Avsnitt
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Book Vs. Movie: The Boys in the Band
The 1968 Play Vs. the 1970 & the 2020 Films
The Margos love the celebrate Pride Month and in the past, we have covered Fried Green Tomatoes, Love, Simon, and Call Me by Your Name among other titles. This time are covering a play that made a splash when it premiered off-Broadway in April 1968. The Mart Crowley story, The Boys in the Band, revolved around several gay men as they navigate life pre-Stonewall New York City. It went on to play over 1000 performances (always off-Broadway because that is how Edward Albee wanted it) and was first adapted into a film directed by William Friedkin.
Friedkin, who needed a hit at the time, hired the entire cast for the film and created a work that is remembered for being a milestone in queer cinema. Set in an apartment in Manhattan, a group of homosexual men gathers ostensibly to celebrate the birthday of one of their friends. Instead, the event becomes a tightly wound confrontation between the haves and have-nots. The beautiful and those that live a lie. It’s at times off-putting, verbose, profane, funny, and sad. The original (1970) cast lost many members to AIDS in the 80s & 90s which adds to the melancholy of a current viewing.
The 2020 Netflix version features an all-openly gay cast including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, and Charlie Carver who play the same characters set in 1968 but with an updated script by Crowley and Ned Martel. It’s produced by Ryan Murphy, Martel, and director Joe Mantello.
Between the original play and the 2020 adaptation--which did we like more?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The interesting life of writer Mart Crowley
Life in the homosexual community in 1968
The 1970 cast: Kenneth Nelson (Michael,) Leonard Frey (Harold,) Cliff Gorman (Emory,) Laurence Luckinbill (Hank,) Frederick Combs (Donald,) Keith Prentice (Larry,) Robert la Tourneaux (Cowboy Tex,) Reuben Greene (Bernard,) Peter White (Alan,) and Maud Adams as a model.
The 2020 cast: Jim Parsons (Michael,) Zachary Quinto (Harold,) Matt Bomer (Donald,) Andrew Rannells (Larry,) Charlie Carvery (Cowboy,) Robin de Jesus (Emory,) Brian Hutchinson (Alan,) Michael Benjamin Washington (Bernard,) and Tuc Watkins as Hank.
Clips used:
“Harold” arrives (1970)
The Boys in the Band trailer
Harold confronts Michael
Tuc calls Larry
Donald and Michael at the end
Music by Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Spy Who Loved Me
The 1962 Novel Vs the 1977 James Bond Film
The Margos love a good spy novel and James Bond usually makes for a fun, exciting read. We found out that this novel, The Spy Who Loved Me, written very quickly by Ian Fleming at his estate “Goldeneye” in January & February of 1961 turned out to be in the words of his biographer Andrew Lycett, his “most sleazy and most violent story ever.” It was so bad that Fleming received the worst reviews of his career and he tried to eradicate it from his list of work.
The story is at first told in the first person by the character Vivian Michel, a woman who has it ROUGH in this story until James Bond comes to save her. We will get into the tawdry details in the show and then gladly move on to the 1977 film adaptation starring Roger Moore as our Bond. Much of the book was left out of the screenplay and the character of “Jaws” was an evil highlight. The theme song by Carly Simon was written by Marvin Hamlish and Carol Bayer Sager.
So between the two, which did we like more? The novel or the movie? (Big hint--not even close here!)
This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti
“Zanetti is a master of romantic suspense.” –Kirkus Reviews
Run: Gemma Falls never expected to use her game theory expertise to outrun a killer. But for years, that skill is all that kept her one step ahead of a deadly stalker. When Gemma gets the chance to teach at D.C. University, she hopes she and her young daughter have found a safe harbor. The only flaw is the arrogant philosophy professor who’s always underfoot giving unwanted advice—in his sexy British accent . . .
Hide: Jethro Hanson has blood on his hands. He’s working within ivy-covered university halls now, but he knows that his work with the Deep Ops team and the deadly acts he once committed for the sake of Queen and country place him beyond forgiveness—until he meets Gemma . . .
Seek: Soon, the passion between them stuns them both. But when Jethro discovers a threat is fast overtaking her, he must choose between the redemption he seeks—and releasing the ever-present killer inside . . .
Rebecca Zanetti has published over 50 books and has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Woman’s World, and Woman’s Day magazines.
She has ridden in a locked Chevy truck, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to unlock her handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mines to hide a human body! You can find her at www.RebeccaZanetti.com & on social media @RebecaaZanetti.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The extraordinary life of Ian Fleming
The history of James Bond films
The biggest differences between the book and the movie
Carly Simon’s amazing theme song
The cast: Roger Moore (James Bond/007,) Barbara Bach (Anya Amasova/XXX,) Curt Jurgens (Karl Stromberg,) Richard Kiel (Jaws,) Caroline Munro (Namoi,) Geoffrey Keen (Sir Frederick Gray,) Edward de Souza (Shiekh Hosein,) George Baker (Captain Benson,) Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny,) Walter Gotell (General Gogol,) Vernon Dobtcheff as Max Kalba,) Desmond Llewelyn (Q,) and Bernard Lee as M.
Clips used:
Introduction of James Bond
The Spy Who Loved Me trailer
Bond fights with Jaws
007 and XXX in the submarine scene
Stromberg reveals his plans
Bond kills Stromberg
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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Book Vs. Movie: Gaslight
The 1938 Play Vs the 1944 Film
The expression “to gaslight” a person means to question their sanity to the point they lose control of themselves. It came into fashion in the 1940s with the 1944 George Cukor film starring Charles Boyer and is now recognized as a form of abuse. The tale of a manipulative husband trying to steal from his wife started as a play titled Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton in 1938.
Hamilton, who also wrote Rope and Hangover Square, was dealing with his mother’s suicide and his own disabilities and disfigurement from being run over by a drunk driver when he wrote this tale in an 1880s setting in London. Jack Manningham is married to Bella and he is so controlling and obnoxious, that he flirts with the staff in front of her. Bella is convinced she is “hearing things” but Jack tells her it is in her imagination. He also disappears for hours at a time but will not tell her where or why he leaves.
A detective (Rough) meets Bella and tells her that Jack is, in fact, a murderer and is looking for jewels in an apartment connected to her building. When the “gas lights” flicker, he is searching for the loot but tells Bella later they never went on or off in the first place. She later helps him catch her husband in the act and sends him off to the police. The show moved from London to Los Angeles to New York in 1941 starring Vincent Price and Judith Evelyn with a new title--Angel Street. The show ran for over 1200 performances and was a huge hit.
There was a 1940 English adaptation called Gaslight but in this episode, we focus on the more famous version which stars Boyer and Ingrid Bergman. The film was loved by critics and fans with a Best Actress Academy Award going to Bergman. The characters' names have changed but the plat remains the same and for many years “gaslighting” was a popular expression.
So between the two, which did we like more? The play or the movie?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The stage version and how it became a huge success.
The life story of Patrick Hamilton
The different filmed versions
The cast: Charles Boyer (Gregory Anton/Sergis Bauer), Ingrid Bergman (Paula), Joseph Cotton (Brian Cameron), Dame Mae Witty (Miss Bessie), and Angela Lansbury as Nancy Oliver.
Clips used:
Gregory angry at Paula
Gaslight 1944 trailer
Paula & Gregory/Miss Bessie on the train
Gregory flirting with Nancy
Joseph Cotton talks sense into Paula
Paula’s revenge
Music by Bronislaw Kaper
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Seven Year Itch
The George Axelrod 1952 Play Vs. the 1955 Billy Wilder Film
When the coronavirus pandemic began, the Margos decided to expand on the very idea of a “book” to movie adaptation to cover weekly. The timing of putting our four episodes a month means we can’t always cover anything longer than 200 pages. This is why we have also talked about magazine articles, songs, and plays on this show. This episode is devoted to The Seven Year Itch which started on Broadway in 1952 with Tom Ewell and Vanessa Brown and was written by George Axelrod (who later adapted Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Manchurian Candidate which we have discussed on this show before.)
The story of a married man, Richard Sherman played by Ewell, whose family spends the summer in Maine while he sweats it out in their Gramercy Park apartment. (And I thought I had problems!) While learning about extramarital affairs from a book he is publishing, he soon begins a friendly relationship with a new neighbor. THE GIRL is never given a name and she is vexing him with her beauty. In the play (spoiler!), they have a brief romantic encounter which leaves him feeling guilty and heading up to Maine and back to his wife.
The show features dream sequences and we actually hear Richard’s inner dialog the whole time. Supposedly Ewell worked to change the quirky behavior with each performance (he would go on to win a TONY for best dramatic actor) and at 1,141 performances--it was the longest-running nonmusical play of the 1950s on Broadway.
Ewell was pleasantly surprised to be asked to lead in the film adaptation by Billy Wilder. Years later, Wilder would complain that the current Hays Codes ruined the story by not allowing Richard to actually have an affair with THE GIRL (played by a shimmering Marilyn Monroe.) The movie is special for many reasons: Marilyn and the “white dress” moment is a classic, and the original Pennsylvania Station is featured before its horrible destruction in 1963 (a blight on NYC) to name just two things.
It’s impossible to talk about Monroe without talking about her chaotic private life which always seemed to create havoc on movie sets. Her husband Joe DiMaggio was NOT happy about the world watching his wife getting her dress blown by a wind machine. Monroe’s battle with anxiety and depression caused her to be late to set. Her legendary ability to forget her lines caused major delays to the film which caused the budget to go to $1.8 million. The movie was a hit and made money but her reputation for being a problem followed her for the rest of her career.
So between the two, which did we like more? The play or the movie?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The stage version and how it became a huge success.
Marilyn Monroe’s life and career in the 1950s.
Changes to the film that critics and Wilder disliked
The cast: Tom Ewell (Richard Sherman,) Marilyn Monroe (The Girl,) Evelyn Keyes (Helen Sherman,) Sonny Tufts (Tom MacKenzie,) Victor Moore (plumber,) Oscar Homolka (Dr. Brubaker,) Marguerite Chapman (Miss Morris,) and Carolyn Jones as Nurse Finch.
Clips used:
Subway grate scene
The Seven Year Itch 1955 trailer
Meet the new neighbor
Champagne scene
The piano scene
“My wife never gets jealous…”
Music by Alfred Newman
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan’s 1989 Novel Vs the 1993 Wayne Wang Film
To finish out AAPI month the Margos talk about Amy Tan and her debut novel The Joy Luck Club which became a sensation when it was released in the late 1980s. The Oakland, California native was raised by Chinese immigrant parents who instilled a strong ethic in her and wanted her to take advantage of being an American while remaining Chinese in her heart and actions. Tan found this very tough, especially after her father & brother died and she wound up in Switzerland at the age of 15.
We talk about Tan’s teenage years and her strained relationship with her mother which later became fodder for her first novel. In 1989 the hardcover book sold over 275, 000 copies, and the paperback rights went for $1.2 million. It was just a matter of time to get the book adapted into a film.
The Joy Luck Club is the story of four immigrant families who are all based in San Francisco with the daughters struggling to emotionally connect with their strict mothers. The women are complex and have many secrets between them that go all the way back to their time in China. Each has a story about why they wanted to come to America and how challenging it is to raise a child in a new culture while retaining your principles and values.
The film was directed by Wayne Wang who hired the best Asian actors in the business to play the Chinese American cast. The film was highly successful but it was still decades before an all Asain cast had a hit film in America (Crazy Rich Asians.) There were several differences between the novel which had eight different stories to tell and the movie which has just over an hour and 30 minutes run time.
So between the two, which did we like more? The book or the movie?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Amy Tan’s background and the inspiration for her book
The different women in China and San Francisco and how they all relate to each other
The changes between the novel and the 1993 movie
The cast: Rosalind Chao (Rose,) Lauren Tom (Lena,) Tamlyn Tomita (Waverly,) Ming-Na Wen (June,) Tsai Chin (Lindo,) Kieu Chinh (Suyann,) Lisa Lu (An-Mei,) France Nuyen (Ying-Ying,) Andrew McCarthy (Ted,) Christopher Rich (Rich,) Michael Paul Chan (Harold,) and Russell Wong (Lin Xiao.)
Clips used:
Rose confronts Ted
The Joy Luck Club 1993 Trailer
Rich screws up dinner
Lena and Harold argue
Ted and his mother argue
June and her mother unite
Music by Rachel Portman
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: Mulan
The AD 6th Century Poem Vs. the 2020 Disney Live-Action Film
The Margos are celebrating AAPI month and we are very excited about the heroine from the poem Ode to Mulan who was either a real-life Calvary soldier or not. Her bravery (fighting against “nomadic hordes”) in replacing her father in battle by disguising herself as a boy has been told since the 6th Century AD.
First transcribed in the Musical Records of Old and New, during the Southern Chen dynasty (according to Wikipedia!) it was first adapted as a play in 1593 and subsequent versions used different names for the lead character. The family name is Hua which means flower and Mulan stands for “Magnolia” in Chinese.
The Ballad of Mulan takes place in Northern China with Mulan’s father being asked to fight off the nomadic Rourans. However, he is too old for battle and her brother is too young--so she goes to fight instead. She fights for ten years and is then asked what reward she would like for her efforts. She asks to go home and return to her former life. In the end, she claims women and men fighting next to each other should not be an anomaly.
There have been several films and operas based on the story of Mulan and in this episode, we discuss the 2020 live-action version directed by Niki Caro and starring Yifei Liu, Jet Li, and Gong Li.
This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and Unstable by Alexandra Ivy.
The third in a small town thriller series, which emphasizes the creepiness of small towns that hide a lot of secrets!
In New York Times, bestselling author Alexandra Ivy’s third bone-chilling romantic thriller set in Pike, Wisconsin, a small town with more secrets than residents, a cold case expert and her sheriff ex-husband reunite to solve a cold case when footage of a bound a gagged girl is discovered on a mysterious old VHS tape.
Alexandra Ivy is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romantic suspense, paranormal, and erotic romance. You can find her online at AlexandraIvy.com and on social media on Twitter at @AlexandraIvy.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The background of the poem
Women “passing” for men in art and storytelling
Disney’s changes to the script and the importance of the cast
The cast: Yifei Liu (Mulan,) Donnie Yen (Commander Tung,) Gong Li (Xianniang,) Jason Scott Lee (Bori Kahn,) Jet Li (the Emperor of China,) Yoson An (Chen Honghui,) and Rosalind Chao as Hua Li.
Clips used:
Mulan bathing in the lake scene
Mulan 2020 trailer
Mulan revelation scene
Ballad of Mulan by By the Book (YouTube)
Mulan Vs Xiannaing
Music by Harry Gregson Williams
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: Raise the Red Lantern
Su Tong’s 1990 Novel Vs. the 1991 Zhang Yimpou’s 1991 Film
The Margos are celebrating AAPI month with a look at the author Su Tong and his work which has earned him millions of fans all over the world with his writing. His 1990 novel Wives and Concubines won great praise and was adapted into the 1991film Raise the Red Lantern by writer Ni Zhen and directed by Zhang Yimou.
The story takes place in China in the 1930s where 19-year-old Lotus needs to become a concubine for a married man (his fourth mistress) when her father loses his fortune and dies by suicide. Old Master Chen Zuoqian is 50 years old and is “afraid of women” which makes babymaking with him a challenge for Lotus. She also has three other wives who hate her to contend with. There is also who 20-something son Feipu who knows how to play the flute. Gradually she loses her mind and we are left wondering if she ever winds up in the “haunted well.”
The novella is translated by Michael S. Duke who brings the story to life as we dive right into the story and feel compassion for Lotus while questioning the motive of her Master.
The 1991 film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film and is a visual and musical delight. The setting is placed in the 1920s with the role of the Master set in the margins. We never see him and just hear his voice. The center of this tale is on the women and how they fight for supremacy and agency. It won the Silver Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival in September 1991.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The author’s background and the controversy surrounding the sexuality of this novella
The work of director Zhang Yimou
The setting of the story (the 1920s Vs the 1930s)
The cast: Gong Li (Songlian,) Ha Saifei (Meishan,) Cao Cuifen (Ahuoyun,) Ma Jingwu (Master Chen,) and Kong Lin (Yan’er).
Clips used:
Raise the Red Lantern trailer
The Third Mistress, Meishan, sings opera
Siskel and Ebert review the film in 1992
Gong Li loses her sense of self
Music by Zhao Jiping
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Postman Always Rings Twice
The James M. Cain 1934 Novel Vs. the 1946 Lana Turner Classic Film
The Margos are feeling like a couple of femme fatales after reading the 1934 James M. Cain novel and watching the 1946 film The Postman Always Rings Twice for Book Vs Movie. We put on our white turbans and try to decide which is better in this film noir-loving episode.
We covered Cain in our past episodes for Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity and consider ourselves to be Cain fans! In this novel, Frank Chambers is a drifter who finds work in a California burger joint. The owner, Nick Papadakis (The Greek), is married to a beautiful, younger woman named Cora. Frank and Cora have a steamy affair with sex scenes and themes of violence causing it to be “banned in Boston.”
It was also a smash hit that began Cain’s literary career. There are those that say the plot resembles Emile Zola’s novel Therese Raquin which neither one of the Margos has read.
There are a few adaptations to pick from for this work but we prefer the 1946 Lana Turner & John Garfield version which is plenty sexy and is considered a classic for several legitimate reasons. First of all, Turner is at her hottest and leaves us breathless from her all-white wardrobe to her sly smile. Garfield (who would sadly pass away of a heart condition when he was just 39) is a sweaty mess of a man who looks like he would kill for this woman.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The original novel and why it was “banned in Boston”
The controversy surrounding this and the 1981 film
Key differences between the book and the movie
The cast: Lana Turner (Cora Smith,) John Garfield (Frank Chambers,) Cecil Kellaway (Nick Smith,) Hume Cronyn (Arthur Keats,)Leon Ames (Kyle Sackett,) Audrey Totter (Madge,) and Alan Reed as Ezra Liam Kennedy.
Clips used:
Cora meets Frank
The Postman Always Rings Twice trailer
Cora calls for an ambulance
Frank kills Nick
Lana Turner & Phil Donahue hate the 1981 update
The 1981 trailer
Music George Bassman and Erich Zeisl
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: Austenland
The 2007 Hale Book Vs the 2013 Keri Russell Movie
The Margos are feeling romantic in this episode that is about all things Jane Austen and Mr. Darcy. The 2007 novel Austenland by Shannon Hale tells the story of an early 30-something woman named Jane Hayes who dreams of living life as if it were Pride & Prejudice everyday. When a wealthy Aunt leaves her a trip to “Austenland” in England--she believes she will find her own Colin Firth there.
Austenland is a place in England where Jane Austen fans can live the life of the Regency era filled with period-appropriate clothes, lavish meals, and chances to partner in an old-fashioned way. Jane takes on the name “Miss Jane Erstwhile” and meets two potential suitors: Martin and Mr. Nobley. Whom will she choose as her “Mr. Darcy?”
The movie is written and directed by Jerusha Hess and has Keri Russell as our lead, Jane. It also has Jennifer Coolidge and Bret McKenzie which maybe saves the whole thing. Or does it?
So, between the original story and the 2013 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The “Mr. Darcy” love is real!
The soundtrack for the movie
Key differences between the book and the movie
The cast: Keri Russell (Jane,) Jennifer Coolidge (Elizabeth Charming,) Bret McKenzie (Martin,) JJ Field (Mr. Nobley,) Jane Seymour (Mrs. Wattlesbrook,) Georgia King (Lady Amelia Heartwright,) and James Callis as Colonel Andrews
Clips used:
Jane plays the piano
Austenland trailer
Jane in the rain with Nobley
The ladies read
Jennifer Coolidge's “creepy tower” scene
The last scene with Jane and Nobley
Music Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: MASH
The Richard Hooker book Vs the Robert Altman Film (with some of the long-running TV series mixed in)
MASH was one of the most popular and iconic television shows of the 70s and 80s (the reruns are still happening all over the globe!). Richard Hooker(nee Hiester Richard Hornberger) based the 1968 novel on his experiences in the Korean War as a surgeon. The novel filled with crazy antics, drinking, and a satire of the U.S. Army fit well in a time when the Viet Nam War was dividing America.
Characters like Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John, and Hot Lips Houlihan will sound familiar to fans of the series (though they behave differently.) You also meet “the Painless Pole,” Ho-Jon, and Duke Forrest in a series of vignettes that make up the novel. It’s hard NOT to picture adapting this book as you read it.
Robert Altman directed the 1970 film and it is a very different beast than what was broadcast on television. Starring Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, the film is profane, chaotic, modern-looking, and has some very problematic things attached to it.
So, between the original story and the 1970 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The popularity of MASH around the world
How the Viet Nam War is a stand-in for the Korean War
The differences between the book and the movie and how much the author hated it
The cast: Donald Sutherland (Hawkeye Pierce,) Elliott Gould (Trapper,) Tom Skerrit (Duke Forrest,) Sally Kellerman (Margaret Houlihan,) Robert Duvall (Frank Burns,) Roger Bowen (Henry Blake,) Rene Auberjonois (Father Mulcahy,) Jo Ann Pflug (Dish,) John Schuck (The Painless Pole,) and Gary Burghoff as Radar O’Reilly.
Clips used:
The “Last Supper” scene
MASH trailer
Hot Lips gets angry and is mocked
Frank Burns is teased
Music by Johnny Mandell & Mike Altman
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: How to Make An American Quilt
Whitney Otto’s Debut Novel Vs the Winona Ryder Movie
The 90s were an incredible time for what became known as “Chick Lit”--or just books that featured women writers and characters. Whitney Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt told the multilayered story of generations of women who are in a quilting group in Grasse, California. Our main protagonist Finn is a graduate student who is engaged to her longtime boyfriend but is experiencing cold feet.
The book is a mixture of quilting instructions and the life story of several characters with the many ups and downs of their interpersonal relationships. Everything is discussed from cheating spouses, interracial dating, the ennui of motherhood, and having a parent that disapproves of your life choices.
The film is a tour de force of incredible actors from Winona Ryder to Ellen Burstyn to Alfre Woodard. It’s sweet, warm, and sexy. It had women behind the scenes and made four times the budget. Yet Hollywood still doesn't produce more of them. Because…show business is sexist.
So, between the original story and the 1995 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The popularity of the novel
Stories about women protagonists and why women are attracted to them
The differences between the book and the movie
The cast: Winona Ryder (Finn Dodd,) Anne Bancroft (Glady Joe,) Ellen Burstyn (Hy,) Lois Smith (Sophia Darling older,) Samantha Mathis (young Sophia,) Jean Simmons (Em,) Joanna Going (young Em,) Kate Nelligan (Constance,) Alfred Woodard (Marianne,) Maya Angelou (Anna Neale,) Kate Capshaw (Sally Dodd,) Loren Dean (Preston,) Dermot Mulroney (Sam,) Rip Torn (Arthur Cleary,) and Johnathan Schaech as Leon.
Clips used:
Finn meets Leon
How to Make an American Quilt trailer
Anna Neale’s story
Glady and Hy argue about Rip Torn
Music by Thoman Newman
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Book Vs. Movie: The Insider
Marie Brenner’s Vanity Fair Article Vs the Michael Mann Film
The American news program 60 Minutes has long been considered one of the most trusted news outlets in the media. In the mid-1990s their reputation took a hit when they were accused of joining in the silencing of whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand who worked in the tobacco industry and accused his company, Brown & Williamson, of sneaking addictive chemicals into their cigarettes.
The Man Who Knew Too Much by Marie Brenner appeared in Vanity Fair in 1996 where she followed Wigand as he dealt with lawyers wanting him to give testimony against Brown & Williamson and his former employer invoking a nondisclosure agreement threatening his financial stability. Wigand felt pressure to do the right thing but did not feel supported until he met 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman. A supremely talented journalist with multiple Emmys to his credit, Bergman, and reporter Mike Wallace thought his testimony was an important story to cover.
Wigand claimed while waiting for trial, his former employers were harassing him and he went so far as to go to the FBI with allegations but he was labeled an unstable troublemaker and therefore, unreliable. His marriage fell apart and his paranoia increased when death threats were involved. He trusted 60 Minutes would clear his name but CBS President of News, Eric Ober (named Eric Kluster in the movie) decided not to broadcast Wigand’s interview as they could be sued by Brown & Willamson.
Michael Mann’s film deals with the blowback from Bergman and the media at large for what was seen as a cowardly move to protect CBS's upcoming sale to Westinghouse. In the movie, Russell Crowe plays Wigand (playing 20 years older than he was at the time) and Al Pacino as Bergman and The Insider would be a crucial favorite and earned several Academy Award nominations. Alas, it was the same year that American Beauty was nominated for multiple awards for some mind-boggling reason.
So, between the original story and the 1999 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Marie Brenner’s writing career
The tobacco industry in America and the lawsuits of the 1990s & 2000s
The differences between the real-life characters and the film
The cast: Al Pacino (Lowell Bergman,) Russell Crowe (Dr. Jeffrey Wigand,) Christopher Plummer (Mike Wallace,) Diane Venora (Liane Wigand,) Philp Baker Hall (Don Hewitt,) Lindsay Crouse (Sharon Tiller,) Debi Mazar (Debbie De Luca,) Stephen Tobolowsky (Eric Kluster,) Colm Feore (Richard Scruggs,) Bruce McGill (Ron Motley,) Gina Gershon as Helen Caparelli.
Clips used:
60 Minutes edited segment
The Insider trailer
CBS decides to edit the segment
Bruce McGill as the Mississippi lawyer
Jeffrey calls Lowell
Lowell resigns
Music by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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: "Hustlers"
The 2015 New York magazine article Vs. the 2019 Jennifer Lopez Film
The Margos decided to go back to the magazine mill to find a racy true story from writer Jessica Pressler about a group of Scores strippers who drugged and bilked their clients of thousands of dollars. The Hustlers at Scores came out in New York Magazine in December 2015 and became so notorious, Pressler was nominated for a National Magazine Award and the rights to the story were sold to Will Farrell’s production company.
The original article talks about the world of Scores, the treatment of women who work there, the abuse by customers who work on Wall Street, and how they were able to steal so much money for a long period of time without getting caught.
The movie, Hustlers, was treated as an independent film with a small budget and a 29-day shoot in New York City starring Jennifer Lopez and lead hustler Ramona, Constance Wu as newbie Destiny, and Julia Stiles as “Elizabeth, the journalist.” Starting with its premiere at the Toronto Film Festical in September 2019 it was a (mostly) critical hit and made $157 million worldwide at the box office.
Lopex does her own dancing and stunts and she has never been more beautiful. (Many people were bummed when she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her fur-draped performance.) The soundtrack features some amazing women artists including Fiona Apple, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Lorde. Does it glamorize stealing? (Does anyone blame movies with men as thieves and villains harshly?)
Pressler would go on to further fame with her next article about NYC con artist Anna Sorokin which was turned into a Shonda Rhimes production on Netflix--Inventing Anna. (Anna Chlumsky plays her in that adaptation!)
So, between the original story and the 2019 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Writer Jessica Pressler and her magazine career
Scores in NYC
The differences between the real-life characters and the film
The cast includes Jennifer Lopez (Ramona,) Constance Wu (Destiny,) Keke Palmer (Mercedes,) Lili Reinhart (Annabelle,) Lizzo (Liz,) Cardi B (Diamond,) Julia Stiles (Elizabeth the journalist) Mercedes Ruehl (Mama,) Frank Whaley (Reese,) and Usher (as himself.)
Clips used:
Ramona advises Destiny on pole dancing
Hustlers trailer
Romona and Destiny in a coat
Destiny and Ramona reunite
USHER!
Ramona rationalizes their scheme
Music by Lorde (arrest scene)
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 “Musicals in March”
The 1911 Novel The Phantom of the Opera Vs the 2004 Joel Schumacher Film
The Margos close out “Musicals in March” with one of the most popular musicals of all time--The Phantom of the Opera. Originally created in 1911 by French journalist and bon vivant Gaston Leroux, the story is based on stories about the Paris Opera in the 1800s which include hauntings aplenty. His creation is about Phantom Erik (!) who is an “Opera Ghost” madly in love with soprano Christine.
The complicated tale of Christine, the “Angel of Music,” her childhood friend Raoul, a performance of Faust, and flooding in the basement of the Palais Garnier involves love, intrigue, some objectification, and imprisonment. The 1925 movie starring Lon Chaney just barely scratched the surface so we turn to the unofficial King of Musicals--Andrew Lloyd Weber who along with lyricist Charles Hart created one of the most successful productions in Broadway and West End history.
The 2004 film was directed by the late Joel Schumacher. It’s lush, gorgeous, and filled with talented actors.
So, between the original story and the 2014 musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The author Gaston Leroux
Paris in the early 20th Century
The differences between the novella and musical
The cast includes Gerard Butler (The Phantom,) Emmy Rossum (Christine,) Patrick Wilson (Raoul,) Minnie Driver (Carlotta,) Simon Callow (Gilles,) and Victor McGuire (Ubaldo.)
Clips used:
Opening scene of the movie
The Phantom of the Opera (the 2004 trailer)
“I Remember Stranger…”
“Why So Silent”
“All I Ask of You”
Carlotta sings
Music by Andrew Lloyd Weber
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 “Musicals in March”
The 1845 Novella Carmen Vs the 1954 Carmen Jones film
We are continuing our month of musicals with the classic tale of Carmen which began as a novella by French writer Prosper Merimee and was first adapted as an opera. The story of a Romani woman who enchants the narrator by reading his fortune and behaving in a mysterious manner has been adapted several times, but for this episode, we focus on a 1954 all-African American cast filmed by director Otto Preminger.
Based on the1943 Broadway musical by Oscar Hammerstein, Carmen Jones stars Harry Bellafonte, Dorothy Dandridge, and Pearl Bailey and it was a true passion project for the director as most studios would never risk a film that would not appeal during the era of massive Jim Crow laws. The character of Carmen was also criticized for being lustful and there were not enough “moral” voices. Preminger went so far as to send the script to Walter Francis White who was Executive Secretary for the NAACP who approved it.
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte became stars after the film’s release which was a big hit a the box office. Dandridge became involved with Preminger and though she was the first African Americen woman to be nominated for Best Actress, her career had major ups and downs and she died under mysterious circumstances in 1965. Belafonte recently celebrated his 95th birthday.
So, between the original novella and the 1954 musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The original novella by Prosper Merimee
How the main character is presented
The differences between the novella and 1954 musical
The cast includes Harry Belafonte (Joe,) Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones,) Pearl Bailey (Frankie,) Olga James (Cindy Lou,) Joe Adams (Husky Miller,) Brock Peters (Sargeant Brown,) and Diahann Carroll as Myrt.
Clips used:
Carmen Jones and Joe in the Jeep
Carmen Jones (the original trailer)
Carmen Jones sings
Pearl Bailey sings
Joe Kills Carmen Jones
Music by Georges Bizet
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine -
Book Vs. Movie “Musicals in March”
The 1926 Play Chicago Vs the 2000 Filmed Adaptation
Our second pick this month for “Musicals in March” is Chicago which has a rich history in two important cities--Chicago and New York City. The original play was based on the true-crime work of Maurine Dallas Watkins--a journalist and playwright who had a flair for juicy dialogue. Born in Louisville, Kentucky sometime around 1896 (the state has no record of her birth) Watkins was ambitious enough to try her hand at playwriting when most women were not taken seriously as writers.
On the advice of one of her instructors, Watkins moved to Chicago to work as a newspaper reporter. Her time at the Chicago Tribune only lasted eight months, but her coverage of accused murderers Belva Gaertner and Beulah Sheriff Annan caused a sensation with the “jazz babies” entering the imaginations of millions of readers. (She later felt guilty about making them sound more charming than they deserved.)
After joining the Yale School of Drama, she wrote the play “The Brave Little Woman” with characters “Roxie Hart” and “Velma” which later became Chicago. After a respectable run on Broadway (the touring company included a then-unknown Clark Gable), she went on to write 20 more plays and became a Hollywood screenwriter. By saving and investing her money, she made a fortune and retired to Florida when not traveling the world. She was never married or had children and died quietly in 1969.
After her death, stars Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse bought the rights to Chicago and partnered with John Kander and Fred Ebb to work on the music & score after their combined success with Cabaret. The 1975 production was a slow burn due to the illness of Verdon until Liza Minelli subbed for her. The musical would lose most major TONY Awards to A Chorus Line but it went on to become a $2 billion franchise and the second longest-running show on Broadway since the revival in 1996.
The basic story of Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly, Billy Flynn, and “Mama Morton” is one of the old adages “if it bleeds, it leads” with the media portraying the boozy dames as 1920s nouveau heroes. The songs are some of the catchiest you will ever hear in one show including “All That Jazz,” When You’re Good to Mama,” Roxie,” “I Can’t Do it Alone,” and “Nowadays.”
Rob Marshall directed the 2002 film that stars Renee Zellweger (Roxie,) Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma,) Richard Gere (Billy Flynn,) Queen Latifah (“Mama” Morton,) John C. Reilly (Amos Hart,) Christine Baranski (Mary Sunshine,) and Taye Diggs as the Bandleader.
So, between the original play and the musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The origin story is based on real-life criminals in the 1920s
How the musical originally came together
The differences between the film and stage
The musical is a cash cow for theater.
Clips used:
TV ad 1977
Chicago original trailer
Jerry Orbach TONY Awards 1976
Gwen Verdon & Chita Rivera 1977 Mike Douglas Show
Richard Gere as Billy Flynn
Queen Latifah as “Mama” Morton
The Cell Block Tango
Music by John Kander & Lyrics by Fed Ebb
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 “Musicals in March”
The 1931 Play Green Grow the Lilacs Vs the 1955 Musical Oklahoma!
It's “Musicals in March” time here at Book Vs Movie The Margos are very excited to start our annual look at famous musicals and the inspiration for them. This episode is dedicated to one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time and the play Green Grow the Lilacs (1931) written by Oklahoma native Lynn Riggs.
Riggs came up with the story of Oklahomans Curly, Laurey, and Ado Annie who live in a part of the world that will change dramatically in just a few short years. (Oklahoma became a state in 1907.) Curly is a cowboy (portrayed on Broadway by Franchot Tone) who is in love with Laurey Williams (June Walker) and the path to their relationship takes twists and turns. In this production, which takes place in 1900, American folk songs are used and sung by Tex Ritter on stage. Soon-to-be revered acting teacher Lee Strasberg played a Syrian “peddler” and just as in the musical, Curley is on trial for accidentally killing a farmhand (here his name is Jeeter.)
In the early 1940s, Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein took the original play and infused it with more romance, intrigue, dance, ballet, and some of the most memorable songs in Broadway history. When Oklahoma! originally opened on Broadway (March 31, 1943), it became a massive hit that ran for over 2200 performances and won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1944.
Some of the actors who played in the original show include John Raitt, Florence Henderson, Alfred Molina, Celeste Holmes, and Jamie Farr. The story is funnier and more robust than the play and the history-making ballet sequence left people breathless. The 15-minuter performance was choreographed by Agnes de Mille (her first Broadway gig!) and represented the desire Laurey has between Curley and Jud Fry.
After running for five years and several revivals for the last 80 years, the funny thing about Oklahoma!--because the TONY Awards did not exist until 1947, it never won any major theatrical awards for the original run.
The 1955 film stars Shirley Jones, Gordon McRae, Rod Steiger, and Gloria Grahame and was directed by Fred Zinnemann in 70-mm widescreen (available on Disney+) with most of the outdoor shooting taking place in Arizona. It would go on to become a classic with several Academy Award nominations and was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007.
So, between the original play and the musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The story behind the original play and the theater world of the 1930s
The impact on the culture of the musical in the 1940s
The differences between the film and stage
Starring: Gordon MacRae (Curly McLain,) Shirley Jones (Laurey Willaims,) Gene Nelson (Will Parker,) Gloria Grahame (Ado Anni Cames,) Charlotte Greenwood (Aunt Eller,) Rod Steiger (Jud Fry,) Eddie Albert (Ali Hakim,) James Whitmore (Andrew Carnes,) and Barbara Lawrence as Gertie Cummings.
Clips used:
Oklahoma! theme
Oklahoma! original trailer
“The Persian Goodbye”
“Kansas City”
Curley kisses Laurey
Ali Stroker “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No” (2019 TONY
Music by Richard Rogers
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Something the Lord Made
The 1989 Washingtonian Article Vs the 2004 HBO Movie
The Margos learn part of the history of heart surgery starting with Katie McCabe’s 1989 article Like Something the Lord Made from Washingtonian magazine which features the work of Vivien Thomas, one of the pioneers of the “Blue Baby” heart surgery techniques. Thomas, an African American janitor at Vanderbilt University during the American Depression went to work for Dr. Alfred Blalock as a research assistant in heart surgery.
Thomas dreamed of being a doctor for decades but due to many circumstances, including racism and segregation, he was relegated to being an important part of the actual surgery and research but wasn’t given proper attribution for his work until decades after the first successful surgery was performed. In the Washingtonian article, several doctors talk with reverence about the teachings of Thomas and his surgical skills.
The movie was created for HBO in 2004 and stars Alan Rickman as Blalock, Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey) as Thomas, Kyra Sedgwick (Mary Blalock,) Gabrielle Union (Clara Thomas,) Merritt Wever (Mrs. Saxon,) Mary Stuart Masterson as Helen B. Taussig. It features experiments (faked for the movie) on dogs, so warning!
It was eventually nominated for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and eight other categories for the Emmys that year, the Golden Globes, Director’s Guild of America, NAACP Image Award, a Peabody, and was recognized by the American Film Institute.
So, between the original story and the adaptation--which did we prefer?
This episode is sponsored by Kensington's newest action/romance/thriller” novel by Rebecca Zanetti You Can Run which introduces a new series and character FBI agent Laurel Snow who is a profiler of serial killers. Zanetti is known for her sexy thrillers and this series is labeled as Blacklist meets Luther meets Justified.
Laurel Snow is on the hunt for a serial killer that has hit her hometown. Meanwhile, she has a complex relationship with one of the witnesses and finds herself attracted to a man named Huck Rivers, a former soldier and trained sniper who happens to the local fish & wildlife officer who guides her to the crime scenes.
Zanetti is a New York Times best-selling writer and has a huge following with romance readers who love her steamy love scenes mixed with exciting suspense.
You can follow her online at RebeccaZanetti.com, Facebook Rebecca Zanetti Author & Instagram Rebecca Zanetti
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The original article which one a national magazine award
The life story of Vivien Thomas and Alfred Blalock
How the movie brings the story to life
Starring: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mary Stuart Masterson.
Clips used:
Vivien Thomas meets Dr. Alfred Blalock
Something the Lord Made original trailer
Dr. Blaylock gets Vivien more money
Dr. Blaylock introduces Dr. Helen B. Taussig at a party where Vivien is a server
Operation of Eileen Saxon
Everyone is rewarded/mentioned except for Vivien at Dr. Blalock’s part
Last time Dr. Blalock & Vivien speak
Vivien receives an honorary doctorate
Music by Christopher Young
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Devil in a Blue Dress
Walter Mosely’s 1990 Novel Vs the 1995 Denzel Washington Film
In continuation of African American History Month, the Margos are taking on an old-fashioned mystery with Devil in a Blue Dress, which started as a novel by Walter Mosley & later was adapted into a film starring Denzel Washington.
The setting is post WW2 in Los Angeles where army veteran Ezekial “Easy” Rawlins (Washington) Easy is a black man dealing with the racism of the era which was more overt. He is assigned by a man named DeWitt Adams to find a white woman, Daphne Monet, who is fascinated by jazz music and black culture.
Along the way, several people associated with Easy wind up dead and the Mayor’s office seems to be in on it. Who is Daphne and what secrets does she keep?
Between the original story and the 1995 adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The biography of author Walter Mosey
Race relations in Los Angeles in post WW2
The biggest changes between the book and movie
Starring: Denzel Washington (Easy,) Tom Sizemore (DeWitt Albright,) Jennifer Beals (Daphne Monet,) Don Cheadle (Mouse,) Maury Chaykin (Matthew Terrell, Joseph Lattimore (Frank Carter,) Terry Kinney (Todd Carter,) Mel Winkler (Joppy,) Lisa Nicole Carson (Coretta James,) and Jernard Burks (Dupree Brouchard.)
Clips used:
Devil in a Blue Dress trailer
Music by T-Bone Walker “West Side Baby”
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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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
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
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 Butler
The 2008 Washington Post Article Vs the 2013 Lee Daniels Film
The Margos go into the history of Eugene Allen, a waiter, and butler who worked for the White House for 34 years before retiring in 1986. Allen severed for several Presidents and ended his service with the Ronald Reagan administration. He and his wife Helene were invited by the Reagans to a state dinner (the first time ever for a butler.)
After serving every President between Dwight D. Eisenhower to Reagan, he had plenty of stories to share with reporter Wil Haygood in his 2008 Washington Post article “A Butler Well Served by This Election.”
The Butler (2013) by Lee Daniels takes some liberties with the origins of Allen’s real-life story by changing the character’s name to Cecil Gaines with the lead played by Forest Whitaker with a celebrity-filled cast including Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, John Cusack, and Jane Fonda just to name a few of the actors.
So, between the original story and the adaptation--which did we prefer?
This episode is sponsored by Kensington's newest action/romance/thriller” novel by Rebecca Zanetti You Can Run which introduces a new series and character FBI agent Laurel Snow who is a profiler of serial killers. Zanetti is known for her sexy thrillers and this series is labeled as Blacklist meets Luther meets Justified.
Laurel Snow is on the hunt for a serial killer that has hit her hometown. Meanwhile, she has a complex relationship with one of the witnesses and finds herself attracted to a man named Huck Rivers, a former soldier and trained sniper who happens to the local fish & wildlife officer who guides her to the crime scenes.
Zanetti is a New York Times best-selling writer and has a huge following with romance readers who love her steamy love scenes mixed with exciting suspense.
You can follow her online at RebeccaZanetti.com, Facebook Rebecca Zanetti Author & Instagram Rebecca Zanetti
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The bio of the writer Wil Haygood
The life story of Eugene Allen
How the film The Butler came together
Starring: Forest Whitaker (Cecil Gaines,) Oprah Winfrey (Gloria Gaines,) David Oyelowo (Louis Gaines,) Elijah Kelley (Charlie Gaines,) Nelsan Ellis (Martin Luther King, Jr.), David Banner (Earl Gaines,) Mariah Carey (Hattie Pearl,) Terrence Howard (Howard,) Cuba Gooding Jr. (Carter Wilson,) Lenny Kravitz (James Holloway,) Robin Williams (Dwight D Eisenhower,) James Marsden (Jack Kennedy,) John Cusack (Richard Nixon,) Alan Rickman (Ronald Reagan,) and Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan.
Clips used:
Martin Luther King, Jr. talks about the importance of domestic workers
The Butler 2013 trailer
“Nixon” meets the staff
Louis comes home and fights with his parents
JFK talks about civil rights with Cecil
“Sun City” by United Artists Against Apartheid
Music by Rodrigo Leao
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 [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine - Visa fler
