Atlas Shrugged, Part 1: Some parts of it dragged longer than I might have done (specifically the anniversary party scene and sex scene), and some things were a bit understressed in my opinion (specifically how irrationally depraved the looters were, and how they exhibited that behavior), but speaking as someone who had no particular appreciation for the book, the movie was significantly better than it could have been, and while it does feel a bit “made-for-TV-movie”-ish, it may do quite nicely for taking Rand’s message to the next generation.
I felt like someone hit the fast forward button. I have no idea how anyone who hasn’t read the book could follow it.
The more I think back on it, the more I think you are right – all of the finer points of the legislation, the economic disaster, the underhanded politics, and the sheer value that was being stolen away from people was kind of left by the wayside. Sure, there was that cute document-signing scene, but aside from that, they seemed more interested in cutesy shots of wooded hillsides than explaining the story. Hm.
I went to see Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 earlier today, and I agree with your assessment of the anniversary party scene, especially as it failed properly to set the tone (and dissonance) of the Dagny/Hank relationship to that point in time. While I understand the need to compress the first 312 pages into a manageable chunk of movie time, Miss Rand wrote the anniversary party scene to include several key points:
1. Hank’s cold demeanor while addressing Dagny in a setting outside of business;
2. Francisco’s comparison between Dr. Akston and Dr. Pritchett;
3. Francisco’s conversation with James Taggart;
4. Francisco’s offer of gratitude to Hank;
5. The unidentified woman’s tale of who John Galt is;
6. Dagny’s challenge to Lillian WRT Lillian’s Rearden Metal bracelet.
Of these, only two are even touched on (#4 and #6), and both far too briefly to convey their context to viewers who haven’t read the book.
I also wanted to see at least Dagny saying “I expect to make a pile of money on the John Galt Line. I will have earned it.” This quote ought to have been included, to set up the scene that runs from page 235 through page 240 of the Penguin 50th Anniversary edition of the book.
Here’s hoping that this first movie makes enough money to allow the production of Parts 2 and 3!
And without all of those points you mentioned from the anniversary party, the sex scene looks more like a rich dude fooling around with a friend, rather than an arguably abused indivdual taking solace in an equal (not to say Rearden’s infidelity is excuseable, merely that the motive behind it changes with the presentations of the book and movie).
As usual with all things like this, we each would do it our own separate way, but I do wonder if the time spent on fun little aerial shots of countriside could not have been better spent on a little more backstory.
The best (?) part about the movie was how all of the proposed fixes actually sound like something our current crop of politicians would propose, if they thought they could get away with it.
I’m sure 50 years ago, the very idea of the Anti-dog-eat-dog Rule and the Equalization of Opportunity Act was beyond the pale, but when the president talks about how he would rather abolish certain tax cuts (and lose revenue) than keep those cuts, for purposes of fairness, the line between fiction and reality gets blurred.
Fortunately, high speed rail is there to make sure we don’t forget it’s only a movie.
I have not read the book, but I went to the movie this weekend with my wife who has read it. I’ve got to say that without her there pointing out a few things here and there I would have missed some of the finer points of who’s who and why they are important. That said I did enjoy the movie and I’ve started reading the book because of it.
@ wfgodbold: Well, that, and an “engine” that mysteriously sucks power out of “atmospheric vacuum”…
But, yeah, as with so many books of that genre, it seems more and more like they are being used as instruction manuals, rather than the warnings they were intended to be. Sadly, I really can imagine certain people reading the ideas put forward in these books and going, “Y’know, I just bet we could make that work…”
@ Moose: Best o’luck with the book… it took me over six months to read, and even then, it is not something I will do ever again. The woman was right, but she could not write worth a good gorram…