The 3-Act Paradigm at Work: Nixon

written by Stephen J. Rivele & Christopher Wilkinson & Oliver Stone


Oliver Stone's Nixon is an especially fascinating and rewarding script and movie to study because of its non-chronological narrative. Nonetheless, the three-act dramatic structure prevails! This movement is determined by the order of events in the script, not by the order of events through historical time.

It also should be noted that the effect of this film has nothing to do with whether or not it is "good history", which is another issue entirely. We do not read Shakespeare to learn English History - and would be greatly misled if we did!

Structural Analysis

  1. The Hook:
    • Plumbers getting ready to break into Watergate.
  2. The Complication:
    • Nixon receiving "the tapes".
  3. Hero's Call to Action:
    • Nixon decides on cover up.
  4. Plot point: Act I
    • "You won't have Nixon to kick around any more" - Nixon drops out of politics.
  5. Plot point: midpoint
    • "We can have a new American revolution!" - Nixon runs for President in 1968.
  6. Plot point: Act II
      Pat: "Dick, sometimes I understand why they hate you" - Nixon falling under weight of cover up.
  7. Climax & Resolution
    • "When they look at me, they see what they are" - Nixon leaves office.

See my complete analysis in Creative Screenwriting article, Nixon: A Symphonic Tragedy.

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MODULE 4: SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting

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