Book Vs Movie
A Room With a View
The E. M. Forster 1908 Novel Vs the 1985 “Merchant/ Ivory” Film
The Margos are closing out our “80s in August” with the James Ivory/Ismail Merchant film A Room With a View which is based on the 1908 novel by E.M. Forester. The book took a few years fro Forster to complete before his better-regarded works Howards End and A Passage to India but he felt it was “much nicer.”
The story centers on Lucy Honeychurch who comes from a strict English background and is traveling with her spinster cousin Charlotte Bartlett when she meets exciting George Emerson in Florence, Italy. They share a moment of romance but she must return home to her drab Edwardian life with its social structure.
This means marrying Cecil Vyse, even though he’s dull and she doesn’t love him. George comes snack into her life by staying at a rental cottage nearby and the romance heats up again. But will George & Lucy take a chance on love even though her family doesn’t consider him an equal?
The 1985 movie stars Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy, Maggie Smith as Charlotte, Julian Sands as George, and Daniel Day-Lewis as Cecil. It made a fortune at the box office and won dozens of awards including an Academy Award for best-adapted screenplay.
This is one of those rare occasions that neither Margo has read the book or seen the film before recording this show. So between the two, which did we like better?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The biography of E.M. Forster
- What it was like to travel as an English person in early 20th Century Europe.
- Changes between book & movie
- The cast including Carter, Smith, Sands, Day-Lewis, Denholm Elliott (Mr. Emerson,) Rosemary Leach (Mrs. Honeychurch,) Rupert Graves (Freddy Honeychurch,) Judi Dench (Eleanor Lavish,) and Simon Callow (Reverend Beebe.)
Clips Featured:
- A Room With a View trailer
- George loves Lucy
- Emerson’s come to visit
- Mr. Emerson tries to help Lucy
- Music: A Room With a View soundtrack Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
Steel Magnolias
The 1987 Play Vs The 1989 Classic Film
The Margos are making sure Shelby drinks her juice and that Drum doesn’t shoot Oiuser in this special episode talking about a play to movie adaptation from the 80s. Based on a true story about his sister’s death at a young age after giving birth, Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias is the smart, funny tale of strong women who are underestimated by the men in their lives.
The play, which opened Off-Broadway in 1987, is notable for having one setting (Truvy’s beauty parlor in Northern Louisiana) and an all-female cast. The lines are so witty and sharp, audiences embraced it very quickly.
Soon Hollywood came calling, and now we have one of the ultimate “chick flicks” of all time which came out in 1989 and stars the soon-to-be-famous Julia Roberts as well as a huge cast of amazing actors. (This is truly an ensemble piece.)
This is one of the most quotable films of the last 30 years and we have a ball dissecting the differences between the play and film.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The story of Robert Harling’s sister Susan Harling Robinson
- The main themes of both play and film
- Biggest changes between the original work and adaptation
- The cast including Roberts, Dolly Parton (Truvy,) Sally Filed (M’Lynn,) Shirley MacLaine (Ouiser,) Daryl Hannah (Annelle,) Olympia Dukakis (Clairee,) Tom Skerrit (Drum,) Sam Shepard (Spud,) Dylan McDermott (Jackson,) Kevin J. O’Connor (Sammy,) and Ann Wedgeworth (Aunt Fern.)
Clips Featured:
- Steel Magnolias trailer
- “30 minutes of wonderful vs. a lifetime of nothing special”
- “Hit Ouiser!”
- Music: Steel Magnolias soundtrack George Delerue
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
The War of the Roses
The Warren Adler 1981 Novel Vs the Danny DeVito 1989 Film
The Margos are still hanging out in the 80s and this episode is devoted to a book and film that were considered controversial for the time. (Some of our Facebook fans said “no thank you!” to this one.) The War of the Roses is based on a novel by Warren Adler and Danny DeVito directed the dark comedy.
In the book (which author Adler based on a conversation he had with a gentleman getting divorced in 1978 and was still living with his ex-wife) Jonathan and Barbara Rose decide to divorce after 20 years of marriage and two kids. Jonathan is crushed because she did not visit him at the hospital when he had a heart issue. Barbara realizes she hates him after giving him her youth and creating a beautiful home.
They live in a Washington D.C. suburb and at the time, there was no “no-fault divorce” so they are stuck living together until they can work out an amicable settlement. The fact is, they both the house and possessions than each other and their anger builds to violent action.
The movie stars Michael Douglas (named Oliver Rose,) Kathleen Turner (Barbara Rose,) and Danny DeVito (Gavin D’Amato) and after it’s release (one month after Betty Broderick killed her husband after a contentious divorce!) it was considered controversial for its dark themes and comedy. This is 10 years before The Sopranos which regularly mixed unlikeable characters with violence and humor.
So between the book & movie--which did we like?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The story Warren Adler’s book
- Why some audiences were turned off by the ending (spoiler alert!)
- Biggest changes between book and movie
- The cast including Douglas, Turner, DeVito, Marianne Sagebrecht (Susan,) Sean Astin (Josh Rose,) Heather Fairfield (Carolyn Rose), and Dan Castellaneta (Man in Chair.)
Clips Featured:
- The War of the Roses trailer
- Barbara and Oliver “meet cute”
- Dinner Party
- “Get out of the car”
- Barbara attempts to seduce Gavin
- Music: “Only You” by The Platters
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
Top Gun
Yes, it was based on a magazine article so it counts!
In 1986, a movie entered the popular culture starring Tom Cruise--Top Gun. It was a massively successful hit and San Diegos’ Margo P. as a teenager saw it almost every week that summer which is a thing that teens used to do to pass the time.
Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, a teen Margo D. stubbornly decided she hates four things: Madonna, Bon Jovi, Tom Cruise, and sushi. None of those things would enter her life. (This is a dumb stand. I am Margo D. by the way.)
The movie is based on a 1983 article in California magazine by writer Ehud Yonay and is a deep dive into the Top Gun naval school based in San Diego. It’s a fun, quick read and it’s easy to think of mega producers Don Simpson & Jerry Bruckheimer knowing they would have a hit here.
Top Gun is an action-packed film filled with good looking men (that volleyball scene!) a ridiculous romantic subplot and truly impressive camera work. Cruise plays LT Pete “Maverick” Mitchell who is a king among the pilots (“Top Gun”) and he has a best friend named Goose (Anthony Edwards), a girlfriend Charlie Blackwood (Kelly McGillis,) and his real love interest “Lt Tom “Iceman” Kazansky played by Val Kilmer at his swaggering best.
Margo D. has finally seen the film and we have things to discuss here!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The story behind Ehud Yonay and Top Gun
- The 80s model for successful films
- The soundtrack that was everywhere
- Why the film was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2015
- The cast including Cruise, Edwards, McGillis, Kilmer, Tom Skerrit (Viper,) Michael Ironside (Jester,) John Stockwell (Cougar,) Barry Tubb (Wolfman,) Rick Rossovich (Slider,) Tim Robbins (Merlin,) Meg Ryan (Carole,) and Adrian Pasdar (Chipper.)
Clips Featured:
- Top Gun trailer
- “I was inverted”
- “A confidence problem”
- “You can be my wingman anytime!”
- Music: “Top Gun Theme” by Harold Faltermeyer
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
Cyrano de Bergerac/”Roxanne”
The 19th Century Play by Edmond Rostand Vs the Steve Martin Movie
The Margos are feeling poetic in this play vs movie combo that is a tale of love, bravery, and wit. The original play of Cyrano de Bergerac was written by Edmond Rostand in 1897 and has been adapted several times over the last 120 years. Mel Ferrer was the most famous/acclaimed Cyrano in the 1950s but Steve Martin’s C.D. Bales gives his own take on one of the oddest romantic leads we have covered.
In the original play, (based on a real-life person) was written in verse and tells the story about de Bergerac who was a cadet in the French Army. He is a smart and gifted warrior but has an extremely large nose which makes him feel insecure. It takes place in 1640s Paris and the object of de Bergerac’s affection is his cousin Roxanne who is known for her beauty and intelligence. He thinks he has no chance for love from an ugly woman much less a beauty like Roxanne.
Christian de Neuvillette, a young, handsome new cadet also has his eye on Roxanne. She wants to date him but he is insecure about his lack of brains. De Bergerac agrees to write the love letters on behalf of Christian to Roxanne while he is sent away to war.
There is also a Count de Guiche who wants Roxanne to marry the Viscount Valvert. It’s all sorts of complicated but Roxanne tries to save Christian and de Begerac’s lives but having them not fight on the front lines against Spain.
De Bergerac tries to get Christian to speak to Roxanne the words he writes for him but he refuses and instead speaks off the top of his head. Bad idea. De Bergerac tries to help by speaking in the safety of night to her. Roxanne swoons and she and Christian are secretly married. A jealous de Guiche sends both de Bergerac and Christian to war where they are starving until Roxanne uses her feminine wiles to the front lives and provide them food & drink.
De Bergerac almost tells Roxanne that he was writing the letters all of this time until Christian unexpectedly dies. He keeps that secret and 15 years later he meets up with Roxanne who is staying at a convent. Someone drops a log on his head and he heads towards Roxanne he reads one of “Cristian’s” last letters to her. She realizes it was him all of this time. Rozanne tells him she loves him and he does with “panache.”
Steve Martin took this material and wrote the screenplay for Roxanne in 1987. Set in Northern Washington. C.D. Bales (Martin) heads up the local fire department and is loved by most people of the town. Sometimes he runs into men who are bullies but he can usually outwit and beat them. He has a crew of firefighters who are misfits and provide many laughs in the film.
Our Roxanne here is played by Daryl Hannah and she is an astronomist who is spending the summer looking for a comet. C.D. falls in love at first sight but she has a thing for the newbie in town Chris (played by 80s stalwart Rick Rossovich.)
Hilarity ensures and if you are not even slightly charmed by this film--you have no soul!
Between the play and film--which did the Margos like better?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The life of Edmond Rostand
- The major plot points most adaptations contain
- The cast including Steve Martin (C.D.,) Roxanne (Daryl Hannah,) Chris (Rick Rossovitch,) Shelley Duvall (Trixie,) Fred Willard (Mayor Deebs,) Michael J. Pollard (Andy,) and Damon Wayans (Jerry.)
Clips Featured:
- Roxanne trailer
- Epic joke scene
- C.D. meets Roxanne
- “Hunting for words”
- Music: “Roxanne Theme”
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/