It’s amazing how many classic novels by women writers have been adapted to film. Sometimes, though, the film becomes more famous, to the point where the creator of the story is somewhat — or completely — forgotten.
Here’s a sampling of some well-known film classics. Were they as good as their source material? Were they true to the original, or did they take too many artistic liberties?
There are so many more than what I’m able to present here before Substack yells at me that the post is “too long for email,” Literary Ladies’ Filmography has a generous list of film adaptations, so you can explore those as well.
Please share your favorite (and unfavorite) classic book-to-film adaptations in the comments.
The Little Princess: The 1939 film starring the adorable Shirley Temple, who cheered the masses during the Depression, departed a bit from the 1904 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, similarly titled A Little Princess. Still, this movie satisfies; tears of sorrow and joy are wept. Among several other film adaptations, the 1995 version of A Little Princess moved the setting from London to New York City. Though well rated by critics and audiences, the setting gives it a different feel from its source.
Rebecca: The moody 1940 film adaptation of the 1938 novel (one of my favorite books, ever!) by Daphne du Maurier follows the story of a naive second wife struggling to take her place as the mistress of Manderlay in the shadow of the dead first wife. Alfred Hitchcock’s first American film is quite true to its source, and perfectly cast (especially the creepy Mrs. Danvers).
Because of the Hayes Code, one important detail from the book had to be changed, but to say more would be a spoiler. Watch it on YouTube. Rebecca has since been revisited in at least two mini-series versions. Please don't watch the Netflix version — it's horrible, and an injustice to the original!
Gentleman’s Agreement: Released in 1947, the film adaptation of Gentleman’s Agreement came out hard on the heels of the novel by Laura Z. Hobson. Laura didn’t think anyone would publish her novel, let alone that it would be a bestseller and an Academy Award-winning film. Gregory Peck stars as a journalist posing as a Jew to get the inside view of “genteel” anti-semitism in post World-War II New York,
Laura, the 1944 film based on the 1943 novel of the same name by Vera Caspary, has earned a secure place among the finest of the film noir genre. If you’re in the mood for something … well, dark and moody, this is a great choice. I read the novel by the unfairly forgotten Caspary and have seen the famous film; both stand on their own, though the author reported being unhappy with the adaptation. One of very few of Caspary’s many titles currently available in print, you can read it, watch it, and decide for yourself.
Peyton Place: The 1957 film based came out just a year after the scandalous 1956 novel by Grace Metalious, so eager was Hollywood to capture the buzz. Secrets of a small New England town were unearthed in lightly fictionalized fashion, and Grace was dubbed “Pandora in Blue Jeans.” The film was pretty true to the book, though a bit sanitized, and fared far better with the critics.
The nighttime TV soap opera TV of the same name that ran from 1964 to 1969 had little in common with the book. I think that Peyton Place — the novel — is a classic, and America wasn’t ready for its message of female bodily autonomy when it came out. Maybe it still isn’t.
Little Women, the beloved 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott follows the lives of the four March sisters — Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. The 1994 film adaptation centered on strong-willed, tomboyish Jo, who was as much of a standout character as in the novel. It followed several film versions that came before it and it would be twenty-five years before another adaptation would appear in 2019, directed by Greta Gerwig. For me, the 1994 adaptation is the ultimate, and wonderfully cast. I thought the 2019 took too many unneeded liberties with the story and characters. Read the book, then watch the 1994 film on Christmas Day!
One of my former interns, Jess Mendes, asked, “Can A Wrinkle in Time Ever be Successfully Filmed?” Her answer was a firm no, and unless someone comes along to prove her wrong, I agree. The star-studded 2018 attempt at capturing the spirit of Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved 1962 fantasy was a debacle. The author was no longer with us when this film came out, but she was none too pleased with an earlier version. This is definitely a case for reading the book and letting your imagination conjure up the imagery.
The book that Bob Eckstein and I recently completed, Inspired by Cats: Famous Writers and Their Feline Muses — will be out in September, 2025. Meanwhile, get humor, satire, and glimpses into the writer’s life on Bob’s Substack, The Bob.
Other famous classic book-to-screen adaptions
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: The casting of the 1945 film based on the classic 1943 coming-of-age novel by Betty Smith sparked nearly as much interest as that of Gone with the Wind (now there was a film that was true to its source, for better or worse). Fans of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn might not like how the movie’s storyline is compressed into one year, rather than the six-ish in the book. In my opinion, this alone doesn’t do the book justice.
Strangers on a Train: Perhaps the most iconic line from the 1951 Hitchcock thriller is “I do your murder, you do mine! Criss-cross …” The film, based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1950 novel, features the kind of sociopathic character that became her standard.
Circling back to Daphne du Maurier, I also love her novel My Cousin Rachel. The 1952 film starring Olivia de Haviland (and Richard Burton in his first screen role) was true to its spirit. The 2017 adaptation was a crashing bore — not a good sign for a suspense story.
Giant: This 1956 film about a wealthy Texas ranching family starred Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean (in his last film role before his untimely death). It was based on a big, sprawling 1952 novel by Edna Ferber, a prolific author who wrote several other blockbuster novel-to-screen classics.
To Kill a Mockingbird: It’s hard to think of a more perfectly cast book-to-movie adaptation. Of course, Mockingbird (1960), by the publicity-shy Harper Lee, is being re-examined in today’s climate, for various reasons.
Something old, something new
I just added my 2009 book, Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife, to my Etsy shop. A great gift for the long-married, newlyweds, or those about to be unmarried. No matter where you are on your relationship journey, don't expect edible recipes in this sharp-witted satire of 1950s cookbooks!
My thoughts are preoccupied, as I’m sure many of yours are, with those who suffered through Hurricane Helene. I haven’t been able to get hold of a friend who lives in the Asheville area. Now, awaiting with trepidation for Hurricane Milton, I’ve been in touch with other friends were lucky enough to get out of the Tampa area in time. What a crazy time this is. So, I’ll be donating profits sales of this book (just $12, free shipping) and any other titles on my Etsy shop this week to North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (recommended by FEMA as a good place to donate).
I thought the 2017 BBC version of Little Women (limited series of 3 episodes) was well done. Because film/tv and books are different media it's hard for a film to accurately reproduce what's in a book. Movies have the ability to add so much, especially visually, going into details that would bog down a written story. Books have the ability to explore the inner landscape of characters in a way that film just can't. And by necessity there will be deviations from the original plot, often leaving scenes out or combining two characters into one. Personally, I don't mind any of that, as long as the heart of the story remains the same. I love movies and I love books, they're different things though.
Agree, Peyton Place is a very good book!