Get ready for today’s…Blast from the Past!
From Oscar winner George Roy Hill, the director of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), “Slaughterhouse-Five” (1972), “The Sting” (1973), and others, come this charming comedy-drama…
Walt: “Daddy what’s gradual school?”
T. S. Garp: “What?”
Walt: “Gradual school. Mommy says she teaches at gradual school.”
T. S. Garp: “Oh Gradual school is where you go to school and you gradually find out you don’t want to go to school anymore.”
“The World According to Garp” was released on this day July 23rd 1982, making the film 35 years old as of today.
Based on John Irving’s 1978 novel of the same name, the film follows husband, father, and struggling young writer T.S Garp (played with charm by Oscar winner Robin Williams) who feels that his life and work is being dominated by his mother Jenny Fields (played by Oscar nominee Glenn Close), whose nonfiction novel has turned her into a feminist icon.
Fun fact; the film was Oscar nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – John Lithgow and Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Glenn Close.
On a personal note, I read the novel before watching its film adaptation, and they are both good, but obviously and generally the books are better than its adaptations, so it is suggested that you read the novel before the film, but that is just my opinion.
If you are looking for something oddball and funny, and like the lead actors, as well as Oscar nominee John Lithgow from the TV series “3rd Rock from the Sun”, who is brilliant as Roberta Muldoon, and even Oscar winner Jessica Tandy cameos as Mrs. Fields, then this is for you, or for anyone you know, who likes the aforementioned aspects.
