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While George Lucas was undoubtedly exceptional at world-building in hisStar Warsfilms, the same cannot be said about his dialogue writing. The dialogues got so bad in the original trilogy that actors often complained, expressing that they felt very ropey or wooden. Alec Guinness, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original films, ended up changing his dialogue on set to make it more natural.
George Lucas acknowledged that he had issues with writing the dialogues. However, he often defended them, once even stating that those criticizing the dialogues in the prequel trilogy didn’t understand the style ofStar Wars.
Also Read:“What the hell is Chewbacca?”: Late ‘Star Wars’ Actor Ridiculed George Lucas’ Vision Before Donning Iconic Darth Vader Suit
Alec Guinness Had To Change George Lucas’s “Ropey” Dialogues
TheStar Warsfranchise holds a place in cinematic history as one of the most influential film series. However, the franchise is not exactly known for its dialogues. Cringe-worthy lines like“I’m haunted by the kiss that you never should have given me,”did not contribute positively to the series’ reputation. Fans and critics are not alone in hating these dialogues, as actors from both the original and prequel trilogy were also not fans ofGeorge Lucas’s dialogue writing.
Alec Guinness, who played the aging Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy, found issues in the dialogue despite his overall appreciation for the script. Guinness, a veteran actor, felt the dialogues were“pretty ropey”and wished they could be altered. He shared this initial opinion about the script on theParkinson Talk Showin 1977, revealing that he took the liberty to change his dialogues on set. Guinness told theParkinson Talk Show:
“It seemed to me the dialogue was pretty ropey. I went on reading and I thought, ‘No, I like this. If only we can get some of the dialogue altered.’ And then I met [George Lucas], we got on very well, and I found myself doing it.”
In a 1999 interview with Empire Magazine, Lucas was asked about his dialogue writing issue. He was quite defensive and even shared that top-notch dialogues weren’t ultimately essential to making the movies. He admitted that his writing wasn’t Shakespearean, but emphasized that it was very utilitarian. Lucas shared withEmpire:
“I’d be the first person to say I can’t write dialogue. My dialogue is very utilitarian and is designed to move things forward. I’m not Shakespeare. It’s not designed to be poetic. It’s not designed to have a clever turn of phrase.”
Guinness was not the only original trilogy actor to speak against George Lucas’s dialogues. During an interview withGQin 2017,Harrison Fordrevealed that he would playfully call out the poorly written dialogues by hisIndiana Jonesproducer. Ford would shout at Lucas, saying,“George! You can type this sh*t, but you sure can’t say it! Move your mouth when you’re typing!”Ford clarified that it was all a light-hearted set conversation, unlike the fan rage.
Also Read:“What were you thinking?”: George Lucas’ Friends Called Him ‘Poor George’ after Seeing Original Star Wars Footage
George Lucas’s Dialogues Went From Bad To Worse In The Prequel Trilogy
George Lucas sought some outside help in polishing the script for the first film in the original trilogy. He brought inAmerican Graffitiscreenwriters Bill and Gloria Hyuck, who edited a few punch lines in the film. In the original films that followed, the actors also did a great job of improvising their dialogues to make them more natural.
However, the original trilogy was spared from further criticism due to the even more poorly written dialogue in the prequel trilogy.Ewan McGregor, who played the younger version of Obi-Wan Kenobi, subtly criticized the dialogues in the prequel films, stating,“I don’t want to be rude, but it’s not Shakespeare”(via EW). Lucas admitted that he didn’t try to come up with clever dialogues forThe Phantom Menacesince the film was not about snappy one-liners.
Also Read:Ewan McGregor’s Obi Wan Kenobi Series Went Out of Its Way to Do the One Thing George Lucas Never Wanted Star Wars to Include
While the prequel trilogy has received more love in recent years, it is safe to say that the newfound love is not for its dialogues. Fans can enjoy all theStar Warsfilms, now available for streaming on Disney+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
