It is generally agreed that motion picture adaptations of books rarely exceed the quality and entertainment value of the novels. But there have been plenty of exceptions to the rule. It is not an insult to the author, but perhaps to the talent of the filmmakers who successfully brought the writer’s words to the silver screen. Although there are plenty of film adaptations that were better than the books themselves, here are a few that stand out.
Purple Noon
Patricia Highsmith’s intense psychological thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley, will go down as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. The sequels were bland affairs, but Highsmith’s initial 1955 crime story is an incredible read.
When people think of adaptations, they will remember the passable 1999 movie of the same name, starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law. But there was a French film made in 1960 titled Purple Noon, which, surprisingly, was better than both the book and 1999 picture. Perhaps it was Alain Delon’s astonishing performance as a sociopathic murder, or maybe it was the filmmakers abandoning the homoerotic tendencies of Highsmith’s literary masterpiece.
Either way, Purple Noon is in the top ten list of best French movies produced in the 1960s – or ever.
The Big Sleep
Let’s get this out of the way: Raymond Chandler was a master author in the 20th century who completely transformed the crime noir genre. Moreover, The Big Sleep and the short stories in the Black Mask publication that inspired the book are master classes in how to write a story. It would be challenging to top anything Chandler wrote. But here we are: the 1946 Warner Bros. classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
It is unfathomable how amazing the film is, but that is what happens when you combine the screen presence of Bogart and the direction of legendary filmmaker Howard Hawks. Every book or story penned by Chandler was fantastic, but the ‘46 adaptation is on an entirely another level.
Would the same be said if it were not for Bogart and Hawks? Well, the 1978 remake featuring the renowned Robert Mitchum was dreadful, so who knows?
The Thin Man
Like Chandler, Dashiell Hammett was another one-of-a-kind author who utilized his experience as a private detective for his stories. When you open Hammett’s books, you cannot put them down, whether it is The Maltese Falcon or his collection of short stories. The Thin Man is another novel and film that are some of the most entertaining experiences you will ever have. Akin to The Big Sleep, the film adaptation is dominated by the whimsical pairing of William Powell and Myrna Loy. W.S. Van Dyke’s picture was achieved in only two weeks on a slim budget, but somehow the team pulled it off and completed one of the 1930s’ best pictures. The five sequels were disappointing, but the original 1934 movie stands alone on its merits, surpassing the enjoyment of the novel on which it is based.
One viewing will make you want to grab the nearest martini, encounter idiosyncratic folks, and solve a murder.
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Read more from Andrew Moran.
