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Going to the Movies is written by Syd Field whose extensive knowledge in the field of screenwriting has earned him much acclaim over the years. He is a good source on the movie industry that is Hollywood having worked on several sets over the years and having met such figures as Sam Pekinpah (who gave Syd a first look at the script of The Wild Bunch) and Jean Renoir among others. Although Field has published numerous books on the skills of screenwriting and on how to break into the industry, this book differs in that it acts as a semi-autobiography, thereby flourishing us with anecdotes about the luminaries with whom he conversed, as mentioned above. Although stubborn when it comes to his thesis on screenwriting, Field, at least, does not glorify himself too much with regard to his place in Hollywood or within the academic field. His ever humble way of recounting his stories make this quite an enjoyable read; the reader feels more at one with Field who himself finds it hard to believe that he had the chance to come across such famous film-makers and writers. The one flaw with this book is that when Field discusses his own struggles with research, writers block and screenwriting theories, the story loses its flow and becomes quite tedious in parts. Field seems to be methodical in nature, and I for one could understand his approach to writing, but when explaining this process, Field could easily lose some readers who may wish to simply hear more of his success stories and meetings with the stars. After ‘Going to the Movies’, I had enough of Field’s tales for a while, but I am planning on reading the fruits of his labour and possibly learning something about the art of screenwriting.