‘I do believe that something very magical can happen when you read a book’ – J K Rowling
And turning that book into a motion picture is a real deal of work, as it has to do literal justice to the pen it has been written by.
Many a times the filmmakers haven’t been able to bring about the essence of the book as a whole in their movies. However, there are some which left no stone unturned to preserve the essence of the book in the movies adapted from them and also turned out to be huge box office success. Such movies are created with extra delicacy and effort as the story is already out in the mind of the people.
Let’s have a look at some of the classic Hollywood movies adapted from books.
To kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Director: Robert Mulligan
Written by Harper Lee, the book won the Pulitzer Prize and the movie adaptation won a bunch of Oscars for its exceptional screenplay and brilliant acting by Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch of Maycomb county, defending a Black man against false rape charges put on him.
The entire courtroom drama made the character of Finch, one of the most influential fictional characters of modern literature. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is the debut novel of Lee which was a huge success and sold more than 30 million copies. The movie remains loyal to the book throughout.
Great Expectations (1946)
Director: David Lean
‘The Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens is one of the most classic novels of all time and also when evolved on the big screen, it stood the expectations of its readers.
The protagonist of the movie Pip played by John Mills begins a new life as a gentleman, but soon he would face certain unsettling events. The movie finely intricated the soul of Dicken’s book.
The Godfather (1972)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
The crime novel by Maria Puzo, deal with the life of a mafia family under the patriarch Vito Corleone and the transformation of the Michael Corleone as a mafia boss.
The movie not only proved its worth to the book but also became the highest grossing movie of that year. The makers breathed life in the characters and won many prestigious awards for the brilliant screenplay and acting.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Director: Ang Lee
Published in 1811 Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’, became a successful screen adaptation. The story begins after the death of Mr. Dashwood, who left his second wife and three daughters with near to nothing and therefore, they had to face certain complexities. Emma Thompson also won Oscar for the excellent screenplay adaptation of the story.
The Graduate(1967)
Director: Mike Nicholas
‘The Graduate’ is a marvelous romantic drama based on 1963 novella of the same name by Charles Webb. The plot sketches the story of a recent grad, Benjamin Braddock trying to figure out his career option after his graduation. He feels attracted and seduced by Mrs.Robinson, wife of his father’s colleague and later falls in love with her daughter.
The book turned movie created a miracle at the box-office and turned into the list of significant movies in the National Film Registry of US and also won Academy Award for its phenomenal direction.
