Thirteen Movies From Books That I Love

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Not every movie made from a book is awful. Oh, a lot of them are. But these are some that I love.

1. Pride and Prejudice
Though there are several versions of Jane Austen’s classic, the one with Colin Firth is the best one IMHO.

2. Persuasion
There are a few versions of this one too, but the best is with Amanda Root.

3. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
This was a wonderful version of this book. It’s a classic, so difficult to do because some of us are VERY particular about how they’re dealt with. Though the 2005 version does change the story a bit, it’s a fabulous rendition of C.S. Lewis’s book.

4. Dune
I was extremely disappointed in the 1984 version of this book and wondered if the 2000 version on the Science Fiction channel would be as bad. It wasn’t. “Dune” and the subsequent sequel “Children of Dune” (which includes the book “Dune Messiah”) were fantastic. Though they also took story liberties (Irulan and Paul Muad’Dib meet on Arrakis before the final battle in the movie. In the book, Irulan and Paul do not meet until the end.) this is a better rendition (in my opinion) of the book than the other version. Which is weird since Frank Herbert helped with the 1984 version. Is it possible that a book or series takes on a life of its own beyond the author?

5. The Lord Of The Rings
This is another series that makes me wonder if a book takes on a life of its own. Fran Walsh is a brilliant writer, who takes the concepts of J.R. Tolkien and brings them to life. Though the books are vastly different, the movies are a fabulous testament to the agony of war and the darkness of the human soul that Tolkien themed in his books. I love the movies. And never got into the books. Isn’t that odd?

6. The Taming Of The Shew
This is a difficult one. The version I’ve linked to is one I saw a million years ago on PBS with Meryl Streep as the shrew. It was fabulous. But that version is nowhere to be found except as a notation on Streep’s list of credit. Too bad. No other version has worked for me. (I HATE Elizabeth Taylor as the shrew. Just sayin’). The most recent offering “Ten Things I Hate About You” has settled in as my favorite. Love it.

7. The Shop Around The Corner This was a play by Miklos Laszlo (which is difficult to find translated into English) so technically not a book but it’s been redone on stage and in Hollywood several different ways. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan’s version is my favorite. But I enjoy them all. “In The Good Old Summer Time” with Van Johnson and Judy Garland and “You’ve Got Mail” with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are wonderful, unique versions of this story.

8. Much Ado About Nothing
When I first saw this had been put on the screen, I rolled my eyes. This was a work of Shakespeare that missed me entirely. Yet with the the brilliance of Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, I was sold. With a little Denzil eye candy, it’s a must see.

9. Nanny McPhee
This one is a movie that drove me to the books. Christianna Brand was unknown to me until Emma Thompson wrote a screen play based on the book “Nurse Matilda”.

10. The Murder At The Vicarage
I am an Agatha Christie/Ngaio Marsh snob. I like the adaptations to show the book in an acceptable way. Miss Marple has been played by a myriad of actresses (Angela Landsbury was one of them) but no one beats Joan Hickson. Now deceased, she was the BEST Miss Marple EVER. And I’m picky. As someone who has an entire bookshelf devoted to Agatha Christie, this is the one series (with screenwriter T.R. Bowen) that does the books justice.

11. Sherlock Holmes
Though not as much of a fan of Sherlock as Steve Hockensmith, I am particular about how Holmes is depicted on the screen. Basil Rathbone did a credible job, though his Watson was a bumbling ass which is not quite what the book Watson was. But Jeremy Britt’s Sherlock was BRILLIANT and my favorite.

12. Emma
In 1996, two versions of Jane Austen’s “Emma” finished production. One screenplay written by Douglas McGrath and starring Gwenyth Paltrow and the other by Andrew Davies and starring Kate Beckinsale.
Davies’ version wins hands down. Beckinsale’s depiction of Emma Woodhouse is infinitely classier than Paltrow’s. Also, I have to admit that I love, love, love, “Clueless” with Alicia Silverstone. Most people don’t see the connection to Jane Austen’s classic, but I do.

13. Life With Father
I love Clarence Day’s books “Life With Father”, “Life with Mother”, and “God and My Father” which I have in a three volume set. This version with William Powell is very well done and, I think, captures Day’s ironic humor perfectly. Day is not to everyone’s taste. The Redneck read the book and hated it because Day’s father is such an asshole. But for his time, Clarence Day Sr. was pretty commonplace. To the modern eye, this seems to be a story of familial dysfunction. But to Clarence Day Jr.’s generation, it was a depiction of a life fading away.

There’s my list. What’s on yours?

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Tags: Agatha Christie, C.S. Lewis, Clarence Day, Dune Series, Frank Herbert, Jane Austen, Movies from Books, Nanny McPhee, Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Lord of the Rings, The Shop Around The Corner