The First Wives Club - Movie vs. Book

A few days ago, I finished reading "The First Wives Club", and then I watched the movie version on DVD. Here's my review and comparison of the two.

~ Movie Review ~

The First Wives Club
In itself, it is a good movie. It's funny, and entertaining, but when you compare it to the book on which it was based, it seems shallow and superficial... barely skimming the surface of the real story. In fact, aside from most of the character's names, and the basic "get even" plot, the movie is completely different from the book. Don't get me wrong - I liked the movie; I just like the book a lot more. There were actually a few parts of the movie that I liked better. Brenda's character, for example, was much nicer; and by the end of the movie, you actually kind of like her ex-husband. The movie was filled with great actors; (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Maggie Smith, to name a few), and they did a great job of bringing the characters to life.

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Elise Elliott (Goldie Hawn), Brenda Cushman (Bette Midler), Annie Paradis (Diane Keaton), and Cynthia Griffin (Stockard Channing) were best friends at Middlebury College during the 1960s, but marriage and children force them to drift apart. Decades later, Cynthia commits suicide because her husband is divorcing her and the remaining three reunite at her funeral. After the funeral, Annie, Brenda and Elise go out for lunch and learn that their husbands are divorcing them too - and like Cynthia's ex-husband, taking up with younger women. All three had helped their husband's careers, and all three feel they are being shafted. They plot to get revenge by ruining their husbands careers.

I give this movie 3 out of 5 stars. ***

~ Book Review ~

"The First Wives Club" by: Olivia Goldsmith
In the book, the plot centers just as much on Gil Griffin as it does on any of the other ex-husbands. There are several more characters, and the story shifts from one character's view-point to the next. The plot runs a lot deeper, and you are left feeling more satisfied with its ending, rather then the one written for the movie. I'm keeping this book, because I might want to read it again someday. However, you should know that this book is not for everyone - see the warnings below. There were a few parts of the book that I could have lived without, but at the same time, it would probably alter the story too much to remove them. So you have to take the occasional unpleasant scene. This book is definitely NOT FOR CHILDREN.

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When their best friend commits suicide over her divorce, Elise, Brenda and Annie decide enough is enough. Each was crucial to her husband's career. But now that the men are successful, they've traded in their first wives for newer, blonder models.
Over lunch one day they form the First Wives Club. But this is no support group. This is the SAS in Chanel. Painstakingly, inexorably, exquisitely, they plan the downfall of the men who've wrecked their lives - and know that revenge has never tasted sweeter...

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. ****

~*Warning Explicit Content*~
If books had ratings (like video games), this one would definitely be M for Mature.

~ Violence
~ Strong sexual themes
~ VERY Strong Language -

I thought I knew every "bad word" in the english language (and a few in others), but this book taught me a new one. I'm still not sure what it means, and I don't really want to know...

If the vulgarity and sexual scenes are more than you care for, try to find an abridged version of the book.

~*Word of the day*~

Pan (Japanese)

Meaning: Bread

A kind of food made of flour or meal that has been mixed with milk or water, made into a dough or batter, with or without yeast or other leavening agent, and baked.

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Currently Listening to... "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd