The Lights of Sheridan Square
Logline
I'll-fated, operatic-like romance forged in the fast-paced world of 1950s Manhattan advertising has bohemian lovers thwarted by power, tradition, and wealth.
Genre
Drama,Romance
Short Summary
The first time Jay Carraway saw Joanna Olenska he found himself in love and in lust at the same moment. Minutes before he had been ready to make an exit from the job interview when he was told, “Ad-Film is looking for a "gopher."
The mantle of autumn had begun to drape myriad colors on the trees that surround Central Park Lake. As Jay pulled on the oars he looked at the woman whose face has been frozen in a black and white photograph for over half a lifetime. In that moment - he beat his way back against the tide of time.
Setting
New York, Paris, Yuma, AZ
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Other
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Jay Carraway
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Charming,Empathetic,Engaging,Faithful,Masculine,Modest,Romantic
Additional Character Details
Name: Joanna Olenska
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Role: Emotional
Key Traits: Aspiring,Complex,Empathetic,Faithful,Heartthrob,Sexy,Romantic,Secretive
Additional Character Details
Name: Elliot Pierce
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Badass,Aggressive,Charming,Complex,Desperate,Insecure,Masculine,Skillful,Sarcastic,Unapologetic,Blunt,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Mrs. Carraway
Age: 60
Gender: Female
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Decisive,Villainous,Outspoken,Manipulative
Development Pitch
This could be a single film or it could easily be streatched out to a miniseries. Based on the reviews and letters I still get some 8 years after publication - the story has a strong female appeal... As the man who wrote the "coverage" said, Lights is "The Notebook Meets Mad Men.". I think the following review makes the best case for this book-to-film. “When gopher Jay Carroway enters the Ad-Film production company, the reader is tipped off that The Lights of Sheridan Square's old-style demeanor with its stud row men and lovely secretaries is meant to read like a book from yesteryear. The romance stars Miss Joanna Olenska, the temporary receptionist for Ad-Film in Manhattan, when she is not acting in industrial shows opposite stacks of tires or refrigerators. “Joanna's magnetic eyes attract the gold in Jay's heart. Jay's polite restraint has Joanna day-dreaming about small houses with gardens. But Jay's gold heart stops when Joanna refers to him "like a brother." Jay convinces Joanna that he's different than the rest of the pack. But is Jay's polo-playing family too different for the orphaned actress? Both Ford and the main character are enamored with romance, whether in Manhattan or Paris. “Author Bob Ford portrays the quirks and double-dealings of the New York advertising film industry with martini-laced humor and an insider's wink.The Lights of Sheridan Square delivers a playful yet romantic tale with good-guys, bad-guys, dames, eccentrics, and a happy ending.