Book Talk I (Ask the Dust)

Recently one of my favorite books was made into a movie. It's called Ask the Dust by John Fante. It's a book about an 18/20-year-old Italian American who moves out on his own to LA during the depression to "make it" as a writer. He does things like blow all his money on stupid stuff so that he can't pay rent and has only oranges to eat. He falls in love with the impossible-to-get Camilla Lopez and does things like use racial slurs and being plain old disagreeable to get her attention. Their tumultuous relationship (or lack thereof) frames the time before the semi-autobiographical character Arturo Bandini really does make it as a writer by writing about Camilla.

I read this book when I had just moved out on my own and had no money and was trying to make it as a musician and in my career. I did stupid stuff and I said stupid stuff and I felt just as bold, indestructible and yet stupid all at the same time- just like Arturo Bandini. I was so into this book, I even thought I would name my first son Arturo Bandini Gidlund because I felt so connected with this character.

Then came Colin Farrell and Selma Hayek to ruin everything for me. Watching two folks pushing 40 playing two characters who were written to be at least 20 years younger was pathetic! Ebert and Roper gave it thumbs down because they couldn't figure out why two people would insult each other and put each other down in such an immature way if they really loved each other. The answer is that that's how it works when you're 18, 19, 20. That age group is like a 2nd adolescence and love is interrupted by insecurity.

Besides that, their acting was melodramatic and half-ass. The whole story was changed. And the whole theme of growing out of an insecure youth through experience to reach real goals in a new-found adulthood is thrown out with the bathwater.

Donald Southerland does a fantastic Job as the gin loving Helfrick, but they left out the part where Helfrick takes Arturo to "get a steak" and drives him out into the countryside and smashes a calf's head in and makes Arturo help him get it back into the car. Hilarious! And I'm glad they put the Vera character in the movie (Arturo's scarred [think Sun Also Rises] and domineering 1st sexual experience) but in the book, she more like seduces Arturo rather than guilts him into sex.

Anyways, don't ever watch this movie. It will liquify your brain. However, I think Ask the Dust is an American Classic and Fante is overlooked as being one of the greatest Californian writers. Kiddin me? I'd put him right below Steinbeck.

MOVIE TRAILER:


*****************************************************
Also, yesterday was our third wedding aniversary and Jill posted a great Creeley poem on her blog that was printed on our wedding program.