Roxanne (1987)

Home \ Screenwriting Basics \ 5 Plot Point Breakdowns \ Roxanne (1987)

Sort By Alphabet

all -

0 -

1 -

2 -

3 -

4 -

5 -

6 -

7 -

8 -

9 -

A -

B -

C -

D -

E -

F -

G -

H -

I -

J -

K -

L -

M -

N -

O -

P -

Q -

R -

S -

T -

U -

V -

W -

X -

Y -

Z -

Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance

Movie Time: 107 Minutes

INCITING INCIDENT

Unusually large nosed local fire chief C.D. BALES (Steve Martin) comes to the aid of a nude woman locked out of her house, ROXANNE (Daryl Hannah). Afterwards C.D. invites himself in and has a meal with Roxanne, and makes a seeming love connection. (00:13:35)

LOCK IN (End of Act One)

After handsome new firefighter CHRIS (Rick Rossovich) catches Roxanne’s eye at a bar, C.D. infatuates her intellectual attention with his wit. Bartender SANDY (Shandra Bari) tells C.D. that Roxanne is in love with him, but she doesn’t know it yet. (00:37:25)

FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

After writing a letter for the intellectually small Chris, C.D. helps Chris on his date with Roxanne. Through a receiver in his ear, he tells Chris exactly what to say and even hides in the bushes and woos Roxanne from afar when Chris can’t say the words right. (01:01:05)

MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

After Chris bumbles through a conversation, Roxanne confronts C.D. with the knowledge that the letters were written by him. She reveals to C.D. that she wasn’t in love with Chris for his appearances; she was in love with the person speaking in the letters. She gets very angry with C.D. for not telling her how he felt and kicks him out of her house. (01:33:15)

THIRD ACT TWIST

C.D. uses his unique nose to sniff out an unreported hidden fire in town, and finally appreciates what an incredible gift his nose is. (01:39:10)

← Bridesmaids (2011)		The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) →

Latest Features

Latest Reviews

Popular Screenplay Help

Understanding Your Audience

Screenwriting Script Tips

Recently, I was a guest speaker at a high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District somewhere in the San Fernando Valley, and although the information I presented was topical and my delivery was engaging and dynamic, I bombed the big fat one. To put it lightly, if there were rotten tomatoes in the audience, I surely would have come home as tomato soup. But how could I have upset so many people? It wasn't because of a lack of preparation, nor was I trying to speak out of my area of expertise. And based upon the interaction of those listening, I clearly was not…

Latest Features

Five Easy Pieces (1970): Bobby & Rayette

Screenplay From Script to Screen

As a director, the most difficult conflict to convey in cinema is the one happening within. Five Easy Pieces (1970) does an admirable job of comprehensively presenting a man, Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson), whose inner-state is completely at odds with his visible activity. The script's primary technique is to surround the main character with significant women who, by the way they're treated and react, demonstrate Bobby's mettle. This differs significantly from Bob Rafelson's finished film. From the except below, we'll see that Rafelson chose to simplify the supporting…