Book Vs Movie: “Argo”

The 2007 Wired Article Vs the 2012 Movie Adaptation 

The Margos are on an adventure for this episode that is based on a true story--Argo. The 2007 Wired magazine article (“The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to RescueAmericans From Tehran”) by writer Joshua Bearman is thrilling as it talks about what is known as the “Canadian Caper” in 1979. After the siege of the U.S. Embassy in Iran, several American embassy personnel hid in a Canadian diplomat’s home. 

The “caper” part is when CIA officer Tony Mendez (who wrote his own account in the book “The Master of Disguise” as Antonio J. Mendez) created a fake film crew for a movie called “Argo” and with the help of Canadian passports and some clever improvising, rescued those people on January 27, 1980. 

Part of the project's success was creating a phony Hollywood company “Studio Six Productions” and makeup artists John Chambers and Robert Sidell helped create the faux publicity campaign with ads in the Hollywood Reporter and Variety magazines. Chambers was later awarded the CIA “Intelligence Medal of Merit” for his help in the rescue. 

The Ben Affleck-directed uses many of the true elements of the film and adds a few select Hollywood flourishes (like casting himself as the lead) and a kickass rock soundtrack to make a thrilling ride of a film. 

Soon after its release, several articles were talking about some of the most glaring omissions in the story, including the role of the Canadian embassy in the rescue. The film was nominated for several prestigious awards including Best Picture for the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. 

The cast is stellar with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, and an uncredited Philip Baker Hall as CIA Director Stansfield Turner.

So, between the Wired article and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The backstory of the Iran Hostage situation and the Canadian Caper
• Major differences between the actual events and the Hollywood version of what happened
• What President Jimmy Carter thinks about the movie 
• The cast: Ben Affleck (Tony Mendez,) Bryan Cranston (Jack O’ Donnell,) Alan Arkin (Lester Siegel,) John Goodman (John Chambers,) Tate Donovan (Robert Anders,) Clea DuVall (Cora Amber-Lijek,) Rory Cochrane (Lee Schatz,) Victor Garber (Ken Taylor,) Kyle Chandler (Hamilton Jordan,) and Richard Kind as Max Klein. 

Clips used:

• Argo wins Best Picture (with Michelle Obama & Jack Nicholson
• Argo trailer
• Alan Arkin deals with “Max Klein” 
• John Chambers answers the production office phone
• Ending chase scene
• Argo score by Alexandre Desplat

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

.

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “The Little Prince”

The 1943 Novel Vs the 2015 Adaptation 

The Margos say “Vive La France!” as we dive into the classic children’s book The Little Prince by author & illustrator Antoine de Saint-Exupery originally published in 1943. The author was a successful poet, journalist, and aviator for many years before he was lost on a WWII mission off Marseille in occupied France in July 1944. Previous to his assumed death, he was the recipient of many awards including the Legion of Honor (1930 & 1939) and the U.S. National Book Award (1940.) 

Saint-Exupery was visiting America during WWII and felt passionate about saving France from German occupation. One of his friends at the time was Charles Lindbergh who was an ardent anti-interventionist and part of the hero of The Little Prince is based on the appearance of Lindbergh’s blonde son Land. 

He and his wife Rose also lived in Quebec for a while where he was inspired by philosophers trying to make sense of war and how France can regain its independence and Democracy. Even though he was well in his 40s--Saint-Exupery served in the French Air Force and served in several missions before his plane disappeared. 

The Little Prince would eventually become one of the most successful children’s books in the history of publishing translated into over 300 languages and adapted as a film, opera, radio theater, and ballet. The narrator begins the story by telling the audience he doesn’t trust adults as they do not receive things “normally.”  He begins conversations by showing them a picture of a snake eating an elephant and the grownups always said it looks like a hat. 

The narrator is an aviator who crashes his plane in the Sahara desert. With only a few days of supplies, he meets a little blonde boy (The Little Prince) who tells his life story beginning as an alien from another planet (an asteroid.) He talks about being in love with a “vain” rose and then leaving that planet to save others who need him. 

This includes six other planets:

• One with a king with no subjects
• A man who needs to be admired all of the time
• A man who drinks to forget 
• A rich businessman who can’t see the beauty of the stars
• A lamplighter
• An old geographer who teaches about “ephemeral” being

The Little Prince travels across planet earth and meets many creatures and people who help him grow as a person. (There are so many lessons here. It is hard to name them all!) 

The 2015 animated film was directed by Mark Osbourne and features the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Bud Cort & Albert Brooks (!) and beautiful visuals throughout. It also has a young girl as our protagonist which is one of the major changes in the adaptation. 

The movie did very well with critics and won the 2016 Cesar Awards for “Best Animated Film.” 

So between the novel and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The biography of Antoine de Saint-Exupery 
• The different adaptations over the years of the material 
• The terribly sad "real" ending of the story and what we thought of it as children
• The cast: Riley Osbourne (Little Prince,) Mackenzie Foy (the little girl,) Jeff Bridges (Aviator,) Rachel McAdams (mother,) Marion Cotillard (the Rose,) Benecio del Toro (the Snake,) Albert Brooks (Businessman,) Paul Rudd (the Adult Prince,) Paul Giamatti (Academy Teacher,) Bud Cort (the King,) and Ricky Gervais (the Conceited Man.) 

Clips used:

• The Little Girl meets The Aviator
• The Little Prince trailer
• The Little Prince meets the King
• The Little Prince meets The Conceited Man
• The Little Prince meets The Businessman
• The Little Prince meets The Rose
• The Little Prince soundtrack Hans Zimmer & Richard Harvey

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

. 

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “To Sir, With Love”

The 1959 E.R. Braithewaite Novel Vs the 1967 Sidney Poitier Movie

To Sir, With Love was a smash hit movie in 1967 making over $40 million at the box office and making singer Lulu an international sensation who not only stars in the film but sings the theme song. The Margos take a deep dive into the original work and how it came to be the voice of a generation in London during the “mod” movement. 

The 1959 novel is based on the true-life story of E. R. Braithwaite, a Guyanese-born English/American writer who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and then gained his education at the City College of New York and his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge. Despite his exceptional skills and education--as a black man, he had a very difficult time finding a job in the work of his choosing. The racism of the time forced him to find work as a teacher in the East End of London. 

Later he became a social worker and human rights advocate fighting racism and oppression. It is unclear how he felt about the 1967 adaptation which was written and directed by James Clavell who decided to jettison a subplot about interracial romance and focus more on the students.  

The biggest reason for its film’s success was the lead actor Sidney Poitier who was one of the most bankable stars of the 1960s and never really got his due for his box office appeal. He would go on the make millions from this film when the studio gave up on creating a more rough tale that included a sexual assault and/or a “big fight.”

Poitier also appeared in the 1996 Sequel To Sir, With Love II. 

So between the novel and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The biography of E.R. Braithwaite and his scholastic career 
• The author’s experience in South Africa in the 1970s  
• The changes between the novel set in 1947 and the movie set in 1967 
• The cast: Sidney Poitier (Mr. Mark Thackery,) Judy Greeson (Pamela Dare,) Christian Roberts (Bert Denham,) Suzy Kendall (Miss Gillian Blanchard,) Lulu (Babs Pegg,) Geoffrey Bayldon (Mr. Theo Weston,) Patricia Routledge (Clinty Clintridge,) Edward Burnham (Mr. Florian,) and The Mindbenders (as themselves.) 

Clips used:

• Behave like adults
• To Sir, With Love trailer
• Fight scene
• How ladies and men should behave
• Last scene with Lulu singing 
• It’s Getting Harder All the Time  performed by The Mindbenders

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Whip It”

The 2007 Novel by Shauna Cross Vs the 2009 Drew Barrymore-Directorial Debut

The Margos are feeling some badass girl energy and the need for speed so what is better than entering the world of women’s roller derby competitions to scratch that itch? The 2007 novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross gives us the fictional world of Bodeen, Texas, and our heroine Bliss Cavender. Bliss is 16. Her mother is a former beauty queen how dreams of her daughter being the queen of the local pageant. Bliss just wants to listen to indie rock and find ironic band shirts at the local thrift shop.

After joining the “Hurl Scouts” roller derby team in Austin, Bliss has her first fling with a bassist, alternately does well & then crashes at school, and ultimately comes to terms with her parents and their various goals for her. The book was named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and on the list for the New York Public Library and author Cross based her own experience on her participation on the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. 

In 2009,  Drew Barrymore’s production company “Flower Films” bought the rights to the book and hired Cross to write the screenplay for the 2009 movie. It stars Elliot Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, and Barrymore who also directed the film. 

So between the novel and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The backstory of writer Shauna Cross 
• The world of roller derby  
• Drew Barrymore and Flower Films 
• The cast: Elliot Page (Bliss/Babe Rithluess,) Alia Shawkat (Pash,) Marcia Gay Harden (Brooke Cavendar,) Daniel Stern (Earl Cavendar,) Landon Pigg (Oliver,) Kirsten Wiig (Maggie Mayhem,) Eve (Rosa Sparks,) Carlo Alban (Birdman,) Andrew Wilson (Razor) and Jimmy Fallon (Hot Tub Johnny Rocket)

Clips used:

• Bliss’s first time as an official Hurl Scout
• Whip It  trailer
• Rules of roller derby
• Bliss hangs out with Oliver 
• Maggie Mayhem sets her straight
• Pot Kettle Black by Tilly and the Wall

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

. 

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “A Streetcar Named Desire”

The Tennessee Williams Play Song Vs the Elia Kazan Movie

The Margos are feeling very fragile and need to take long, hot baths when discussing one of the greatest dramas of the 20th Century--A Streetcar Named Desire. The play by Tennessee Williams thrilled the Broadway stage in 1947 starring young buck Marlon Brandon who went full method with Kim Hunter, Jessica Tandy, and Karl Malden. 

The play is Williams’s follow up to the incredible success of The Glass Menagerie in 1944 which was greatly based on his own life story. Williams grew up in an unhappy home and had family members with mental health issues. The writing was his escape and many of his characters tend to be lost souls who are searching for meaning and/or companionship. 

In post-World War 2 America, musicals were making the most money in New York theater but when A Streetcar Named Desire--audiences stood in lines for hours to watch  Brando and his masculinity on full display. He was a fan of Stella Adler and her acting technique which as first scared Jessica Tandy (playing Blanche Dubois--an “aging” southern belle who is looking for help in a time of crisis.”) Her husband, fellow thespian Hume Cronyn convinced this type of drama will change theater forever. 

Taking place in New Orleans in 1947, Blanche Dubois is a woman who has just lost her family home in Laurel, Mississippi, and moves in with her younger sister Stella (Kim Hunter) and her brutish husband Stanley Kowalski. Brando plays Stanley as a cross between man & animal who resents his sister-in-law moving into their tiny home. 

The tension between Blanche & Stanley fuels most of the scenes and has consequences for everyone in their lives culminating in violence. 

The film was directed by Elia Kazan based mostly on his Broadway production though because of the Hays Code, many changes had to be made to make it “appropriate” for a 1950s movie audience. (There were no rating systems back then and movies were meant for a more general audience.) Most of the hyper-sexuality was toned down and were under the guise of symbolism to get their point across. 

It’s one of the top dramas of all time and we really enjoyed digging into the changes with the film (which started with the casting of Vivien Leigh as Blanche who was thought to be more commercial than Jessica Tandy.) 

So between the play and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life of Tennessee Williams
• New York theater in the 1940s & 1950s and how it changed acting forever 
• The backstory and controversial life of Elia Kazan
• The cast: Marlon Brando (Stanely Kowalski,) Vivien Leigh (Blanche DuBois,) Stella Kawalsky (Kim Hunter,) and Karl Malden as Mitch Mitchell.  

Clips used:

• Blanche meets Stanley
• A Streetcar Named Desire trailer
• “Napoleonic Law” 
• “Stella!”
• Mitch confronts Blanche
• Music by Alex North

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Harper Valley PTA”

The 1968 Song Vs the 1978 Movie (really!)

Ever since the pandemic began, we decided to create a new show each week (rather than biweekly which has been our habit for over six years now) the sources of adaptations have expanded to magazines, novellas, and songs. You would assume a shorter source would make for shorter episodes but, they can bring on just as much of a discussion as a novel. 

This brings us to today’s subject of our podcast--Harper Valley PTA. The song was written by Tom. T. Hall and performed by country singer Jeannie C. Riley in 1968. The story about a “widowed bride” who is slut-shamed by her daughter’s junior high school PTA (Parents Teachers Advisory) and gives a takedown at a meeting that is spectacular in its shade and incisiveness was one of the first feminist anthems and managed to become a number one hit in the U.S. on both the pop and country charts. (Past episode Dolly Parton did the same in 1980 for 9 to 5!)

The 1978 movie is an R-rated cuckoo bananas production starring Barbara Eden (a stone-cold fox!) as Stella Johnson who exacts a Porky’s style revenge on the local yokels who dare to take her on. She also is wooed by an equally sexy Ronny Cox and is teamed up with Nanette Fabray in this film that played in drive-in theaters in 1978 and made millions. 

It features nudity, wrap dresses, elephants, revenge porn, makeovers, and a helicopter proposal. 

So between the song and the movie--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The origin of the song and famous recordings
• The unusual release of the movie 
• 1970s feminism  
• The cast: Barbara Eden (Stella Johnson, ) Ronny Cox (Willis Newton,) Nanette Fabray (Alice Finley,) Louis Nye (Kirby Baker,) Audrey Christie (Flora Simpson Reilly,) John Fielder (Bobby Taylor,) and Susan Swift (Dee Johnson.) 

Clips used:

• Harper Valley PTA (Jeannie C. Reilly)
• Harper Valley PTA (Stella approaches the PTA meeting)
• Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry
• Return to Harper Valley by Jeannie C.Reilly 
• Stella and Alice sing together
• The Sex Ed teacher gets her comeuppance 

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

.

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Arrival”

The Ted Chiang Novella Vs the Amy Adams Film

The Margos are looking into the world of language and SciFi with the Ted Chiang novella Story of Your Life published in 1998 and the 2016 movie directed by Denis Villeneuve Arrival.  

(Warning! Spoilers coming right your way!)

In the story, Dr. Louise Banks is a linguist and narrator tasked to help the U.S. Government with a group of alien shapeships who suddenly arrive. The aliens are “heptapods” and it is Banks’s job to try and create a common language with them. She is helped by Dr. Gary Donnelly and the two make contact with two heptapods named Flapper and Raspberry. 

During this assignment, she learns that she will one day become a mother to a daughter who will die young. She can see in the future all of these interactions with her. She can also see that she marries Dr. Donnelly and he leaves her in the future. 

If you have knowledge of the future, do you have an obligation to let others know? What if you have a child with someone and know when they will die? What is your obligation with this knowledge?

The movie Arrival stars Amy Adams as Dr. Banks and Jeremy Renner (known as Ian Donnelly in the film) It would go on to receive eight Academy Awards nominations including for Best  Best Picture and Best Director. But NOT for Best Actress for Adams. BOO!

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• Bio of author Ted Chiang
• The differences between book and film
• Would you want to know 
• The cast: Amy Adams (Dr. Louise Banks,) Jeremy Renner (Ian Donelly,) Forest Whitaker (Colonel Weber,) Michael Stuhlbarg (Agent Halpern,) Mark O’Brien (Captain Marks,) and Tzi Ma (General Shang.) 

Clips used:

• • Arrival trailer
  • “A proper introduction…”
  • “The nature of questions”

• Film music by Johann Johannsson

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

. 

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

The F. Scott Fitzgerald Short Story Vs the David Fincher Movie

The Margos take on the world of magical realism with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published in Collier’s Magazine in 1922. The main character, Benjamin Button, is born looking and behaving like a 70-year-old man. Gradually it is revealed that Benjamin is aging backward so when he is 18 in his heart, he looks and acts like a 50-year-old man. 

In his lifetime, his father puts him in charge of the family business, marries a beautiful younger woman, enlists to fight in the Spanish American War, has a son, and then his family must deal with the consequences of him aging back to his birth state. 

The David Fincher 2008 adaptation stars Brad Pitt as Benjamin and Cate Blanchett as his love interest Daisy. There are several changes between the short story and the multiple Academy Award-nominated film. We are here to talk about it! 

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• A quick history of F. Scott Fitzgerald (we covered him for The Great Gatsby)
• The major differences between the movie
• Cate Blanchett’s hair (swoon!) 
• The cast: Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button,) Cate Blanchett (Daisy,) Julia Ormond (Caroline,) Elias Koteas (Gateau,)  Taraji P. Henson (Queenie,) Merhershala Ali (Tizzy Weathers) Tilda Swinton (Elizabeth Abbott,) Jared Harris (Captain Mike Clark,) and Jason Flemyng (Thomas Button.) 

Clips used:

• Film music by Alexandre Desplat

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Being There”

The 1970 Satirical Novel Vs the 1979 Classic Film

The film Being There and its star Peter Sellers was a big deal in 1980 when the film was released. Based on a novella by Jerzy Kosinski (who won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for the screenplay) the story of “Chance”, a simple gardener who grew up on an estate and never experienced the outside world in an engaging way except for television for his whole life. 

When his benefactor and/or father dies, he must leave his townhouse and try to forge a life for himself with no identity and no education. Luckily, he is soon being taken care of by elderly businessman Ben Rand and his younger wife Eve who mistakenly almost completely runs him over. 

While she calls him “Chauncey Gardner,” we (the audience) know that his name is Chance and he has no idea what is happening in real life. When the President of the U.S. pays a visit to Rand, he is charmed by Chauncey’s lack of guile and a simplistic worldview. 

Soon enough, Chauncey Gardner is the hit of Washington DC and the media that seeks his opinion on everything related to inflation and the economy. 

The film, directed by Hal Ashby, is a modern classic taking on the shallowness of the media when it comes to uncovering “the truth” and pop culture. 

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• Author Jerzy Kosinski   
• The road from the novel to the Hal Ashby-directed film
• The cast: Peter Sellers (Chance,) Shirley McLaine (Eve Rand,) Melvyn Douglas (Benjamin Rand,) Jack Warden (President Bobby,) Richard Dysart (Dr. Allenby,) Richard Baseheart (Vladamir Skrapinov,) Ruth Attaway (Louise,) David Clennon (Thomas Franklin,) and Fran Brill (Sally Hayes.) 

Clips used:

• Being There  theme music by Johnny Mandel 

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Love Story”

The 1970 Novel & Film Explores Love, Loss, and the Use of the Word “Sorry”

Since we have just been added to the amazing lineup shows that are a part of the Frolic Podcast Network, the Margos thought it was time to cover a classic book & film that our listeners are clamoring for since the start of the show. 

In 1969, author and screenwriter Erich Segal pitched a film to his literary agent Lois Wallace at the William Morris Agency called ‘Love Story.’ She wisely advised him to write it as a book and then sell the rights to a movie studio. The book was a smash hit and sold millions of copies in time for the December movie release starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. 

You could not escape the book, movie, the music, or the ‘Ali McGraw disease” which became a common film trope. It was completely maligned by snobs as pablum but the public didn’t care what the critics thought. The film earned over $100 million at the box office and would later be the highest-rated TV Movie of 1972. 

The story of rich kid Oliver, his working-class girlfriend Jenny, and their tragic love affair still pulls in viewers 50+ years later and we aim to try and figure out why. 

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life of Erich Segal   
• The casting of our tragic couple
• The backlash by the “elites” in media and publishing
• The cast: Ali MacGraw (Jenny Cavilerri,) Ryan O’Neal (Oliver Barrett IV,) John Marley (Phil Cavilerri,) Ray Milland (Oliver Barrett III,) Russell Nype (Dean Thompson,) Katherine Balfour (Mrs. Barrett,) Tommy Lee Jones (Hank Simspon,) Sydney Walker (Dr. Shapely,) and Robert Modica (Dr. Addison.) 

Clips used:

• Love Story theme music by Francis Lai

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic. media/podcasts

. 

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Father of the Bride”

The 1949 Novel Vs the 1950 Elizabeth Taylor Classic 

(Okay, we mention the 90s remake as well!)

Love is in the air and the Margos are ready for romance with the book & movie Father of the Bride.  Our focus is the book by Edward Streeter and the movie directed by Vincent Minelli that stars Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. (The 90s remake with Steve Martin and Martin Short is a part of the conversation as well because--duh!) 

The book & film from 1950 focus on Stanley T. Banks who is married (to wife Ellie) with three grown children when his 24-year-old  daughter Kay announces her engagement to Buckley Dunstan. Buckley seems like a nice man from a good family but Kay’s parents worry about him providing for her but he soon wins them over. 

The hijinks of the story happen when Stanley and Ellie Banks agree to save costs by opening up their home for the reception--for over 250 people. In the end, Stanley’s home is so crowded that he misses his chance to kiss the bride before she leaves for her honeymoon. She does manage to call him from the airport just in time. Ah, romance!

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The background of the author Edward Streeter  
• The casting of Elizabeth Taylor, a former child star who got married for the first time at the film’s release
• The wedding traditions honored in the film 
• The cast: Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks,) Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks,) Elizabeth Taylor (Kay Banks,) Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan,) Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan,) Russ Tamblyn (Tommy Banks,) and Leo G. Carroll as Mr. Missoula. 

Clips used:

• Stanley Banks talks about how he really feels about weddings
• Father of the Bride trailer 
• Stanley has a bad dream
• Clip from remake (Franck Eggerhoffer) Martin Short, Steve Martin, Kimberly Williams-Paisley & Diane Keaton
• Outro Music by Adolph Deutsch

Book Vs Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.media/podcasts

. 

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “The Man Who Fell to Earth”

Our first Walter Tevis novel & the cult David Bowie Film

Author Walter Tevis created some of the most interesting and unique protagonists in fiction including Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit and Eddie Felson in The Hustler. His Jerome Newton of The Man Who Fell to Earth is a humanoid alien from The Altheans who appears to be human (with a drinking problem and large business ambitions) but has a hard time connecting to people on earth emotionally. 

The 1963 SciFi novel by Tevis resembles closely his own life as he was a man who often felt alienated from his own life. He was born to immense wealth and later lived in poverty in Kentucky. He left his wife and children for another woman and had a drinking problem that lasts over two decades. All while achieving his goal to be a working writer who did not have to have a day job to support himself. 

Newton leaves The Altheans to come to earth and make enough money to return home and save his family from death via lack of food & water. He makes a home in Kentucky uses his space technology to make millions in hopes of building a craft to escape this world. 

In the meantime, a woman falls in love with him (he does not return her emotions) and he develops a friendship with a fellow drinker--Nathan Bryce. 

What happens to him when the FBI investigates his background is sad and tragic. This book is a bummer but the writing is beautiful. 

Nicolas Roeg directed the 1976 movie which had a terrible release at the time (multiple film studio issues) but is now considered a cult classic taught in colleges around the world. David Bowie (who was at the Zenith of his fame) plays Newton and gives the best performance of his acting career. 

In this episode, we get the behind-the-scenes trivia from the set, the differences made in the film, and how musician John Phillips wound up creating the soundtrack. 

So between the book and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life story of Walter Tevis and how he inserted his own foibles and history into his main characters 
• The casting of David Bowie and what his career was like in the 1970s
• The soundtrack and whether or not Bowie’s estate will release his supposed version 
• The behind-the-scenes gossip and trivia
• The cast: David Bowie (Thomas Jerome Newton,) Rip Torn (Nathan Bryce,) Candy Clark (Mary-Lou,) Buck Henry (Oliver Farnsworth,) and Bernie Casey (Peters.) 

Clips used:

• Nathan and Thomas meet
• The Man Who Fell to Earth trailer 
• John Phillips music
• Mary-Lou is angry at “Tommy”
• Outro Music by Louis Armstrong Blueberry Hill

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “The Women”

The Clare Booth Luce Vs. the 1939 George Cukor Film (Plus, the 2001 Broadway Revival!)

In 1936, the Clare Booth Luce play The Women debuted on Broadway to rave reviews and packed audiences which featured 45 speaking parts for women, while no man is either seen or heard. (Though all of the husbands are spoken about constantly!)

The plot revolves around a group of privileged women who live in New York City and busy themselves with shopping, spa days, and gossip. (60 years before Sex & the City!) Keeping husbands happy unless they “fall in love” with a salesgirl, these women fight for what is theirs. 

Back in the day, one could move to Reno, Nevada for six weeks to gain residency and garner a quickie divorce. (Check out the Trashy Divorces podcast to learn all of the old rules for ending matrimony.)

Our lead Mary (Mrs. Haines) dearly loves her husband but he is having an affair with a perfume salesgirl, Crystal Allen which means he has to make a choice. Stay with the wife and daughter or remarry ASAP and give his wife a huge settlement. 

Off in Reno, Mary and a gaggle of friends and other women meet to gain residency and commiserate in this farcical look at marriage and friendship. 

The 1939 film directed by Book Vs Movie alum George Cukor has over 130 speaking parts for women (even the animals were females!) Led by Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, and Paulette Goddard it happened to come out in an insanely good year for movies (Gone With the Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Wizard of Oz, Of Mice and Men to name a few) it did earn any Academy Award nominations--but the film has become a classic along with several Broadway revivals. 

So between the original play and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life of Clare Booth Luce and the world of NYC socialites in the middle of the 20th Century. 
• The unique style of the play & the 2001 star-studded version that was a huge success
• The Technicolor fashion show (yay or nay?) 
• The behind-the-scenes gossip and trivia
• The cast: Norma Shearer (Mary,) Joan Crawford (Crystal Allen,) Rosalind Russell (Sylvia,) Mary Boland (Flora,) Paulette Goddard (Miriam,) Joan Fontaine (Peggy,) Lucile Watson (Mrs. Morehead,) Virginia Weidler (Little Mary,) and Marjorie Main (Lucy.) 

Clips used:

• Sylvia and Miriam fight
• The Women trailer 
• Sylvia & Peggy meet Crystal Allen
• Mary gets marriage advice from her mother
• Countess De Lave meets Mary and Miriam
• Edith (Jennifer Goodwin) gets schooled by her nurse (Adina Porter) 2002
• Jason Alexander in the PBS 2002 special viewing
• Miriam meets Crystal
• Outro Music by David Snell & Edward Ward

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Cabaret”

The Backstory Behind One of the Most Popular Musicals of All Time

“Musicals in March”

The Margos are adhering to the motto “life is a cabaret!” this week with our deep dive into a musical that is based on a book about Berlin’s underground night scene in the 1930s by Christopher Isherwood (Goodbye to Berlin.) 

From there it became a Broadway play by John van Druten--I Am a Camera in the early 1950s with a movie starring Julie Harris that gives new meaning to the word dull! 

In the mid-1960s Broadway legends, John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago) created the book and music for Cabaret with a book by Joe Masteroff which was set in 1929-1930 Berlin when the Nazis were gaining power and the bon vivant lifestyle was being ostracized. (And Jewish people were basically deemed “illegal” and lost their right to own property or their own businesses.) 

Sally Bowles is one of the theater’s most interesting creations. Based on a friend of Isherwood’s, Jean Ross, Sally is a terrible singer who somehow makes a living at the “Kit Kat Club” in Berlin. Perpetually broke, she lives with American writer Cliff Bradshaw. 

They have something of a romance (in between them both having affairs with men.) When Sally becomes pregnant and Hitler is rising in power--she realizes that the party is over and she needs to flee. 

Throughout the musical, there are several memorable tunes and (depending on the choreographer) sexy “jazz babies” who backup Sally on stage. 

The Harold Prince-directed show premiered in November 1966 and swept the Tonys the following year. There have been several revivals on Broadway and on the London stage throughout the years with an array of Sally’s including Judi Dench, Michelle Williams, Jane Horrocks, Natasha Richardson, and Emma Stone. 

The part of the emcee was originally played by Joel Grey as an asexual character with rouged cheeks. Later, Alan Cumming would create a highly sexual version in a production directed by Sam Mendes and still plays the character to this day!

In this episode, we will focus on the 1972 film directed by Bob Fosse (with uncredited assistance by Gwen Verdon) and stars Liza Minelli. It is the basis for all of the sexier versions that have been produced since. It would go on to win several Academy Awards including Best Director and Actress. 

So between the original book/play and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The story of Christopher Isherwood and Jean Ross
• The Broadway play which won a few Tonys and was the basis of the very tepid film adaptation
• Bob Fosse & Gwen Verdon--how they changed musicals forever
• The cast: Liza Minelli (Sally Bowles,) Michel York (Brian Roberts,) Helmut Griem (Maxmillian von Huene,) Joel Grey (Emcee,) Fritz Weppe (Fritz Wendel,) Marissa Berenson (Natalia Landauer,) Elisabeth Neumann-Vietel (Fraulin Schneider,) and Helen Vita (Fraulein Mayr.) 

Clips used:

• Brain and Sally meet for the first time
• I Am a Camera trailer
• Cabaret trailer 
• “Mein Herr” (Sally)
• Jill Holloway as Sally Bowles 1967 Grammy Awards
• Liza sings Cabaret in the 1972 film
• Jane Horrocks as Sally Bowles (Sam Mendes production in 1993)
• Natasha Richardson (1998 Broadway revival)
• “Willkommen” (Emcee)
• Outro Music: “Wilkommen”Alan Cumming

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “West Side Story” Vs "Romeo and Juliet"

The Shakespeare Classic & the 1961 Musical Which Swept the Academy Awards

“March Musicals!”

Oh, Book Vs Movie fans--where art thou?

The Margos are kickin’ it with “Musicals in March” and for this episode, we decided to use one of the most adapted Shakespeare tales (which is really saying something!) and match it with one of the most ambitious films of the early 1960s. 

William Shakespeare uses poetry, metaphors, comedy, tragedy, and a story about doomed young lovers which has entranced (or annoyed) audiences and high school students who had “Romeo & Juliet” on their reading curriculum for decades now. Originally published in the 1590s, there have been several direct adaptations for stage and screen. 

Romeo & Juliet are teens in love who are thwarted by the prejudice of their feuding clans and are a symbol for starcrossed lovers who are fated to be together. It’s not the feel-good hit of the summer--but it is beautiful and it’s hard not to feel something when ultimately their love has them make desperate choices (spoiler!)

In the 1950s, Arthur Laurents wrote the book for the musical West Side Story which had Jermone Robbins create the choreography and the music in part by future songwriting superstar Stephen Sondheim. It became a smash on Broadway in 1957 and there have been several revivals since. Oh, and Leonard Bernstein’s score is one of his best. 

The setting is now in late 1950s New York City where two different gangs The Jets (who are caucasian) and The Sharks (who are Puerto Rican) fight over their “turf.” Former Jet Tony falls in love with Maria whose brother is the leader of The Sharks.

The movie stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, and Rita Moreno. The vocals for Wood are once again provided by Marni Nixon (we talked about her when we discussed My Fair Lady previously. 

So between the original play and the 1961 film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The story of Romeo & Juliet
• The creative team behind the musical adaptation
• The cast: Natalie Wood (Maria,) Richard Beymer (Tony,) Russ Tamblyn (Riff,) Rita Moreno (Anita,) George Chakiris (Bernardo,) and Tucker Smith (Ice.) 

Clips used:

• Romeo and Juliet (1968) “balcony scene”
• West Side Story (1961) trailer 
• Tony & Maria “balcony scene”
• America with Tina & the Shark Girls
• “The Dance at the Gym/Mambo”
• “I Feel Pretty” Maria
• “Mambo"
• Outro Music: “Mambo” by Leonard Bernstein

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Cats”

The Poems of T.S. Eliot, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical & the 2019 Tom Hooper-Directed Movie

“March Musicals Month!” 

We are deep into “Musicals in March and this episode is an offbeat delight on how some of the best musicals can come from such an unusual source. 

Poet T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) wrote poetry about cats to amuse his nieces, nephews, and godchildren with the collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. These poems talked about how to name a cat, why cats love the moonlight, and “Jellicle Cats” and held a particular fascination with Andrew Lloyd Webber who wanted to write music that matched the words of Eliot. 

The musical Cats was considered a big risk as in the early 1980s London was dealing with high unemployment and a lack of funds from the government for artistic projects. Somehow Weber managed to get just enough funds to open in London in 1981 (the investment would return 3.500 times over) and became a sensation. 

In London, the show ran for 21 years (8,949 shows) and the Broadway run was for 18 years and changed the way shows are promoted and marketed. Weber would go on to create the all-time biggest hit on Broadway with the Phantom of the Opera. 

The 2019 film features stars like Judi Dench, Idris Alba, Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, and Ian McKellan and directed by Tom Hooper (Chicago) in what can be described as an acid flashback meets CGI. (We do get a new Taylor Swift song so--yay?) 

So between the original play (musical) and the 2019 adaptation--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life of T.S. Eliot
• The incredible path of a book of poems to the London stage
• The cast: Judi Dench (Old Deuteronomy,) Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella the Glamour Cat,) Rebel Wilson (Jennanydots,) James Cordon (Bustopher Jones,) Taylor Swift (Bombalurina,) Ian McKellen (Gus,) and Idris Alba (Macavity the Mystery Cat.)

Clips used:

• Cats trailer 
• Rebel Wilson & James Corden at the Oscars
• Taylor Swift Macavity the Mystery Cat
• Rebel Wilson & Jason Derulo “The Rum Tum Tugger”
• Rebel Wilson “Jennyadots”
• Outro Music: “The Ad-Dressing of Cats” Judi Dench

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “My Fair Lady” & “Pygmalion”

The George Bernard Shaw Play Vs the George Cukor Movie Musical

“March Musicals Month!” 

The Margos are working heavy on our diction to prepare for this ep. 

The original story of Pygmalion is based in Greek mythology where an artist falls in love with their own sculpture and is then rejected by them.  Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw took the material and in 1913 created the play which tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics who believes he can transform a person’s status in society by altering their accents and teaching them proper manners. 

Eliza Doolittle enters this world as a poor woman who sells flowers to sustain herself as she exists in poverty. Professor Higgins’s friend Colonel Pickering has recently traveled to India and the two take on the idea of turning Dooltilte into a “Duchess” with proper training. She can’t afford lessons so it becomes a bet between Higgins and Pickering on how well she does. 

The process of Dooltittle’s training and whether Higgins and Doolittle wind up a couple make up this “a tale of differing manners” comedy. In 1914, a happy ending was tacked on (with the implication that teacher and student wind up getting married) infuriated Shaw who thought it was way too cheerful and not realistic. 

The play was adapted into a 1938 movie starred Leslie Howard and was the first to feature the diction lesson “the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plane.” Shaw wound up winning an Academy Award for the screenplay. 

A 1956 musical version followed that starred Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews) became a sensation as “My Fair Lady.” Hollywood’s version also starred Harrison and (controversially) Audrey Hepburn over Julie Andrews as Doolittle. 

So between the original play and the 1964 musical--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life of George Bernard Shaw
• How the story has changed over the years
• The cast: Rex Harrison (Henry Higgins,) Audrey Hepburn (Eliza Doolittle,) Stanley Holloway (Alfred Doolittle,) Wilfrid Hyde-White (Colonel Hugh Pickering,) Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Higgins,) Jeremy Brett (Freddy Eynsford-Hill,) Theodore Bikel (Zoltan Karpathy,) Mona Washbourne (Mrs. Pearce,) Isabel Elsom (Mrs. Evynsford-Hill,) and John Holland (Butler.) 

Clips used:

• My Fair Lady trailer 
• Eliza learns elocution with marbles
• My Fair Lady overture
• “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” last scene

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “One Night in Miami” (2021)

The Kemp Powers Play Vs. the Regina King Movie

True story--on the night of Tuesday, February 25, 1964, four men who were (or will soon be) involved in the African American Civil Rights movement hung out together to celebrate one of the participant’s big wins--boxer Cassius Clay becoming the world heavyweight champion. 

The four men included Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke, and NFL superstar Jim Brown. Clay would become one of the most beloved athletes of the 20th Century as Muhammad Ali under the direct influence of Malcolm X (who was getting ready to leave the nation of Islam. Sam Cooke had a string of pop hits but wanted to create music that reflected the challenging times in the 60s. And Brown was tired of being revered as a football player but having reporters ignore his pleas for social justice. 

In 2013, writer Kemp Powers created a fictional account of the famous evening where these famous men talked about religion, politics, racism, women, and how they can make their mark on the world. He adapted the screenplay that is directed by Regina King. 

The film is playing now on Amazon prime and includes the fates of all the key players.  

So between the play & movie--which did we like better?  Have a listen to find out!

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The Civil Rights Movement in the early 60s
• The backstory of author Kemp Powers
• The cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir (Malcolm X,) Elie Goree (Cassius Clay,) Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown,) Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke,) Lance Reddick (Brother Kareem,) Christian Magby (Jamaal,) Joaquina Kaukango (Betty X,) Nicolette Robinson (Barbara Cooke,) Michael Imperioli (Angelo Dundee,) and Beau Bridges (Mr. Carlton.) 

Clips used:

• One Night in Maimi  trailer 
• The four main characters on the roof of the hotel
• Cassius Clay becomes Heavyweight World Champion
• Sam Cooke sings “Working on a Chain Gang”
• Music: Speak Now by Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “What’s Love Got to Do With It” (1993)

Tina Turner’s 1986 Autobiography “I, Tina” Vs the Angela Bassett Film

With Tina Turner finally being nominated for a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nomination as a solo artist--the Margos decided now was the time to take a look at her life story (up to the age of 46) with her 80s bestselling autobiography (co-written by Kurt Loder!) “I, Tina” and compare it with the hit 1993 film “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”

Anna Mae Bullock of Natbush, Tennessee began her life sticking out in her baptist choirs as a child and grew up to be one of the biggest stars in the world. From the moment she met Ike Turner--her life went on a trajectory of fame, struggle, acclaim, and abuse to reaching the Guinness World Book Of Records for the World’s Largest Playing Audience at 180,000. 

The movie based on “I, Tina,” was directed by Brian Gibson and stars Angela Bassett and Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner with the main focus on their marriage and career highlights. Both actors were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances and the film was a financial and critical success at the time. 

So between the autobiography & movie--which did we like better? 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The life story of Tina Turner
• How Hollywood changed the narrative to fit a more conventional telling of the rock biopic. 
• The cast: Angela Bassett (Tina Turner,)  Laurence Fishburne (Ike Turner,) Phyllis Yvonne Stickney (Alline Bullock,) Sherman Augustus (Reggie,) Vanessa Bell Calloway (Jackie,) Khandi Alexander (Darlene,) Penny Johnson Jerald (Lorraine Taylor,) and Rob LaBelle (Phil Spector.)

Clips used:

• What’s Love Got to Do With It  trailer 
• Tina escapes to another hotel
• “Rolling on the River”
• Music by Tina Turner

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “The Princess & The Frog” (2009)

The last traditionally made Disney animation film is the subject of this episode which explores New Orleans in the 1920s

The Margos are feeling like sipping some sweet tea and exploring one of America’s most sous cities for food, culture, music, and architecture---New Orleans.  

The Princess and the Frog originated with the Brother Grimm’s fairytale “The Frog Prince” (which we are not really discussing today) and “The Frog Princess” by E.D. Baker. Writers/directors Ron Clements and John Musker who previously worked on “The Great Mouse Detective” and “The Little Mermaid.” 

In this story, the action takes place in New Orleans in the 1920s but in the early 2000s there were very critical notes on how the city should be treated (this was just after Hurricane Katrina) and the lead character went from being a chambermaid to a woman looking to open her own restaurant. None of than Oprah Winfrey herself was hired as a consultant in 2007 and she voices the character of Tiana’s mother Eudora. 

Tiana is a hard worker who was raised by parents who taught her an excellent work ethic. She dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing a frog (who was a prince but a Cajun witch doctor put a spell on him)Tiana and her new frog friend Prince Naveen navigate the waters of the Bayou before true love prevails. 

The film was one of the first big release animated films that featured a largely African American cast and it made over $270 million worldwide. It was released the same year as Pixar’s “Up” so it did not win the big awards at the time but it still has its big fans. 

So between the original story & movie--which did we like better? 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The origins of The Princess Frog
• The changes Disney made to make Tiana a new kind of princess
• The cast: Anika Noni Rose (Tiana,) Bruno Campos (Prince Naveen,) Keith David (Dr. Facilier,) Micheal-Leon Wooley (Louis,) Jennifer Cody (Charlotte La Bouff,) Jim Cummings (Ray,) Oprah Winfrey (Eudora,) Terrence Howard (James,) and John Goodman (“Big Daddy La Bouff.”) 

Clips used:

• The Princess and the Frog  trailer 
• Prince Naveen meets Dr. Facilier
• Tiana meets the Prince as a frog
• Tiana and Charlotte as kids (with Elizabeth Dampier, Breanna Brooks, and Oprah!)
• Tiana confronts “the Shadowman”
• Music by Randy Newman “Down in New Orleans”

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “Jolene” (2019)

Dolly Parton’s 1973 Hit Song & the 2019 Adaptation from Netflix “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings”

The Margos have opened up our adaptations to include plays, novellas, magazine articles, and (for this particular episode) songs. Specifically Jolene by the amazing Dolly Parton. 

Dolly’s life has been an amazing journey from poverty in the mountains of Tennessee to her career as one of the most prolific singer/songwriters of the last 50+ years. Her music goes across several genres from country to rock to pop to gospel and she has written over 3,000 songs. 

Jolene holds a special distinction as one of her most-covered tunes and the story is based on a true story about the early years of her marriage to Carl Thomas Dean. 

Netflix took the concept and created the show Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings which had one episode devoted to the interpretation of Jolene with Julienne Hough playing the title character. 

So between the song & movie--which did we like better? (Is it even going to be close?)

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The incredible life story of Dolly Parton
• The various interpretations of Jolene over the last 50 years
• Our wish that we had TV movies like this when we were young
• The cast: Julianne Hough (Jolene,) Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Emily,) Dallas Roberts (Aaron,) Dolly Parton (Babe,) Braxton Bjerken (Jed,) Wynn Everett (Willa,) and Scott Reeves as Hugh. 

Clips used:

• Jolene  trailer 
• Dish Nation interview with Dolly
• Jolene introduces Babe to Emily
• Music by Pentatonix

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/ 

Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs Movie: “All the President’s Men” (1976)

The Margos search for 70's creeps, dogged reporting, and “Deep Throat”

“Follow the money.” The Watergate scandal of the early 1970s made headlines around the world as Richard Nixon and his loyal group of henchmen basically tried to intimidate their way into making Nixonian policies the law of the land (while breaking the law!) 

And they would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for those meddling Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who painstakingly investigated the Watergate hotel break-in for years. Under the leadership of publisher Katharine Graham and editor Ben Bradlee, Woodward and Bernstein helped expose the corruption of the Nixon administration and made newspapers look cool. 

“All the President’s Men” was published in 1974 and immediately became a bestseller and made stars out the Washington Post team. So, of course, Hollywood came calling with an adaptation directed by Alan J. Pakula and a screenplay by past Book Vs Movie subject William Goldman. 

Robert Redford’s production company “Wildwood Enterprises” helped bring together the team which includes himself play Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein. Jason Robards won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for playing Ben Bradlee. 

So between book & movie--which did we like better? Have a listen! 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

• The true story of Nixon’s crimes and why he almost got away with his multiple crimes
• The process of reporting and how much work went into it in a short period of time
• Who was “Deep Throat” and why didn’t anyone listen to Nora Ephron?
• The cast: Robert Redford (Woodward,) Dustin Hoffman (Carl Bernstein,) Jason Robards (Ben Bradlee,) Jack Warden (Harrey Rosenfeld,) Martin Balsam (Howard Simons,) Hal Holbrook (Deep Throat,) Jane Alexander (Bookkeeper,) and Ned Beatty (Dardis.) 

Clips used:

• All The President’s Men  trailer 
• Woodward and Bernstein decide who is the better writer
• Woodward and Berstein working on the story
• Deep Throat gives advice
• Ben Bradlee stands by the story
• Music by David Shire 

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/