Heywood Gould (born December 19, 1942) is an American screenwriter, journalist, novelist and film director.
On the strength of his heavily circulated spec screenplay Fort Apache, The Bronx (unproduced until 1981), Gould was enlisted by star William Devane to rewrite Paul Schrader's Rolling Thunder script.
Gould added pop-psych monologues for Devane's character, a former POW, that reflected an almost clinical understanding of his own trauma.
Devane opted instead for a terse, contained performance in the mold of Steve McQueen, forgoing Gould's ornate characterization.
Only one Gould monologue remains in the film, and it contains the oft-quoted line "You learn to love the rope," a poignant reference to defying one's captors.