Book Vs. Movie is the podcast that ponders the question: "Which was better...the book or the movie?" We spoil away the details, uncover the plot points, discuss...
"Meet John Doe" (1941) Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Frank Capra & Richard Connell
Book Vs. Movie: Meet John DoeThe 1922 Short Story Vs. the 1941 FilmFrank Capra’s 1941 film *Meet John Doe* is often described as “based on a story by Richard Connell and Robert Presnell.” Unlike Connell’s famous short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” the source material for *Meet John Doe* was based on a short story, “A Reputation,” which appeared in 1922 in Century Magazine. The original work and the final film critique how newspapers—and media moguls—shape public sentiment for their own purposes. Starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, the film was a significant box office success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Story, with Capra opting for a more hopeful ending than the original. So which did we prefer? The original short story of the Capra movie? Listen to find out!In this ep, the Margos discuss:The works of both Richard Connell and Frank Capra The differences between the short story & 1941 filmThe Movie Cast: Gary Cooper (John Doe,) Barbara Stanwyck (Ann Mitchell,) Edward Arnold (D.B. Norton,) Walter Brennan (The Colonel,) Spring Byington (Mrs. Mitchell,) James Gleason (Henry Connell,) and Gene Lockhart as Mayor Lovett. Margo’s upcoming book on Saturday Night Fever (pre-order!) Clips used:Gary Cooper as “John Doe”Meet John Doe (1941 trailer)“Love thy neighbor.”“John Doe’s speech”“John at the bridge”“Last scene”Music by Dimitri TiomkinFollow us on the socials!Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupInstagram: Book Versus Movie @[email protected] Margo D’s Blog: Brooklynfitchick.comMargo D’s Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D’s TikTok Margo D’s YouTube: @MargoDonohueMargo P’s Instagram: @shesnachomama Margo P’s Blog: coloniabook.comMargo P's YouTube Channel: @shesnachomamaOur logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
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1:19:14
The Odd Couple (1968) Neil Simon, Walter Matthau, and Jack Lemon
Book Vs. Movie: The Odd CoupleThe 1965 Play Vs. the 1968 FilmThe Margos are feeling very neighborly in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, which began as a stage play, premiering on Broadway in 1965, and it quickly became one of Simon’s most famous works. The 1968 film adaptation, directed by Gene Saks and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, brought the story to an even wider audience. Which did the Margos prefer? Listen to find out!In this ep, the Margos discuss:The 1965 play by Neil SimonThe differences between the book & 1968 filmThe Movie Cast: Jack Lemmon (Felix Unger,) Walter Matthau (Oscar Madison,) Herb Edelman (Murray,) John Fielder (Vinnie,) David Sheiner (Roy,) Larry Haines (Speed,) Monica Evans (Cecily Pigeon,) Carole Shelley (Gwendolyn Pigeon,) Billie Bird (Chambermaid,) and Iris Adrian as the Waitress. Margo’s upcoming book on Saturday Night Fever (pre-order!) Clips used:“Throw the Mug”The Odd Couple (1968 trailer)“Poker Game”“The Pigeon Sisters”“Cleaning the Apartment”Music by Neal HeftiFollow us on the socials!Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupInstagram: Book Versus Movie @[email protected] Margo D’s Blog: Brooklynfitchick.comMargo D’s Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D’s TikTok Margo D’s YouTube: @MargoDonohueMargo P’s Instagram: @shesnachomama Margo P’s Blog : coloniabook.comMargo P's YouTube Channel: @shesnachomamaOur logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
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51:18
84 Charing Cross Road (1987) Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, & Helene Hanff
Book Vs. Movie: 84 Charing Cross RoadThe 1970 Book Vs. the 1987 Film"84, Charing Cross Road" began as a slim epistolary book by American author Helene Hanff, first published in 1970. The book documents a warm, real-life correspondence between Hanff, an avid reader in New York City, and the antiquarian bookshop Marks & Co. staff at 84 Charing Cross Road in London. It was later adapted into a film in 1987, directed by David Hugh Jones and starring Anne Bancroft as Helene Hanff and Anthony Hopkins as Frank Doel, her primary correspondent at the bookshop. Which did the Margos prefer? Listen to find out !In this ep, the Margos discuss:The story behind the 1970 memoirThe differences between the book & 1987 filmThe Movie Cast: Anne Bancroft (Helene Hanff,) Anthony Hopkins (Frank Doel,) Judi Dench (Nora Doel,) Maurice Deanham (George Martin,) Mercedes Ruehl (Kay,) Daniel Gerroll (Brain,) Wendy Morgan (Megan Wells,) and Ian McNiece (Bill Humphries.). Margo’s upcoming book on Saturday Night Fever (pre-order!) Clips used:“Frank almost meets Helene at the bookshop.”84 Charing Cross Road (1987 trailer)“Frank writes to Helene”“Frank and Helene talk to the camera.”Music by George FentonFollow us on the socials!Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupInstagram: Book Versus Movie @[email protected] Margo D’s Blog: Brooklynfitchick.comMargo D’s Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D’s TikTok Margo D’s YouTube: @MargoDonohueMargo P’s Instagram: @shesnachomama Margo P’s Blog : coloniabook.comMargo P's YouTube Channel: @shesnachomamaOur logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
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1:03:14
Scrooged (1988) Charles Dickens, Bill Murray, Bobcat Goldthwait, & the Solid Gold Dancers!
Book Vs. Movie: ScroogedThe Charles Dickens Classic Vs. the 1988 FilmAfter ten years of producing special holiday episodes in December, the Margos discovered that there are numerous versions of Charles Dickens's *A Christmas Carol*. Everyone from the Fonz to Susan Lucci to Sir Patrick Stewart has portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in some adaptation. So, why not select one version each season to explore and celebrate? This week, we're focusing on the 1988 film *Scrooged*, featuring Bill Murray and Robert Donner. This version is a complex classic, notable for its high levels of cynicism but it still makes us laugh! Which version did the Margos prefer? Listen to find out!In this ep, the Margos discuss:How Charles Dickens “Saved” Christmas The backstory of the movieThe Movie Cast: Bill Murray (Frank Cross,) Karen Allen (Claire,) John Forsythe (Lew,) John Glover (Brice Cummings,) Bobcat Goldthwait, David Johansen (Ghost of Christmas Past,) Carol Kane (Ghost of Christmas Present,) Robert Mitchum (Preston Rhinelander,) Nicholas Phillips (Calvin,) Alfre Woodard (Grace,) and Mabel King as Grandma. Margo’s upcoming book on Saturday Night Fever (pre-order!) Clips used:Frank meets his first ghostScrooged (1988 trailer)Lester Wilson and the Solid Gold DancersCarol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas PresentBill Murray’s last speech in the filmScrooged music by Danny ElfmanFollow us on the socials!Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupInstagram: Book Versus Movie @[email protected] Margo D’s Blog: Brooklynfitchick.comMargo D’s Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D’s TikTok Margo D’s YouTube: @MargoDonohueMargo P’s Instagram: @shesnachomama Margo P’s Blog : coloniabook.comMargo P's YouTube Channel: @shesnachomamaOur logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
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1:40:22
The Lion in Winter (1968) Katharine Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Anthony Hopkins & Timothy Dalton
Book Vs. Movie: The Lion in WinterThe 1966 Play Vs. the 1968 FilmFew stories transcend mediums as powerfully as James Goldman’s *The Lion in Winter*. Whether presented on stage or on screen, this tale of royal power struggles and familial manipulation in 12th-century England captivates audiences with its sharp dialogue, rich character dynamics, and timeless themes. But how do the 1966 play and its 1968 film adaptation compare? Let’s explore the similarities and differences between these two iconic versions.Which did the Margos prefer? Listen to find out! In this ep, the Margos discuss:The inauspicious debut on the Broadway stageThe true history behind the storyThe Movie Cast: Peter O’Toole (Henry II,) Katharine Hepburn (Eleanor of Aquitaine,) Anthony Hopkins (Richard the Lionheart,) John Castle (Geoffrey,) Nigel Terry (John,) Timothy Dalton (Philip II,) Jane Merrow (Alais,) Nigel Stock (William Marshall,) Kenneth Ives (Queen Eleanor’s guard,) and O.Z. Whitehead as Hugh de Puiset. Margo’s upcoming book on Saturday Night Fever (pre-order!) Clips used:Katharine Hepburn, Peter O’Toole, and Jane MerrowThe Lion in Winter (1968 trailer)Peter O’TooleKatharine Hepburn and Anthony HopkinsKatharine Hepburn and her sons“The Wedding Scene”Music composed by John BarryFollow us on the socials!Join our Patreon page “Book Vs. Movie podcast”You can find us on Facebook at Book Vs. Movie Podcast GroupInstagram: Book Versus Movie @[email protected] Margo D’s Blog: Brooklynfitchick.comMargo D’s Instagram “Brooklyn Fit Chick”Margo D’s TikTok Margo D’s YouTube: @MargoDonohueMargo P’s Instagram: @shesnachomama Margo P’s Blog : coloniabook.comMargo P's YouTube Channel: @shesnachomamaOur logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
Book Vs. Movie is the podcast that ponders the question: "Which was better...the book or the movie?" We spoil away the details, uncover the plot points, discuss casting choices and shower with praise (or pummel with snark) as we see fit. Hosts are Margo P. (She's Nacho Mama's Blog) and Margo D. (Creator of Brooklyn Fit Chick.com) and we are not afraid to tell it like it is!