When you look at what the incident accomplished, it is tough to say it wasn't the best work in WWE history.
In the final moments of that match:
-Bret Hart lost the title belt, but wasn't "beaten" by Shawn Michaels in Canada.
-Shawn Michaels won the title belt and became the second biggest heel in the company.
-Vince McMahon became the one of the biggest heels in wrestling history and eventually built off this heat in his feud against Steve Austin.
If the events that took place in Montreal were real, do you think:
-Bret Hart would want to relive the event not once, but twice in WCW?
-Shawn Michaels would continually comment about the incident? (Remember the "Kliq Curtain Call", that real moment has only been mentioned once since it happened)
-Vince McMahon would continue to be an on-air character? If McMahon "screwed" Bret Hart simply because it was what was best for the business, wouldn't he just return to his regular role as announcer after the event? The fact that he built on the heat he garnered from this event makes me believe that the "Montreal Screwjob" was one giant work.