Literary trivia . . . name that book!

President Camacho · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:44 am Post subject:

Ralph, I understand it isn't Les Miserables but to answer your question...

The mother of the girl dies
The inspector and the girl fight the hereditary battle
and I could have sworn near the end that shots were fired.. I can't remember by who but I want to think it was the inspector right before he throws himself into the river.

ralphinlaos · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:31 am Post subject:

No, Saffron, but I liked that book (and movie with Jodie Foster and Alexis Smith).

Ralph

ralphinlaos · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 7:39 am Post subject:

O.K., here's another clue:

"I was adopted as a child and have just discovered that my birth-mother was an infamous serial killer."

Ralph

ralphinlaos · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject:

Here's another clue - this should give it away and be the final clue:

The little girl has been admiring a piece of jewelry which is owned by the old lady, and the old lady promises to leave it to the girl in her will.

Little girl (if I told you her name you'd know this book immediately):

"Oh, I love you Aunt Monica. Will you take me up on the roof tomorrow?"

Ralph

Penelope · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

It's that film where all those beautiful chairs get drowned!!!

It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!!!!!

Penelope · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

No - wrong - that old lady with the jewell was called Rose.

I have no idea......really.

Saffron · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:45 pm Post subject:

The Bad Seed by William March! I never read the book, but have seen the movie. I was thrown off by reading a somewhat negative movie review and I thought it couldn't be the right one. I'd also forgotten the names of the characters, so the Aunt Monica didn't help. So, Ralph, did I get it?
Saffron

ralphinlaos · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

You got it, Saffron. Congratulations! How did you figure it out; one of the clues must have jogged something in your memory.

The Bad Seed, by William March, published in 1954, was a huge success, selling over one million copies. It was then made into a play which was a big hit on Broadway and around the world, starring Nancy Kelly as the mother (Christine) and Patty McCormack as the daughter (Rhoda). Then a successful movie, with Kelly and McCormack recreating their Broadway roles (both were nominated for Academy Awards, but Eileen Heckert, who played the mother of the little boy whom Rhoda murdered, won the Oscar).

The ending of the book/play was changed for the movie. In the book and play, the mother dies and Rhoda lives, to go on pursuing her murderous activities. But in the movie, thanks to the decency code ("evil cannot go unpunished"), the mother lives and little Rhoda is drowned (she is down on the pier where she killed the little boy when the pier is struck by lightening). Divine retribution.

The made-for-TV movie kept the original ending (mother dies, daughter lives).

The book is still available on Amazon and holds up very well today; a classic study of evil disguised as virtue and what tangled webs we weave.

O.K., heres a new one:

"Hello, Dolly! I heard that my nasty old brother was doing you wrong and I'm here to help."

Who is the lady doing the speaking?

NAME THAT BOOK!

Ralph

Penelope · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

The Colour Purple!!!

ralphinlaos · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 1:06 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Penny, it's not "The Color Purple." Hello, Dolly does not apply to that book and the book I am looking for is a much more famous novel.

Ralph


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