‘As Good As It Gets’ Script Wins Writers Guild Award

“As Good As It Gets,” an offbeat comedy about a love affair that blossoms between a struggling waitress and a neurotic diner, was honored for best original screenplay Saturday night by both branches of the Writers Guild of America.

The award--which went to James L. Brooks, who also directed the movie, and Mark Andrus--highlighted the guild’s 50th annual awards show honoring outstanding achievement in writing for films, television and radio for 1997.

“As Good As It Gets” beat out four other films: “Boogie Nights,” “The Full Monty,” “Good Will Hunting” and “Titanic.”

“L.A. Confidential,” a thickly plotted drama about police corruption in post-World War II Los Angeles, received the award for best screenplay based on material previously produced or published. The movie was derived from a novel by James Ellroy. Its script topped those of “Donnie Brasco,” “The Ice Storm,” “Wag the Dog” and “The Wings of the Dove.”

In television, an episode of the comedy “Seinfeld” called “The Fatigues,” written by Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin, won for best episodic comedy. An episode of “Law & Order” called “Entrapment,” written by Rene Balcer and Richard Sweren, won for episodic drama.

Other winners in television included: “The Summer of Ben Tyler,” written by Robert Inman, for best original long form, and “Bastard Out of Carolina,” teleplay by Anne Meredith, for adapted long form. “General Hospital” won for daytime serial. There was a tie for children’s script between “The Song of the Zubble-Wump” (“Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss”) and “Elmo Saves Christmas” (“Sesame Street”).

“Dateline NBC’s” “Why Can’t We Live Together” won for documentary, current events. The winner for documentary, other than current events, was “The Secret White House Tapes” (“Investigative Reports”). In the news category, there was a tie between “The Conviction of Timothy McVeigh” (“CBS Evening News”) and “Diana, Princess of Wales” (CBS News’ “Sunday Morning”). The winner for news, analysis, feature or commentary was “48 Hours.”

The award for radio documentary went to “Jackie Robinson: His Life and Legacy.” In the category of regularly scheduled news, “World News This Week” on ABC radio won. And for news, analysis, feature or commentary, the winner was “A Time to Die Perspective” on ABC radio.