# What are some great novels that are unfilmable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-great-novels-that-are-unfilmable/298592>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 9, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-great-novels-that-are-unfilmable/298592 "2005-04-09T21:34:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-great-novels-that-are-unfilmable/298592/61 "2005-04-12T03:51:58Z")

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> [@SPOOFE](#):
>
> I’ve spent many, many hours wracking my brain trying to think of a way to film Toni Morrison’s _Song of Solomon_. The book may be one of my favorites ever, but the themes it deals with are so personal, so deep, that simply “showing” the action may not be enough… so much happens inside the main character. I’d hate to make sacrifices, since there is so much in the book that I feel is necessary towards making a greater whole.

Hey, Spoofe,

This book is also one of my favorite novels ever, but I actually have drafted a screenplay of this story. Right now, it’s in a rough state that can be further refined into either a commercial version (i.e., a Hollywood version), or a version in mini-series form (hopefully done by American Playhouse on PBS, an independent film production company, etc.; not network television).

Although I still have a lot of work to do on it (I’m also nearly confounded by its interior-osity) and also don’t know if it’ll ever work (or be pemitted to be made), I think it’s too beautiful a story not to try. I’ve submitted scenes to screenwriting classes I’ve taken and they’ve mostly been well-received.

I looked into this thread on the slim hope that Song of Solomon would come up; seeing it at least mentioned was the last hurdle to my actually subscribing to The Straight Dope.

I’M A MEMBER!

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-great-novels-that-are-unfilmable/298592/62 "2005-04-12T10:55:42Z")

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**Lindsay Davis’s** Dididus Falco Series. Mostly narration. Great, great dialoge. Set in Rome, 72 AD. Impossible to capture the wit of Falco and his buddy, Petronius.

Though, I’d watch it anyways.

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