Bill Crider reviewed A Simple Twist of Fate here. This is the Steve Martin movie based on George Eliot’s Silas Marner which I reviewed yesterday. Steve Martin not only stars in A Simple Twist of Fate, he wrote the script. There are some significant variations between the movie and the novel. The movie opens in 1979. Steven Martin is a music teacher in a public school. He gets some Bad News from his wife. He divorces her and moves away. He leaves the teaching profession and becomes a furniture maker. Like Silas Marner, Steve Martin becomes a miser (buying rare gold coins) and a recluse. He hides the gold coins in his house but a thief finds them anyway. The three-year-old child shows up and Steve Martin becomes the Ideal Father. But trouble lurks for Steve Martin and his adopted daughter.
I missed this movie back in 1994. A Simple Twist of Fate has a great cast: Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, and Catherine O’Hara. I bought this Blu-ray edition on AMAZON for an incredible $4.58! I’m glad Bill Crider recommended A Simple Twist of Fate and Silas Marner. I enjoyed both the movie and the book it was based on! GRADE: B+
I remember seeing this, but not being excited about it. I didn’t know the Silas Marner connection. I think it wasn’t as wacky as the Martin movies I’d seen, and thus was blase about it.
Maggie, you’re right. There are some wacky moments in A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE but basically it follows the plot of SILAS MARNER.
Never did see this one. We watch less “uplifting” movies. For instance, last night it was SAN ANDREAS with The Rock and Paul Giamatti. AS these things go, it was surprisingly good.
Jeff, I’m a big fan of Paul Giamatti. And, The Rock can be entertaining.
I taped San Andreas, so will hopefully get to it in a day or so. Sometimes you just need some action.
Exactly! You can’t take it seriously, but the effects were well done.
Thanks, George. I didn’t even know about this film. I haven’t read “Silas Marner” yet but it’ll be interesting to see the film nevertheless.
Prashant, A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE does a nice job of updating SILAS MARNER. The cast is excellent!
Glad you enjoyed both the film and the book. Jeff Meyerson convinced me to watch SAN ANDREAS, and it was a pretty good disaster movie. Not intellectual fodder, but fun.
Bill, thanks for the George Eliot recommendation and the heads up on the Steve Martin Film. I’ll have to check out SAN ANDREAS.
The word “wacky” is my clue to turn away and run as quickly as possible. Same with “Steve Martin”, whom I haven’t liked since the early SNL days. So I’d skip this even if they offered me the cash you paid.
Rick, I run hot and cold on Steve Martin. I’ve seen him in funny roles and serious ones. Uneven performances. But, in A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE, Steve Martin is very good. Perhaps the reason is Steven Martin wrote the script.
he and Edie Brick(n)ell previewed their musical, Bright Star (IIRC the title) at the old globe. He wasn’t in it, though. It was very good. I still remember his appearance on the smothers brothers, when he wore an arrow on his head. His parents were in the audience, and when the camera cut to them, they had arrows on their heads I’ve liked everything I’ve seen him in, at least somewhat
Maggie, Steve Martin and Edie Bricknell are touring, but they don’t appear near us. The closest they come is Boston, MA.
I am sure I saw it but retain no memory of it. Although that was the year we were in England so maybe not. I will look for it.
Patti, A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE is worth a look. And, knowing it’s based on SILAS MARNER, it’s fun to see the parallels between the book and the movie.
Hated THE JERK! Liked ROXANNE! Thought DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID a failed but noble effort! SGT. BILKO was lame and that’s about all of his movies I’ve seen!
Bob, as I said, Martin’s performances in movies are uneven. Your comment reinforces that position.
Life is strange …
I remember being fascinated by Edie Brickell’s music more than 25 years ago (no one else I knew liked it however …) – but I was surprised to hear that she married Paul Simon (which of course was one of my favourites with Art – many years ago). And then she kind of disappeared …
I hadn’t heard about her working with Steve martin, thanks – have to look it up!
The kid looks adorable.
I’ll watch for this. I just got Roku so I expect my reading time to dwindle.
Beth, Bill Crider liked A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE and I enjoyed it, too.