- J. D. Salinger (1919–2010)
First published nearly sixty years ago The Cater in The Rye remains un-filmed. J. D. Salinger’s story of rebellion and alienation has always stuck a chord with teenagers and with its first person narration and snappy dialogue could have made a brilliant film back in the 1950’s. Everyone from Brando to DiCaprio via Kazan, Speilberg and Malick has looked into adapting it into a movie but the author has always blocked it. Possibly put off by the critical disaster of My Foolish Heart the 1949 film based on his story Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut, Salinger remained apposed adaptations of his work right up to his death last week (aged 91). Many newspapers have reported that Salinger’s literary agent Phyllis Westberg has stated the authors passing will not affect the veto on adaptations of his work.
Interestingly, in The Cater in The Rye the character Holden Caulfield actually says “If there’s one thing I hate, it’s the movies. Don’t even mention them to me”.* Even if the people controlling Salinger’s estate have a change of heart the wishes of the author has made the book virtually un-filmable. I don’t believe anyone could do the story justice without having total respect for the story and its author, and it would be impossible for anyone with that respect to go against his wishes making any adaptation flawed if not doomed from the start. We have to take into account a film adaptation would probably be a disaster, the filmmakers would want to update the story to the present day and cast a twenty-five year old star as the teenage Caulfield.
As a book I have loved for a long time The Catcher in the Rye is difficult to recommend to other readers, if you come to it too late, you will probably hate it. What is too late though, I would suggest anything beyond late teens or early twenties is too late. If you have already read the novel going back to it several years later will leave a very different impression on you.
Finally I have to make the confession the title of this article “My favourite movie that was never made” is a lie that would be Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, but as there may be a film of this in production at the moment it may become true in future.
* Thanks to Kim Morgan whose use of this same quote inspired me to write this article. I intended to write something about J. D. Salinger last week when I heard of his death but it seemed to have all been said. Take a look at Kim’s article. She certainly pointed me in the right direction.
This is the one book that I’m glad will never be made into a movie. It’s never going to translate properly and will only serve to damage to the source material for further generations who might opt to watch the movie in lieu of just reading the effing book. First time I read it, hated it, second and third time I read it, head-over-heels loved it. This is an amazing book in that really affected me differently at various times in my life, one that I’ll continue to read every now and again. Good post, man. Love talking about this book.
I need to see it again, but I remember a lot of people relating Igby Goes Down to Catcher. Your thoughts?
You mention it affected you differently at different times; I touched on the same idea, speaking to other people I think that is true of many readers. The same could be said of other books, but this one more so for some reason. I read it in my teens and loved it. Then again a few years later and didn’t even finish it. I think I looked at as something from my childhood that I had grown out of. The third time a few years ago around my 30th birthday it had the same hold on me as when I was a teenager. I think it has a lot to do with where you are in your life not just how old you are.
As for Igby Goes Down. I went to see the movie on the strength of a review comparing it to Catcher. See what I wrote about it last year: http://fandangogroovers.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/ferris-bueller%e2%80%99s-year-off/
Also click the link above to Kim Morgans blog. It is about Salinger inspired movies, a couple of people (one of them was me!) mention Igby in the comments. (note the other comments weren’t approved and visible when I commented so we all added our thoughts without seeing what others had said before)
So who, Fandango, would you envision as Holden Caulfield? Maybe that’s why the movie got made — when I heard news of Salinger’s death, I sat there for almost an hour trying to come up with the right actor to play H.C. and couldn’t do it.
It would be best handled by an unknown actor. If I had access to a time machine the best I can come up with is River Phoenix circa 1988. Time machines are almost as rare as the rights to Salinger novels.
By the way when did you read it and what did you think of it?
I read this book when I was about 21 and it was already too late – you really need to still be in school for this one… oh and as for who would play HC, Michael J Pollard in his youth or Casey Affleck a few years ago…
…I dread the inevitable Michael Cera vehicle.
A young Casey Affleck, good call, I didn’t think of him, but it tops my young River Phoenix.
I think I was about 22 or 23 when I started to read it for a second time. it’s a book you just won’t get or it will get its hooks into you (hellraiser style) and you will never escape it. My advice if your ever in a job you hate or a relationship that is going the wrong way give the book another go and it will have you otherwise don’t give it a second thought. If you haven’t already read it take a look at On The Road, another love it or hate it novel.
Igby Goes Down was pretentious drivel that didnt go anywhere or have anything to say, wasting a great cast in the process. one of those movies critics inexplicably love. file with Sideways.
I liked sideways!
Fair enough. I’ve seen your banters enough on here. ha!
I agree with Ross. I hated Sideways.
No don’t agree with Ross, it will only fuel his megalomaniacal ego.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s one of the few that I wouldn’t recommend and wouldn’t loan to anyone. I’ve had the same copy for sixteen years and it’s obvious it’s well loved. I think the most remarkable part of Holden is how he inspires people to see within themselves and see the world. While what we all see is very different that is what makes it so very unique. It’s a very personal story and it’s affect is infinite.
Although I don’t say so above in as many words but I think it is clear that it is one of my favourite books. I recommended it to a lot of people and they all hated it, that’s what prompted me to read it a second time. As discussed above with cinemascream, it is book you have to read at the right time in your life.
On the subject of Books, haven’t seen chapter two yet.
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