# "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" -- really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427 "2010-02-02T19:17:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/41 "2010-02-03T14:45:08Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I loved it so much, I can’t wait for _Precious and Preciouser: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: Electric Boogaloo!_ Then it’s on to _Precious III: Precious Harder, the sequel to Precious and Preciouser: the Repreciousning, the sequel to Precious: based one the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, the motion picture adaptation of the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire._ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/42 "2010-02-03T14:47:45Z")
Given all the mashups these days, it’s only a matter of time before we get _Pride and Precious: Based on the novels ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen and ‘Push’ by Sapphire, with an uncredited script revision by William Goldman and Bob the Wonder Horse._ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/43 "2010-02-03T14:48:33Z")
Will there be zombies in that one? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/44 "2010-02-03T14:55:23Z")
No, for that you’ll have to wait for \*Pride and Precious and Zombies: Based on the novels ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen and ‘Push’ by Sapphire and the motion picture ‘Dawn of the Dead’ by George Romero, with an uncredited script revision by William Goldman and Bob the Wonder Horse; a Quinn Martin Production. \* Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/45 "2010-02-03T14:59:05Z")
In color! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/46 "2010-02-03T15:06:07Z")
After that, the film sequels go like this: Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire IV: Die, Precious, Die Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire: In Space Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire: In the Hood Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire: Back 2 tha Hood ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/47 "2010-02-03T15:16:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > You’re making this up. I’m afraid he isn’t. I saw this thing on cable once (though I couldn’t finish it.) Did **lissener** mention that Cuba is not just Helen Mirren’s boy-toy, but also her stepson? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/48 "2010-02-03T15:18:23Z")
Come on. You guys are jerking us around. This movie doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/49 "2010-02-03T17:15:56Z")
That Cuba can sure pick a script! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/50 "2010-02-03T17:26:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Come on. You guys are jerking us around. This movie doesn’t exist. Behold: > **[Shadowboxer (2005) ⭐ 5.5 | Action, Crime, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396857/)** > > 1h 33m | R > **[Shadowboxer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowboxer)** > > Shadowboxer is a 2005 crime thriller film directed by Lee Daniels and starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Helen Mirren, Vanessa Ferlito, Macy Gray, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mo'Nique, and Stephen Dorff. It opened in limited release in six cities: New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Richmond, Virginia. > Mikey and his stepmother Rose are contract killers and lovers. The two continue with their line of work even though Rose is suffering from cancer. > Organized crime kingpin Cl... ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/51 "2010-02-03T17:55:25Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I’m afraid he isn’t. I saw this thing on cable once (though I couldn’t finish it.) Did **lissener** mention that Cuba is not just Helen Mirren’s boy-toy, but also her stepson? No. I had blocked that part out. Yes, and that she killed his father. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/52 "2010-02-03T18:01:31Z")
_Rose is diagnosed with cancer; at the baby’s first birthday party, she decides that she would rather die at her happiest point than suffer. She has Mikey take her to nearby woods and convinces him to have sex with her and shoot her as she reaches orgasm. Before she dies, Rose makes Mikey promise to take care of Vickie and the baby and do whatever Vickie asks of him._ It just gets worse and worse ( ETA: or maybe better and better, I dunno ). I almost feel like I _have_ to see this movie now. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/53 "2010-02-03T18:28:27Z")
[http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/07/21/movies/21boxe.html](http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/07/21/movies/21boxe.html) The NYTimes review reminded me that there was also a pet Zebra involved, and that Mo’Nique’s crack ho character was named Precious. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/54 "2010-02-03T19:29:49Z")
Anyway, just to keep this on topic, my point in bringing this up is that, having seen \*\*\*Shadowboxer \*\*\*before I saw _ **Precious: Based on the Novelization of “Norbit” by Sapphire** _, all those weird little quirky moments don’t come off as inspired, outside-the-box directorial flourishes, so much as random directorial headscratchings. And the bizarre “After School Special” meets “snuff” aesthetic of the thing isn’t “edgy,” it’s just bad, unfocused filmmaking. \*\*\*Shadowboxer \*\*\*is evidence of Daniels’s artistic pedigree. He got lucky this time around; he flung some random shit at the wall and enough of it stuck to Oprah that he got a hit out of it. But it’s not a very good movie. ---
**Author:** ![valleyofthedolls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a4c791/32.png) [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/55 "2010-02-03T20:51:12Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’ve never seen the movie. Is this _really_ the way the title appears on screen? > > Because it comes across like the biggest whoring out of all time. > > “Hey, y’all, we got nominated for an Oscar. Go out and buy the book! You didn’t see the book at the store? Oh, that’s probably because it’s not called _Precious_, it’s called _Push_. It’s by Sapphire!” Am I missing something? I don’t really see why this is such a head scratcher. The producers wanted to do two things with the title. 1. Make people realize their movie was based on Push by Sapphire. 2. Avoid confusion between their movie and the science fiction film Push released earlier in the year. It’s a clunky title but it’s not whoring. The book came out in 1996, won several awards and while not a best seller, has sold very consistently (and well before Oprah). It’s also one of the few books out there that explores contemporary existence in a poverty stricken urban environment. Why wouldn’t the producers want to make sure people understood that Precious was based on Push? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/56 "2010-02-03T21:03:05Z")
It’s just clumsy, much like Tyler Perry making sure his name is part of every project he does. And it’s a little unusual that the ‘Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire’ part isn’t just part of the marketing: it’s the formal title of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/57 "2010-02-03T21:07:37Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And it’s a little unusual that the ‘Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire’ part isn’t just part of the marketing: it’s the formal title of the movie. This, since we’re back on topic. There have been lots of movies that had titles different from what they were based on. This one seems to want to make absolutely sure you buy the right book when you go to the store. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/58 "2010-02-03T21:11:46Z")
I don’t think it’s about buying the book. I think it’s about making sure the book’s audience buys the movie tickets. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/59 "2010-02-03T21:31:01Z")
To-may-to, to-mah-to. Because of what I do to earn my kibble, I think of the book side of it first. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427/60 "2010-02-03T21:47:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Behold: > > [Shadowboxer (2005) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396857/) > [Shadowboxer - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowboxer) In a weird coincidence, Mo’Nique’s character is named Precious in the movie… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-really/527427.md?page=4)