Serenade, the Novel
I haven't seen this film, but I have read the book, and I wonder if the film is anything like the novel.
Sadly, the film strays very far indeed from the book - essentially due to the censorship restrictions of the time.
sharealthough this is an old topic, and probably the board is rarely visited....
Most novel to story movies rarely have a lot to do with the novel itself. They usually stray away as derekmcgovern said. That's the bad thing about loving a novel and seeing a movie, either you'll hate it because it strayed from the novel, or you'll love it because it had something to do with the novel. But that is why they say movies are "based" on the novel.
Wow, I'm so pleased that there's a thread about this subject! I've always liked the movie; I'm a huge Fontaine fan. However, I just finished reading Cain's book, and I must say, the movie can't touch the book. Censorship was indeed the problem, and I won't give spoilers on the book. Suffice to say the movie could never, ever, remain faithful to the book in 1956, or for a very long time thereafter. It's a shame; the book has now completely put me off the movie.
shareI agree totally, I actually would like to see the book made into a film today. I think now is the time.
shareI came here to see details on the movie, how anything mainstream made in the '50s could be anything like the book, and apparently it isn't, which leaves me wondering why they bothered..although I would still like to see this film someday.
The book was an insane ride from start to finish, and some scenes are indelibly etched in my mind. I would love to see a true movie adaptation.
Revenge is a dish that best goes stale.
Edward, glad to see another fan of the book. I have been a James M. Cain fan for more than fifteen years; a fancy hardback of Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice is one of my prized possessions, but .....Serenade blew me away. It is in a class of its own. I look forward to seeing the movie, sometime, anyway. So another thing I want to say to you, Edward, try to learn (and it has taken me all my life!) that movies and novels are separate entities, each with pros and cons. Enjoy each for what it is!
share@addnamehere, this is a different case from most films that stray from their source material, however. In Serenade the novel the gay aspect of the plot is very important, but there's no way that part of the plot could have been made into a film in the '50s, even if the filmmakers had wanted to.
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