book you could think of, and the ones I always end up using for script helping are the ones from Syd Field, including this book. That's all I have to say. BTW, Syd Field uses examples from classic films such as "Chinatown" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" which makes the book more worth buying as well.
Rating:
Summary: The Leading Screenwriting Guide
Review: No wonder Screenplay is considered the leading screenwriting guide and Syd Field the meta guru of screenwriting! As an intermediate screenwriting student and accomplished actress, I read all the other books on screenwriting available and never really found what I was truly looking for until I began to study Syd's books. I recommend them highly to anyone, beginner or advanced alike, who is interested in becoming a screenwriter or just furthering his craft. The new, revised edition is even better than the original, if possible. Syd really shows you how you can adapt his wealth of knowledge to your own script and make it all it can be. Thanks, Syd!
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