# What do you think are the best book and movie pairings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074 "2008-11-17T02:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/1 "2008-11-17T02:29:50Z")
I will nominate “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960) by Harper Lee is one of the greatest books ever written and “[To Kill a Mockingbird](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056592/)” (1962) Directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck is the best combination. We have one of the greatest books and one of the great movies with Gregory Peck giving the performance that [AFI](http://www.filmsite.org/afi100heroesvilla.html)considered the Greatest Movie hero. The Godfather (1972) & Godfather part II (1974) based on the Mario Puzo classic The Godfather (1969) should be considered. The two best movies from a very good book. Contenders: Not my favorite but Gone with the Wind is considered an all time great as was the book. Wizard of Oz: The book is an all-time classic and the movie that only passingly followed the book is an all time classic. Both have influenced later movies and books to a large degree. The Lord of the Rings and the three Movies based on them by Peter Jackson combine the greatest book ever written (IMHO) with three movies that wee breathtaking and probably the most ambitious successful adaptation ever. I have not in love with the movies but I understand how great they were and successful in presenting the detailed imagination of Professor Tolkien. The books have influenced an entire genre of writing more so than any other book has affected its genre I believe and the movies appear to have set the benchmark for Fantasy movies and CGI. Which ones did I forget about? What don’t you like about my choices? Jim ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/2 "2008-11-17T04:07:36Z")
Both by John Irving: The World According to Garp and The Hotel New Hampshire. Two beloved books and movies of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/3 "2008-11-17T04:47:35Z")
**The Right Stuff** started as a great book and Philip Kaufman made it into a great movie. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/4 "2008-11-17T05:28:59Z")
_Millions_ by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Both the book and screenplay were written by Boyce. And the movie was directed by Danny Boyle. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/5 "2008-11-17T06:29:27Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > **The Right Stuff** started as a great book and Philip Kaufman made it into a great movie. My all-time favorite movie, one of the rare films that surpasses its source novel (IMHO). I’ll add **Watership Down**. The movie–as far as I can tell–isn’t as widely appreciated as the novel, but I think it’s very good. There are the obvious disappointments when characters and plotlines are condensed, but it did an excellent job of capturing the tone of the novel. There is an uneasiness and a sense of danger throughout, and it stayed true to the harsh and violent episodes from the book. Not a kiddie movie, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/6 "2008-11-17T07:05:48Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I will nominate “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960) by Harper Lee is one of the greatest books ever written and “[To Kill a Mockingbird](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056592/)” (1962) Directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck is the best combination. You may have picked the best pair in the OP. The best I can can think of otherwise is _The Princess Bride_. ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/7 "2008-11-17T09:49:48Z")
I nominate “Rebecca” - haunting and gripping melodrama by Daphne Du Maurier turned into a lush, beautiful, gothic movie by Hitchcock and David O’Selznick. I adore them both. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/8 "2008-11-17T10:24:23Z")
When I saw the thread title I would have come in to nominate the same book and film as the OP. The movie is, IMNSHO, the best ever transfer of a book to a screenplay. _“Stand up Miss Jean Louise. Your father’s passing.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/9 "2008-11-17T10:32:59Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > When I saw the thread title I would have come in to nominate the same book and film as the OP. The movie is, IMNSHO, the best ever transfer of a book to a screenplay. > > _“Stand up Miss Jean Louise. Your father’s passing.”_ See, that just gave me the chills, right there. Does it every time. Extra cool because I am Jean Louise on another message board! ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/10 "2008-11-17T11:50:47Z")
I personally really liked the adaptation of **The Quiet American** , the film really captured the ambiance I felt when reading the book. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/11 "2008-11-17T13:42:46Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Both by John Irving: The World According to Garp and The Hotel New Hampshire. Two beloved books and movies of mine. I need to find and read those books. I especially love The Hotel New Hampshire. > [@Homebrew](#): > > You may have picked the best pair in the OP. The best I can can think of otherwise is _The Princess Bride_. I should have included that, I feel foolish for overlooking them. > [@Baker](#): > > When I saw the thread title I would have come in to nominate the same book and film as the OP. The movie is, IMNSHO, the best ever transfer of a book to a screenplay. > > _“Stand up Miss Jean Louise. Your father’s passing.”_ There is a [Deep quotes/thoughts](http://209.104.5.198/sdmb/showthread.php?t=493190)thread. I pulled several from the book which made me think about starting this thread. I nearly used the line, but it did not make sense for that thread. There are many good ones here, I wonder what else will be suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/12 "2008-11-17T13:52:33Z")
Rosemary’s Baby. The movie is an incredible adaption of the book. Roman Polanski even called author Ira Levin to find out which edition of the New Yorker magazine had the shirt that Guy bought so he could get the same shirt for the scene. Levin admitted to faking it, just assuming any edition of the magazine would have an ad for a nice man’s shirt. But the copy for that week didn’t. Stephen King wrote in _Danse Macabre_ “If you’ve read the book, you don’t have to see the movie. And vice versa.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/13 "2008-11-17T13:57:00Z")
**A Boy and His Dog**. Classic science fiction story (and Nebula Award winner) made into a classic SF movie (and Hugo Award winner). ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/14 "2008-11-17T14:21:25Z")
The Silence of the Lambs. Both the book and the movie were good. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/15 "2008-11-17T14:30:42Z")
Can I nominate a mini-series? Hope so–many books suffer from being cut to feature-movie length. My choice is Larry McMurtrey’s _Lonesome Dove_. Which was mighty fine on the small screen. Here’s an interesting site about the [film](http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/ld/ldexhibit.html). ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/16 "2008-11-17T14:49:59Z")
Fight Club ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/17 "2008-11-17T14:57:41Z")
_Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World_. The movie led me to the Aubrey-Maturin books, and I’ll be forever grateful. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/18 "2008-11-17T15:03:52Z")
**One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest** –A tough book to turn into a movie, but Michael Douglas did it. And the casting., ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/19 "2008-11-17T15:11:27Z")
The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammett’s novel and the 1941 Bogart film. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074/20 "2008-11-17T15:20:01Z")
It has been a long time since I read it but “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck is a damn good and classic book and the movie is one of the best ever made. As I recall the book won the Nobel Prize for Literature and a Pulitzer. The movie won two Oscars and had 5 other nominations. The movie lost out to another classic Rebecca which was already mentioned above in this thread and Henry Fonda lost out to Jimmy Stewart for the classic portrayal of Macaulay Connor in the The Philadelphia Story. What a year for movies. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-are-the-best-book-and-movie-pairings/473074.md?page=2)