Well, I can't agree with you. The subplots in Postman make
the story real. That's how things go with plans and plots.
It's those nuances that, to me, make Cain better than most
other crime writers.
Serenade is the story of the opera singer who psychologically
loses his voice due to guilt over a homosexual affair. The
important thing to remember is that Cain's work fits into the
era in which he lived. Cain researched this aspect of his
story and discovered that in the 1930s it was quite common
for guilt to manafest in this form. Today, homosexuality has
less stigma attached to it, but at that time you could be
imprisoned and your family ostracized. Someone should dust
this story off and make a movie of it now that we can deal
candidly with this subject. Mario Lanza made a movie of it in
the late 50s but it was a disaster. Josh Grobin might do
better, today.
Patrick King
--- William Ahearn <
williamahearn@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> --- Patrick King <
abrasax93@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Still, no one has
> > written better than Postman, Double Indemnity,
and
> > Serenade.
>
> I've been trying to stay out of this but the
mention
> of Postman is more of a lure than I can resist.
When
> I
> wrote about Miami Purity and then when I
started
> watching early noir films I reread Postman and
I
> think
> Visconti did a way better version than Cain
did.
> Cain's Postman bogs in all the legal sideroads
and
> subplots with wild cats and whatnot. It's really
a
> clunky book as far as I'm concerned. I've
been
> meaning
> to read his other stuff but right now I'm
slammed
> with
> material for the site. Is Serenade the novel
about
> the
> opera singer? I remember having a lot of
trouble
> with
> the plausibilty of the story. It's all a matter
of
> what floats your boat, I guess. But Cain isn't on
my
> list of stuff to read for fun.
>
> William
>
> Essays and Ramblings
> <http://www.williamahearn.com>
>
>
>
>
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