Imagining the Movie While Reading the Book

I’m a huge fan of books. I enjoy movies–mostly old ones. There’s a difference. One is a passion, the other a diversion. Once in a while the two worlds collide nicely–when I read a book and the cast just appears in my mind. But, when I love a book I’m usually afraid to see the movie. I always prefer the book and I always read the book first. Once in a blue moon the movie is better [that’s another post for another day] and about as rarely as re-make exceeds the original [ditto].

I thought I’d share a couple of examples of when the book casts itself.

The Light of Amsterdam: A Novel by David Park. This books was tailor-made for British Actor Robert Bathurst–Downton Abbey’s ill-fated Older Man romance Sir Anthony Strallan. Bathhurst is exactly the sort of man to be an art college professor, to be a hand-wringing Dad and to get caught up in all that happens in this book. So, whoever is shopping this book to the film people–Mr. Bathurst needs to be the father, ok? And, yes, that’s my favorite photo of him, too. Photo source

I can just hear Bill Nighy as narrating this story in the film version of this marriage tale told from the man’s perspective. Nighy epitimizes the hard-done husband. And wonderful Julie Walters would be the perfect flighty wife for him. US by David Nicholls

Nighy Source

Walters photo Source

This book mesmerized me, in part because I could just see Christopher Plummer as the Uncle and Max Irons as Werner. I hope Marie-Laure will be played by an unknown. All the Light We Cannot See

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A masterpiece of a legal novel. Jeremy Irons as the husband, Kristin Scott Thomas as the wife–the judge who must decide the case. Children Act by Ian McEwan

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Photo sources

I have no idea if any of these books are already being filmed, but I’d love it if even one of my casting decisions was used.