1 - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
InvestigationAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The result doesn’t oblige what comes next Consequence
HoldingIt commits to one clear thing and holds it.
A successful ad executive navigates the challenges of the advertising industry while facing a crackdown on health claims by the Trade Commission.
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Setting: 1960, Manhattan
Themes: Smoking and its perception, Challenges in the advertising industry, Relationship dynamics and support, Navigating the workplace, Cynicism and living in the present, Marketing strategies and creativity, Tensions in professional and personal relationships
Conflict & Stakes: The challenges of advertising cigarettes amidst health concerns, Don's career decline, and personal relationships
Mood: Slick, sophisticated, and introspective
Standout Features:
Comparable Scripts: Mad Men, Revolutionary Road, An Education, The Apartment, A Single Man, The Catcher in the Rye, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Casablanca, The Great Gatsby, Network
This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.
Breaks down your script along various categories.
Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.
All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.
This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.
High-level overview
Summary:
Don Draper, a successful ad executive, faces challenges with his cigarette account and the crackdown on health claims by the Trade Commission. He seeks solace and advice from Midge Daniels, an artist he is involved with. Midge offers sarcastic remarks and suggestions but also provides support and reassurance.
Meanwhile, Peggy Olson starts her first day as a secretary at Sterling Cooper and receives guidance from Joan, the office manager, on how to navigate the office and handle Don. Peggy also goes to the doctor to get a prescription for contraceptive pills, where she is made to feel comfortable and responsible.
Don and his colleague, Roger, have conversations about their upcoming meeting with the tobacco executives and discuss the lack of diversity in the company. They meet Rachel Mencken, who challenges Don's strategies during a boardroom meeting, leading to tension and arguments. However, Don's pitch of a new angle for cigarette advertising - emphasizing the dangers of everyday life - impresses the executives.
In a separate storyline, Don and Rachel engage in a deep conversation about love, loneliness, and the meaning of life after their heated argument. They find a mutual connection and acknowledge the possibility of a future meeting.
Overall, the movie explores Don's professional and personal life, his relationships with various characters, and the challenges he faces in the advertising industry. It delves into themes of love, identity, and societal expectations during the 1960s.
Scene by Scene Summaries
Each axis shows your script's raw score (0–10) in that category. We recently upgraded the AI models behind these categories, so percentile rankings are temporarily unavailable while we re-score our reference library.
Hover over each axis on the radar chart to see what that category measures and why it matters.
Analysis: The screenplay exhibits strengths in character development, creating complex and relatable characters with believable arcs. While the foundation is solid, there are areas where further refinement could enhance character engagement and deepen the emotional impact on the audience.
Analysis: The screenplay's premise effectively establishes a compelling and clear narrative foundation. However, it could benefit from further refinement to enhance its originality and depth while maintaining its clarity and audience engagement.
Analysis: The screenplay exhibits a solid narrative structure, effectively introducing characters and establishing the central conflict. However, the plot development could be refined to enhance clarity and coherence, ensuring a smooth and engaging flow throughout the story.
Analysis: This screenplay effectively conveys its themes and messages, exploring them through the characters, plot, and dialogue. The themes are relevant and relatable, and the screenplay's exploration of them is thought-provoking and emotionally engaging. However, some aspects of the message could be clarified and integrated more seamlessly into the narrative.
Analysis: The screenplay displays a vivid and engaging visual style, particularly in the scenes set in the bar and at Midge's apartment. The descriptions are evocative and effectively capture the atmosphere and mood of these scenes. However, there is room for improvement in terms of maintaining consistency and originality throughout the screenplay.
Analysis: The screenplay effectively captures the emotional experiences of its characters and the time period in which they exist. Its strengths lie in creating relatable characters and conveying the complexities of their relationships. However, it could benefit from expanding the emotional depth of certain character arcs and exploring more nuanced emotional dimensions.
Analysis: The screenplay exhibits a solid foundation in presenting conflict and stakes, setting the stage for a compelling story. However, there are areas where further development could enhance the narrative tension and audience engagement. By deepening the central conflict, escalating stakes, and exploring alternative resolutions, the screenplay can reach its full potential in captivating its audience.
Analysis: The screenplay exhibits a notable level of originality and creativity in its exploration of complex characters and their interactions within a period drama. However, there are some missed opportunities to innovate within the overarching storyline.
Expand to see detailed analysis
View Complete AnalysisProtagonist
Antagonist
| Theme | Theme Details | Theme Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
Smoking and its perception
|
Discussions about smoking 'Old Gold' cigarettes, negative perception of smoking, and its impact on relationships
|
This theme explores the topic of smoking and its perception in society during the 1960s. It delves into the loyalty towards a particular brand, the negative stigma associated with smoking, and how it affects personal relationships. |
|
Challenges in the advertising industry
|
Don's challenges with his cigarette account and the realization of the end of health claims for cigarettes
|
This theme focuses on the difficulties faced by Don in his advertising career, specifically in relation to his cigarette account. It highlights the challenges arising from the crackdown on health claims and the potential decline of his career. |
|
Relationship dynamics and support
|
Interactions between Don and Midge, sarcastic banter, Don's frustration, and Midge's support
|
This theme explores the dynamics of relationships, particularly between Don and Midge. It showcases their banter, sarcastic remarks, and Don's frustrations, along with Midge offering support and reassurance. |
|
Navigating the workplace
|
Peggy's first day as a secretary, advice from Joan on office dynamics and impressing male colleagues
|
This theme focuses on Peggy's entry into the workplace and the advice she receives from Joan. It delves into the dynamics of working in an office, handling superiors like Don, and making a good impression on male colleagues. |
|
Cynicism and living in the present
|
Don's philosophy of living in the moment, his cynical views on love, loneliness, and feeling out of place
|
This theme revolves around Don's perspective on life and love. It touches upon his cynical views, his philosophy of living in the present, and his feelings of loneliness and disconnection from others. |
|
Marketing strategies and creativity
|
Brainstorming strategies to advertise cigarettes, using 'Death Wish', and proposing 'Lucky Strike - It's Toasted'
|
This theme explores the creativity and strategic thinking involved in marketing, particularly in the context of advertising cigarettes. It focuses on the brainstorming process, the suggestion of a new approach using 'Death Wish', and Don's proposal of the slogan 'Lucky Strike - It's Toasted'. |
|
Tensions in professional and personal relationships
|
Arguments with Rachel Mencken and storming out of meetings
|
This theme revolves around the tensions that arise in professional and personal relationships. It highlights the arguments between Don and Rachel Mencken during meetings and the subsequent storming out. |
| Site | Description |
|---|---|
| Studio Binder | Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters |
| Coverfly | Improving your Screenplay's theme |
| John August | Writing from Theme |
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Story, Plot, Genre, Theme - Screenwriting Basics | Screenwriting basics - beginner video |
| What is theme | Discussion on ways to layer theme into a screenplay. |
| Thematic Mistakes You're Making in Your Script | Common Theme mistakes and Philosophical Conflicts |
Everything above was written for you before you arrived. These are the things you can set running yourself, on the whole script or on one scene at a time.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The result doesn’t oblige what comes next Consequence
HoldingIt commits to one clear thing and holds it.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
It restates its note rather than deepening it Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
Design is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet.
It isn’t clearly about one thing yet Contract
HoldingEvery beat and line earns its place.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
Read is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet.
The beats can be called before they land Unpredictability
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
No lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass.
It ends about where it started Movement
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
No lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass.
It ends about where it started Movement
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
A real force keeps it pushing forward Pressure
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The situation deepens as it goes Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
It restates its note rather than deepening it Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
A ritual beat repeats a known pattern on purpose, so movement and freshness read low by design.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The situation deepens as it goes Development
HoldingA real force keeps it pushing forward.
No lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass.
It ends about where it started Movement
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An orientation beat sets up the world. It isn’t expected to carry a big turn, so a lower Design read here is often the shape of the scene, not a fault.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
It ends about where it started Movement
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The situation deepens as it goes Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
It restates its note rather than deepening it Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
An aftermath beat lands the cost of what just happened rather than driving new action.
No lens is broken, but Design, Execution and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass.
It restates its note rather than deepening it Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
It plays close to the version we’ve seen before Freshness
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
All three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands.
The situation deepens as it goes Development
HoldingThe reader can follow what matters.
Read is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet.
It isn’t clearly about one thing yet Contract
HoldingEvery beat and line earns its place.
A transition carries us between beats. It owes less structurally than a scene built to turn.
Your scene scores are compared against professional produced screenplays in our vault (The Matrix, Breaking Bad, etc.). The percentile shows where you rank compared to these films.
Example: A score of 8.5 in Dialogue might be 85th percentile (strong!), while the same 8.5 in Conflict might only be 50th percentile (needs work). The percentile tells you what your raw scores actually mean.
Hover over each axis on the radar chart to see what that category measures and why it matters.
“Functional” (5–6) is a solid, professional scene — that's where most scenes sit. The scale rides low on purpose, so it has room to point down (where to fix) and up (what's working).
Scenes now use the full 0–10 scale, so your numbers will look lower and more spread out than before. That's the new, smarter model being honest — not a verdict on your script.
The table below uses the same colors: warm = worth a look · neutral = fine · green = working. The point is awareness, not maxing every number — a scene can be light on plot or conflict for good reasons.
| Compelled to Read | Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | Technical Aspects | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click for Full Analysis | Triage | Design | Overall | Clarity | Scene Impact | Concept | Plot | Originality | Characters | Character Changes | Internal Goal | External Goal | Conflict | Opposition | High stakes | Story forward | Twist | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | Engagement | Pacing | Formatting | Structure | |
| 1 - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes | KeepInvestigationAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.5 | 9.5 / 8.5 | 7 / 6.5 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 7.5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | |
| 2 - Late Night Conversation | KeepRelationship shiftAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.8 | 9 / 8.5 | 5.5 / 6.5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 7.5 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 5.5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 9 | 7 | |
| 3 - Late Night Visit | ReworkOrientationDesign is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet. | BrokenThe underlying story machine isn’t holding — worth looking at before polish. | 6.5 | 9.5 / 8.5 | 5 / 6.5 | 7 | 5 | 6.5 | 8 | 2 | 7.5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6.5 | 9 | 7 | |
| 4 - Pete's Bachelor Party Plans | ReworkOrientationRead is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 6.2 | 9.5 / 8.5 | 5 / 7 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4.5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 6.5 | 7 | 9 | 6.5 | |
| 5 - First Day at the Office | PolishOrientationNo lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 6.5 | 9 / 8.5 | 5.5 / 6.5 | 7 | 5 | 6.5 | 8 | 1.5 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2.5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 9 | 7 | |
| 6 - Don's Preparations | PolishOrientationNo lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 6.8 | 9 / 8.5 | 6.5 / 7.5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 7.5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7.5 | |
| 7 - untitled | KeepOrientationAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.8 | 9 / 8.5 | 5 / 7 | 7 | 6 | 5.5 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7.5 | 9 | 7.5 | |
| 8 - Don and Pete's Meeting with Rachel Mencken | KeepRelationship shiftAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 7.2 | 9.5 / 9 | 7 / 7.5 | 7 | 7 | 6.5 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 6.5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 7.5 | 8 | 9 | 7.5 | |
| 9 - Peggy's Doctor Visit | KeepRitualAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.5 | 9 / 8 | 6 / 6.5 | 7 | 6 | 6.5 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5.5 | |
| 10 - Don confronts Rachel | KeepContestAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.5 | 9 / 8.5 | 7 / 7 | 7 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 7 | |
| 11 - Tension in the Board Room | PolishOrientationNo lens is broken, but Design and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 6.5 | 9 / 8 | 5.5 / 6.5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6.5 | 7 | 9 | 7 | |
| 12 - The Argument | KeepInvestigationAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.8 | 9 / 8.5 | 5.5 / 7.5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6.5 | 6 | 8.5 | 7 | |
| 13 - Finding a New Strategy | KeepDeliveryAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 8.2 | 9.5 / 9 | 7.5 / 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 9.5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8.5 | 9 | 8.5 | |
| 14 - Don's Frustration | KeepAftermathAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 7.2 | 9 / 8.5 | 7.5 / 7.8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 8.5 | 8 | 6 | 6.5 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 8 | 9.5 | 7 | |
| 15 - Tension at the Boardroom | PolishPursuitNo lens is broken, but Design, Execution and Read are soft — this reads as a polish pass. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 6.5 | 8.5 / 8 | 4 / 6.5 | 6 | 4 | 5.5 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6.5 | 7 | 8 | 5.5 | |
| 16 - A Spirited Debate | KeepRelationship shiftAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 7.8 | 9 / 9 | 8 / 8 | 9 | 7 | 8.5 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9 | 8 | |
| 17 - Late Night Encounter | KeepRelationship shiftAll three lenses are solid — worth protecting as it stands. | SolidThe story machine is built and mostly working. | 6.5 | 9 / 8.5 | 7.5 / 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7.5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7 | |
| 18 - Connection in Conflict | ReworkTransitionRead is broken — a load-bearing lens isn’t doing its job yet. | SoftThe structure works but is leaking power in places. | 5.5 | 9 / 8 | 1 / 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 | |
| Pattern | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Correlation between Tone and Emotional Impact | The tone of the scenes in this screenplay seems to have a significant impact on the emotional impact of the audience. The scenes with a tense tone tend to have higher emotional impact ratings, while the light-hearted scenes have lower emotional impact ratings. |
| Correlation between Dialogue and Character Changes | There is a positive correlation between the quality of dialogue and the extent of character changes in this screenplay. Scenes with better dialogue tend to have more pronounced character changes. |
| Correlation between Conflict and High Stakes | There is a strong positive correlation between the level of conflict and the high stakes in the scenes of this screenplay. As the conflict increases, the stakes also tend to rise. |
| Correlation between Concept and Plot | The concept and plot of this screenplay are closely related. Scenes with higher concept scores also tend to have higher plot scores. |
| Trope | Trope Details | Trope Explanation |
|---|
| Scene Number | Line |
|---|---|
| 1 | Don: I love smoking. |
| 2 | Midge: Is this the part where I say, 'Don Draper is the greatest ad-man ever and his big strong brain will find a way to lead the sheep to the slaughterhouse'? |
| 4 | Pete Campbell: What a great gal. I'll tell you guys, she stole my heart. |
| 5 | Joan: And listen, we're going to be working together so don't take this the wrong way, but a girl like you, with those darling little ankles, I'd find a way to make them sing. Also, men love scarves. |
| 16 | Don: "You're born alone, you die alone, and this world just drops a bunch of rules on top of you to make you forget those facts. But I never forget. I'm living like there's no tomorrow, because there isn't one." |
| Array ( [0] => A successful ad executive navigates the challenges of the advertising industry while facing a crackdown on health claims by the Trade Commission. [1] => Seeking solace, the ad executive finds support and reassurance from an artist he is involved with, who offers sarcastic remarks and suggestions. [2] => A new secretary receives guidance from the office manager on how to handle her boss, while also obtaining contraception and embracing responsibility. [3] => Conversations about diversity and upcoming meetings with tobacco executives lead to tension and arguments, but a new angle for cigarette advertising impresses. [4] => After a heated argument, the ad executive engages in a deep conversation about love and loneliness, sparking a mutual connection and possibility of a future meeting. ) |
| A talented but troubled advertising executive in 1960s New York grapples with his identity, his past, and the changing world around him. |
| In the golden age of advertising, a creative genius must confront the dark side of the American Dream and his own inner demons. |
| As the world of advertising undergoes a transformation, a group of men and women navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives. |
| A woman challenges the male-dominated world of advertising, seeking success and fulfillment in a society bound by traditional gender roles. |
| Behind the glamorous facade of Madison Avenue, a group of ad-men and women grapple with existential questions about happiness, identity, and the true meaning of success. |
| In 1960s New York, a brilliant but troubled advertising executive navigates the high-stakes world of Madison Avenue while grappling with the complexities of his own identity and personal life. |
| As the advertising industry faces increasing scrutiny and regulation, a talented creative director must find innovative ways to sell his clients' products while wrestling with his own moral and existential dilemmas. |
| A group of ambitious, driven individuals in the 1960s New York advertising world clash and conspire as they strive to climb the corporate ladder and maintain their hold on power. |
| In the cutthroat world of 1960s Madison Avenue, a young woman joins a prestigious advertising firm and must navigate the gender dynamics and power structures of the industry while discovering her own inner strength. |
| A captivating character study that delves into the personal lives and psychological complexities of the men and women who fueled the golden age of American advertising in the 1960s. |
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Scene by Scene Emotions