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Midwestern Democrat

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86. Well, they originally started filming with a Universal TV director, then he got fired shortly after

Fri Oct 19, 2018, 09:39 PM

Oct 2018

filming began and Paul Newman took over the direction (and Newman, as great as he was an actor, did not really have any particular skill at directing - his directorial debut "Rachel, Rachel" got a lot of praise in 1968, but he never came close to repeating that success in the few attempts he made at directing after that - his primary motivation for directing seemed to be providing Joanne Woodward acting showcases). This kind of puzzles me - a book of that pedigree; Hollywood's biggest star (only McQueen was Newman's equal) in the starring role; a cast including Henry Fonda and Lee Remick - and they penny pinch on the director? They don't try to get someone at the level of a Martin Ritt or a Sidney Lumet? They get a guy who was directing episodes of "Ironside"?

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Name a bad movie that was adapted from a good novel [View all] red dog 1 Oct 2018 OP

Prince of Tides !!! DFW Oct 2018 #1

Pat Conroy was a great writer red dog 1 Oct 2018 #3

I never saw the film Great Santini DFW Oct 2018 #4

Same for the film "Catch 22" red dog 1 Oct 2018 #41

Dune IllinoisBirdWatcher Oct 2018 #2

I agree. Excellent novel, but the movie just sucked. ret5hd Oct 2018 #6

My choice too. Turin_C3PO Oct 2018 #9

OMG so true--what a giant gasbag of a movie that was flibbitygiblets Oct 2018 #85

All of them? unblock Oct 2018 #5

It's probably easier to butcher a good novel that to "pretty up" a bad one. ret5hd Oct 2018 #7

Yes. And few studios are likely to pick up a bad novel and say "yes! Let's film that!" unblock Oct 2018 #10

The Mist qazplm135 Oct 2018 #11

"Better than" is one thing. But would he say the book was "terrible"? unblock Oct 2018 #12

I was responding to this: qazplm135 Oct 2018 #23

yeah, guess i shouldn't have reworded it. unblock Oct 2018 #25

Hell yes! Glamrock Oct 2018 #57

To Kill A Mockingbird lunamagica Oct 2018 #29

not a terrible book. unblock Oct 2018 #30

I misread your post. Sorry lunamagica Oct 2018 #34

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This message was self-deleted by its author Flaleftist Oct 2018 #45

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Well, they originally started filming with a Universal TV director, then he got fired shortly after Midwestern Democrat Oct 2018 #86

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