The Catcher in the Rye
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Why hasn't there ever been a movie?
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Alice
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Nov 07, 2013 07:48AM
I didn't like this book but I know its considered a classic - how come it hasn't gone to the big screen?
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Because JD Salinger's estate forbids it.
"Finding Forrester" is in a spiritual way. It's about a boy who meets a reclusive author (who is supposed to kind of be JD Salinger). But it's not an adaptation of Catcher.
Alice wrote: "I didn't like this book but I know its considered a classic - how come it hasn't gone to the big screen?"As noted elsewhere, Salinger's estate forbids it. The book mentions how Holden, a stand-in for Salinger himself, has a strong distaste for the film industry. Salinger had a bad experience working with Hollywood that taught him a valuable lesson. For one thing, there's a lot of dishonesty. For another, a film can undermine the success and literary value of any good book.
A prime example is Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. None of the film versions has been true to the book, particularly in the case of Curley's wife. This perfectly drawn villanous woman was softened in the film and theater versions to increase sales by censoring a scene that could offend women and black Americans.
The climax scene where she calls Crooks "nigger" and threatens to have him lynched has never seen the big screen and probably not been depicted on stage.
History has adopted the softer film and stage versions of the story, and the book's reputation and sales have suffered.
On the other hand, an average book like Ordinary People can be made into an award-winning film.
then again, To Kill a Mockingbird was a great movie (of a not so great book in my view)
Sandyboy wrote: "then again, To Kill a Mockingbird was a great movie (of a not so great book in my view)"Yes, TKM was an okay book whose timing was right.
The film version shifted the focus from Scout onto Atticus and history was made with Gregory Peck's most noted and unforgettable performance. While the book was banned throughout the South, the story was getting told by the film.
Believe it or not, but Bob Dylan was once considered for the role of Holden Caulfield. I hope Catcher is never made into a movie -- it simply won't translate.
It wouldn't make a good film.. boy wanders around... picks up a phone.. puts it down again.. visits someone .. the end.
I'm kind of glad this book won't become a movie. I have a perfectly good image of Holden in my mind and that's how I like him, and if it were a movie everyone would think of him as that actor.
This is a book that's settings, characters etc need to stay within our imagination to make it that much more special.
This is a book that's settings, characters etc need to stay within our imagination to make it that much more special.
Harold wrote: "Believe it or not, but Bob Dylan was once considered for the role of Holden Caulfield. I hope Catcher is never made into a movie -- it simply won't translate."
Me too.
Me too.
Because Salinger was a smart man.
Rebecca wrote: "It wouldn't make a good film.. boy wanders around... picks up a phone.. puts it down again.. visits someone .. the end."You're right of course, but oversimplifying it for humors sake. How Holden's thoughts and feelings are described is what makes the book special. And that would make for a boring movie.
ye it would be rubbish
Fulcilives wrote: "Because Salinger was a smart man."
That he was.
That he was.
Igby Goes Down anyone? It's sort of like Catcher in the Rye, obviously not as good though.
Kevin wrote: "Unfilmable novel. ...The real story is found in his language - not so much what he says as how he says it, and what he doesn't say, and how he avoids saying it."Agreed. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for explaining
Rebecca wrote: "It wouldn't make a good film.. boy wanders around... picks up a phone.. puts it down again.. visits someone .. the end."Hahaha, yep.
^ you realise that isn't a legit trailer?
Even if there was a movie, which i hope there NEVER will be, they'd have to make it perfect to do the author justice.
I mean they'd have to cast Holden perfectly and that guy in the trailer... No. Sorry. Part of me would love to see my favourite book up on the big screen, but mostly I would love for just one book of mine NOT to be turned into a movie. I just don't think this book would make a good movie.
I mean they'd have to cast Holden perfectly and that guy in the trailer... No. Sorry. Part of me would love to see my favourite book up on the big screen, but mostly I would love for just one book of mine NOT to be turned into a movie. I just don't think this book would make a good movie.
I recently saw the documentary on J.D. Salinger and apparently one of his early short stories was made into a movie and they bastardized it so much (in his eyes) that he vowed never to sell rights to Hollywood again--but people have certainly tried to get him to sell the rights.
Salinger was smart then. Even the best movies are rarely as good as great books...
Nobody is allowed the rights, in case it falls into the hands of phonies.
Gemma wrote: "Nobody is allowed the rights, in case it falls into the hands of phonies."
ROFL!
ROFL!
Trouble is, everyone would want to play Holden, but almost no one could do it right. DeCaprio? Depp? Joseph Gordon Leavitt?
Gemma wrote: "Nobody is allowed the rights, in case it falls into the hands of phonies."Good one. And true.
It would be difficult to capture Holden's personality on Screen because so much of it is internal
Making this book into a film would be a disaster. When people read The Catcher in the Rye, they see their own thoughts and feelings mirrored back at them. To rip that essence out of the book and try to produce the same effect on screen would be impossible. Too much of the book takes place in Holden's mind.As a side note, J.D. Salinger didn't hate movies or actors/actresses as Holden claims to. He was a big fan of movies and admired the people in them. What he hated was people messing with his work, in any way. He had actually stated that the only person who could play the role of Holden would be himself. SO glad this movie will never be made!
Holden didn't hate the movies either. It was his pose to deflect that DB had abandoned him to prostitute himself to Hollywood. For a kid who hated the movies, he sure knew a lot about them--including imitating them, by pretending to be shot in his hotel room, etc..remember that scene?This is the reason it would be hard to make the movie. Capturing all those facets. I'd like to think that in the hands off a great artist, a film director, it could be done. More things in heaven and earth then are dreamt in your philosophies, book-lovers.
Looking forward to reading the three unpublished stories. Thanks interenet
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