Well, the film had many elements of Lord of the Flies correct. I can see getting away with it in this case.
Like a previous poster, I decided to read "Nicholas Nickleby" before seeing the film. By the time I'd waded though 800+ pages (which I mostly enjoyed), I was in no mood to watch the abbreviated version on screen, though I'd seen many good reviews. I felt a little funny about the whole thing, but there it is...
Much as I like Dickens, that particular novel does not really grab me.
Hi Edgar: The Grapes of Wraths is probably the only Steinbeck novel I haven't read. I was so impressed by the movie, I never bothered to read the book. Now, you've piqued my interest. I just might add it to my must-read list of novels.
I read Steinbeck's East of Eden before seeing the movie, and if I hadn't been advised ahead of time that the movie covered only a small segment of the book, I would have been very disappointed. I can imagine what a delightful surprise it must be for the person who reads that book after they've seen the movie.
Grapes of Wrath has much more than the excellent film. Alternating chapters give an overview of the situation, totally not in the film. Plus, the film ends at least a chapter or so ahead of the book. The true ending is very moving.
Thanks, Edgar. I've just added the Grapes of Wrath to my reading list.
Carey McWilliams Island on the Land is a good non fiction book to read in accompaniment to Steinbeck, it is nonglorifying about California history. It might still be in print. Written decades ago now.
I loved - at the time - East of Eden, the book, never saw the movie. Read Grapes and saw the movie, preferred the book. I almost always do, but not quite always.
A few years back I had a glass of wine at a visit with friends to a couple who live, or lived, in one of the places Steinbeck lived; can't remember, it was either in Monterey or Pacific Grove, which are close to each other.
It brought it all a little closer, though no doubt the place is different now than in Steinbeck's time.
The movie I preferred to the book was Cutter and Bone, later retitled Cutter's Way (or vice versa). I think almost nobody saw it, but I loved it viscerally. It was about some skulduggery in Santa Barbara, and starred John Heard, Jeff Bridges and Lisa Eichhorn. It had a haunting score that involved Brian Eno and the glass harmonica; I don't remember that the score was intrusive...I react strongly to intrusive, have been known to walk out on intrusive sound or scores. Great scene with a horse. In my opinion.
Okay, so you've all sold me on The Grapes of Wrath both on screen and in print. I started reading it years ago but didn't get far before I moved on to something else. I'm not sure why I stopped reading it. Perhaps I was just Steinbecked out at the time. I'd just finished two other Steinbeck novels back to back.
I can hand you all a great argument for seeing the movie AND reading the book: Cannery Row. Both were very good, but the film was so loosely based on the book they almost seemed unrelated.
