Re: RARA-AVIS: Billy Wilder dies

From: Buzz ( BuzzMeeks@attbi.com)
Date: 28 Mar 2002


The whole movie is stone
> brilliant. IMO, it transcends the book, which I feel doesn't hold a
> candle to THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. A little while ago someone
> mentioned "perfect" books, IIRC. POSTMAN was the one book that
> immediately leaped into my mind. Don't get me wrong, D.I. the novel is
> fine, it just don't compare to POSTMAN.

Funny, I had the exact same impression, but about Double Indemnity. I liked Postman and there's many hb books I've loved, but upon finishing DI, I felt it was as close to a perfect book as I'd ever read. The language is tough yet the rhythm of it is almost poetic. And the story races along with not a single wasted word. IIRC, they're already plotting to kill the husband by page 3.

I actually have a friend who lives in his old house in the Hollywood Hills. I stood in his office and tried to soak up the energy in the hopes it would effect my own writing. It didn't work.

Brad

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