Script review – “Indecent Proposal” by Amy Holden Jones

I read an interview where she talked about her original draft for this. She said the married couple started out more working class, which isn’t the case here (the title of the script says “revision”) – but that the character of Gage the billionaire is tougher, which he is here. He’s more ruthless, wanting Diana (the girl) because he can’t have her. And instead of that silly speech about he once saw a girl and fell in love with her, ripped off Citizen Kane, there’s a much better one about how when he was younger he won at a slot machine and has always gotten everything he ever wanted. And instead of the film ending where Gage lies about how many other women he’s done this to, thereby “allowing” Diana to dump him, Diana just dumps him – Gage watches sadly as she’s reunited with her husband at the end.

Some of the things I remember from the film as being very silly are still here – the husband blowing all his million bucks on an animal (here a hippo when from memory the film had a leopard), the couple trying to gamble their way out of trouble, the husband acting like a spoilt brat. But it still works.

I recall first hearing about this plot that the central idea wasn’t very original – hadn’t it been done already with Honeymoon in Vegas? But I was single at the time and didn’t appreciate in actual fact it’s a terrific concept – because you can’t help wondering what you’d do in that situation. It’s also a perfect Hollywood screenplay: three big star parts, one for a hot girl who gets to wear a series of fantastic outfits, one for an elder male star who wants to be sexy and powerful (although Robert Redford apparently didn’t think he was sympathetic enough, requesting silly script changes), one for a hot young male. Plus a series of glamorous locations and a scene stealing comic relief part, David’s lawyer friend. Plus is gives the message that love is better than money so all the poor people in the audience can go home happy.

The script is solid professional work rather than amazing – the characters aren’t of great depth, but then I guess they’re not supposed to be. It was a shame the part of Gage was neutered so, but then the film was a hit so maybe they were right.