Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Whole Wide World

     The title of this post is the title of a 1996 film about the life -- or some of the life -- of pulp writer Robert E. Howard, perhaps best known as the man who breathed life into Conan the Barbarian.  He wrote considerably more than that; in fact, he wrote quite a lot, especially for a man who took an early exit.

     Howard's own story is altogether too complex to cover in a blog post.  The Whole Wide World doesn't even try; based on a memoir by Novalyne Price Ellis, who dated him off and on for several years prior to his death, it's a fascinating look at the writer at the peak and abrupt end of his career.  Well-written, the brilliant Vincent D'onofrio sinks right into the character of Howard and Renee Zellweger seems equally at home as Ms. Price. 

     It's a relatively understated film but has considerable emotional impact.  Unless your taste in movies runs to nothing but, well, barbarian swordsmen and fighting sailors, you might like it, too.

2 comments:

BobG said...

One of my favorites of his is the Breckinridge Elkins series of short stories. They are compiled in a single novel by the name of A Gent from Bear Creek, and it can be downloaded free at Gutenberg and other sites. It is hilarious to read.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

More stuff is finally becoming available.