The Postman Always Rings Twice
by James M. Cain
Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. Boy has to kill girl’s husband. Typical love story, right?
If this has become a typical love story, it’s because of James M. Cain’s novel The Postman Always Rings Twice. Think about it: in 1934, there were romantic obstacles in stories—how else would there be a plot?—and even stories of forbidden love, but how many stories consisted of a married woman encouraging her lover to murder her husband?
There were two film adaptations of this classic novel. The 1947 original starred Lana Turner, and it was such a success, she was typecast as a “bad girl” for the rest of her career. In 1981, Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange starred in a much less glamorous version chalked full of sex scenes that weren’t censored by old Hollywood’s Hayes Code. As the novel shows, there’s nothing glamorous about murder, so if you see the remake first, you might like the realism and scoff at the original film. Whichever film you decide to watch, be sure and read the book first. It’s a quick read and you can make up your mind before beautiful women start clouding your judgement. Or can you?
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of James M. Cain's Mildred Pierce here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of James M. Cain's Double Indemnity here!
If this has become a typical love story, it’s because of James M. Cain’s novel The Postman Always Rings Twice. Think about it: in 1934, there were romantic obstacles in stories—how else would there be a plot?—and even stories of forbidden love, but how many stories consisted of a married woman encouraging her lover to murder her husband?
There were two film adaptations of this classic novel. The 1947 original starred Lana Turner, and it was such a success, she was typecast as a “bad girl” for the rest of her career. In 1981, Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange starred in a much less glamorous version chalked full of sex scenes that weren’t censored by old Hollywood’s Hayes Code. As the novel shows, there’s nothing glamorous about murder, so if you see the remake first, you might like the realism and scoff at the original film. Whichever film you decide to watch, be sure and read the book first. It’s a quick read and you can make up your mind before beautiful women start clouding your judgement. Or can you?
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of James M. Cain's Mildred Pierce here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of James M. Cain's Double Indemnity here!