Love Me Some Cinematic Writers

I love movies about writers. Can't help myself. I especially love movies about novelists. I suppose it's for the same reason I love going on retreat with other writers. They understand me. They don't question those voices in my head. We speak the same language and don't have to explain things.

There are some great films about writers. There are some mediocre films about writers that I still enjoy because I still relate to the writing aspect.

Here are some movies about writers I can think of off the top of my head:

• Midnight in Paris (one of few Woody Allen films I like)
• I Remember Mama (a long time favorite)
• Snow Falling on Cedars
• The Odd Couple
• The Way We Were (I cry and cry)
• Somewhere in Time (sigh)
• My Favorite Year (adore this one)
• Out of Africa
• Misery (I still shudder when someone says they are my biggest fan)
• Sunset Boulevard
• Sleepless in Seattle
• Shadowlands
• Little Women
• Finding Neverland (I cry and cry)
• Finding Forrester
• As Good As It Gets (OCD made funny)
• Something's Gotta Give
• Under the Tuscan Sun
• Stranger than Fiction
• Teacher's Pet
• Miss Potter (I cry and cry)
• Bridget Jones Diary
• Martian Child (oh, this one is SO good)
• Becoming Jane
• Dan in Real Life
• Music & Lyrics
• Marley & Me (not as good as the book but enjoyable)
• The Stoning of Soroya M. (powerful film but not for weak of heart)
• Shakespeare in Love
• Julie & Julia
• American Dreamer
• Romancing the Stone

I own many of the movies listed above. Not all, but quite a few of them. But the last two are favorites of mine, probably because the main characters are novelists. Both films released in 1984 so I guess that was a good year to write about writers.

Romancing the Stone, Joan Wilder: "That was the end of Grogan … the man who killed my father, raped and murdered my sister, burned my ranch, shot my dog, and stole my Bible!" [Now there's a villain!]

American Dreamer, Kevin Palmer: "The important thing, kid, is that you're doing something you like to do." [Somebody let me sock that character in the nose!]

Okay, now that I've quoted a couple of movie lines for you, I'd best return to writing some lines of my own. While I'm working, how about you share your favorite movie(s) about writers, and if you've got a favorite line from the movie, share that too.

~robin