Scope and Contents We were hired by Director John Landis to write Dick Tracy. We were writing BLACKTHORNE at the time. John was hired by Joe Wizan to direct WHEREABOUTS and wanted to hire us to write DICK TRACY based on our work with WHEREABOUTS. John gave us very little instruction. He told me he wanted it “set in the 30’s and to make it revolve around Big Boy”. That’s it. Really. This is a project that I wasn’t really interested in, but Jim really wanted to do it. I began to do research, read the...

Scope and Contents This draft is really the first real incarnation of the screenplay and the eventual movie. It’s the basis of the eventual movie and is very different than the first draft in tone and in characterizations. Although many of the characters remain from the First Draft, the Second Draft is much closer to what we wanted. This draft has my hand notes in the margin that are notes in regards to changes in the Third Draft. John Landis exited the project as director and Walter Hill as...

Scope and Contents

Rev 7/13/83 on the page 1 of the screenplay. There appears to have been a draft between the second draft and this third draft that I have not found as yet. This draft shows revised pages as per Walter’s notes.

Scope and Contents

This would be the first draft handed into Walter Hill, August 12, 1983. #000004. This is the first Production Draft of DICK TRACY for Walter Hill. The two following drafts show minor changes from notes from Walter Hill and Joel Silver.

Scope and Contents

August 12, 1983. #000004. This is the first Production Draft of DICK TRACY for Walter Hill. This draft shows my hand written revision notes. It also includes pink and blue pages. I have included here because of my hand written notes. We have made a few of the changes suggested by the director and the producer.

Scope and Contents August 12, 1983, #00004, 8/31/83. This is the Walter Hill/Joel Silver production draft that went out to the production staff. Walter Hill played a big role in reducing and focusing the screenplay. There are new blue and pink pages with a revised ending. This draft is the essential draft that final film was ultimately based upon. Universal Studios began building sets to go into production. As I was told, the studio and Walter Hill got into a disagreement about the...

Scope and Contents

There were several interim drafts before this one. Mr. Benjamin was brought on board to shoot a lower budget picture. Personally, Jim and I did not think this was the best approach or the best draft. We include it as an example of part of the process.