The adaptation of "Secret Life of Bees"
I recently read Sue Monk Kidd's "The Secret Life of Bees" and then I watched the film adaptation. I really enjoyed both. And they also made me kinda crave honey. But I'm not here to review either, I just want to comment on the things that I noticed about the film, adaptation-wise.
First of all, the casting. The protagonist, Lily is described as having dark hair and being a bit ugly, so Dakota Fanning doesn't really fit that description, however, even before watching the movie, I knew she'd be a good fit for the character and play her well. I liked Jennifer Hudson as Rosaleen, although I imagined the character a bit older. The Boatwright sisters were very well cast. I honestly can't really picture how I imagined them while reading the book because their film counterparts played them and embodied them so well. Nothing else to say, really.
I imagined T. Ray a bit... hairier, but that's okay, not too important. Also, the image of Zach that I had in my head was of Sam from Holes. But ultimately I don't have a problem with any of the casting choices.
For comparison:
Now, moving on to changes in the plot. This film is ultimately a good adaptation. The best book-to-film adaptation that I can think of is still the aforementioned Holes, but this one is pretty good as well. The changes are few and small and don't affect the overall basis of the story and, in some cases, they could be considered improvements. Spoilers ahead :)
CHANGES
- The way Lily gets Rosaleen out of the hospital is slightly different. Also, T. Ray is not mentioned to have been in said hospital, but he is shown there looking for Lily in the movie.
- Zach learns that Lily's story is a lie a while after she tells August and then August tells him, while in the movie, Lily tells her herself before Zach is arrested.
- Speaking of Zach's arrest, in the book he is accused of throwing a bottle at a white man (which he didn't do) and in the movie it's for going to the cinema with a white girl (Lily). I actually like this change because it emphasizes the racism of the time much more.
- In the book, May finds out about Zach's arrest because she picks up the phone when the lawyer calls to give them all an update, while in the book she's accidentally told by one of the women who comes to pray at the Boatwright's house. It is never mentioned in the book that the "Daughters of Mary" go to their house at random times to pray by themselves, they supposedly only go there for mass and certain festivities, but suuuure ok.
- The way T. Ray finds Lily. In the movie he very intelligently discovers it by noticing the shape of a map in Lily's bedroom walls and a small hole in it. He puts a map over the shape in the wall and the hole lines up with Tiburon, SC. Once there, he just asks around and turns up in the Boatwright's house. In the book, Lily is stupid enough to call him from a phone in the lawyer's office (Zach and her go to sell honey there). The reason for the call is to ask him if he knows what her favourite color is, because she realises that August knows what it is but her father likely doesn't. T. Ray then traces the call and finds her. I'm not sure which version I prefer, to be honest. Film version has an important emotional moment which is Lily realising that her "fake family" feels more like family than her actual dad, but the phone call tracing thing is a bit predictable, so I like what the film did better in that sense. Plus, the movie adds other moments where Lily has that kind of realisation.
- The ending has a very significant change that, in my opinion, makes the movie ending better. After T. Ray leaves the Boatwright's house, Lily goes after him. In both the book and the movie, she asks about the day her mother died. In the book T. Ray confirms something we already knew (that Lily accidentaly shot her mother when she was little). However, in the film Lily asks him why he lied about her mother coming for her that day and not just "her things". T. Ray answers "because she didn't come for me". I really like this change because it shows a side of him that is still human and in love with Lily's mother, while not entirely forgiving him for his actions and keeping the book ending where he leaves Lily with her newfound family.
THINGS THEY LEFT OUT FROM THE BOOK
- A couple of "mourning days" after May's death and the festivities of "Our Lady" where they spend a couple of days celebrating Our Lady of Chains and eating and having fun.
- After Lily's angry Hulk moment where she smashes some jars of honey, she has a conversation with Rosaleen in the book where they clean up the mess and Lily tells her what she found out about her mother.
As I said, the changes and the things that were left out are hardly relevant and I should point of that there are many quotes that are word-by-word from the book. Which I like. And the character's personalities are very well captured. Which I also like. So a very decent adaptation. Vewy nice. Good job. A+.
First of all, the casting. The protagonist, Lily is described as having dark hair and being a bit ugly, so Dakota Fanning doesn't really fit that description, however, even before watching the movie, I knew she'd be a good fit for the character and play her well. I liked Jennifer Hudson as Rosaleen, although I imagined the character a bit older. The Boatwright sisters were very well cast. I honestly can't really picture how I imagined them while reading the book because their film counterparts played them and embodied them so well. Nothing else to say, really.
I imagined T. Ray a bit... hairier, but that's okay, not too important. Also, the image of Zach that I had in my head was of Sam from Holes. But ultimately I don't have a problem with any of the casting choices.
For comparison:
 |
| This is Sam from Holes |
 |
| Dakota Fanning and Tristan Wilds, who plays Zach. |
CHANGES
- The way Lily gets Rosaleen out of the hospital is slightly different. Also, T. Ray is not mentioned to have been in said hospital, but he is shown there looking for Lily in the movie.
- Zach learns that Lily's story is a lie a while after she tells August and then August tells him, while in the movie, Lily tells her herself before Zach is arrested.
- Speaking of Zach's arrest, in the book he is accused of throwing a bottle at a white man (which he didn't do) and in the movie it's for going to the cinema with a white girl (Lily). I actually like this change because it emphasizes the racism of the time much more.
- In the book, May finds out about Zach's arrest because she picks up the phone when the lawyer calls to give them all an update, while in the book she's accidentally told by one of the women who comes to pray at the Boatwright's house. It is never mentioned in the book that the "Daughters of Mary" go to their house at random times to pray by themselves, they supposedly only go there for mass and certain festivities, but suuuure ok.
- The way T. Ray finds Lily. In the movie he very intelligently discovers it by noticing the shape of a map in Lily's bedroom walls and a small hole in it. He puts a map over the shape in the wall and the hole lines up with Tiburon, SC. Once there, he just asks around and turns up in the Boatwright's house. In the book, Lily is stupid enough to call him from a phone in the lawyer's office (Zach and her go to sell honey there). The reason for the call is to ask him if he knows what her favourite color is, because she realises that August knows what it is but her father likely doesn't. T. Ray then traces the call and finds her. I'm not sure which version I prefer, to be honest. Film version has an important emotional moment which is Lily realising that her "fake family" feels more like family than her actual dad, but the phone call tracing thing is a bit predictable, so I like what the film did better in that sense. Plus, the movie adds other moments where Lily has that kind of realisation.
- The ending has a very significant change that, in my opinion, makes the movie ending better. After T. Ray leaves the Boatwright's house, Lily goes after him. In both the book and the movie, she asks about the day her mother died. In the book T. Ray confirms something we already knew (that Lily accidentaly shot her mother when she was little). However, in the film Lily asks him why he lied about her mother coming for her that day and not just "her things". T. Ray answers "because she didn't come for me". I really like this change because it shows a side of him that is still human and in love with Lily's mother, while not entirely forgiving him for his actions and keeping the book ending where he leaves Lily with her newfound family.
THINGS THEY LEFT OUT FROM THE BOOK
- A couple of "mourning days" after May's death and the festivities of "Our Lady" where they spend a couple of days celebrating Our Lady of Chains and eating and having fun.
- After Lily's angry Hulk moment where she smashes some jars of honey, she has a conversation with Rosaleen in the book where they clean up the mess and Lily tells her what she found out about her mother.
As I said, the changes and the things that were left out are hardly relevant and I should point of that there are many quotes that are word-by-word from the book. Which I like. And the character's personalities are very well captured. Which I also like. So a very decent adaptation. Vewy nice. Good job. A+.
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