by Jim Hitt

1. GONE WITH THE WIND   (Selznick, 1939--based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell)

This film certainly ranks among the best film adaptations of all time. Some changes were made from book to screen--for instance, Scarlett had two children other than Bonnie Blue--but these changes sped up the action and failed to harm the story in any appreciable manner.   The film overcame a change of directors, the difficulty in finding a leading lady, and the reluctance of Gable to play Rhett Butler. Most of the success of this film is due to the persistent and grand vision of producer Selznick.   Despite a slight drop off in the second half, the film manages to emerge as a unified whole, capturing the very essence of Margaret Mitchell's novel.

2. OF MICE AND MEN (United Artists, 1939--based on the novel by John Steinbeck)

Steinbeck's novel has reached the big screen twice. Two others were made for television. Of these, the best remains the 1939 version starring Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. The Hayes Office insisted on changes, but despite these enforced restrictions, much of the dialogue from the novel makes it way into the script.   Director Lewis Milestone captures the spirit of Steinbeck better than any other filmmaker to date

4. THE WIZARD OF OZ   (MGM, 1939--based on the novel by L. Frank Baum)

This is the third and definitive film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz .   Although Baum didn't include the music, the story remains faithful to the book. This is one of those children's classics that works on so many levels that adults can appreciate it as much as children.

5. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT   (MGM, 1934, from a short story "Night Bus" by Samuel Hopkins Adams)

Adams was a prolific author for his time, but today he is almost forgotten.   Most of his story takes place on the night bus, but he includes the famous "Walls of Jericho". Director Frank Capra and screenwriter Robert Riskin took a bare bones story and filled it out to perfection. This remains one of the finest romantic comedies of all times.

6. THE THIN MAN    (MGM, 1934--based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett)

The screen characters of Nick and Nora Charles are not those created by Hammett, yet the film proves to be a delight on every level. The mystery is clever, the humor infectious, the dialogue witty. This ranks among the finest murder mystery films of all times. By the way, in the novel 'The Thin Man' refers to a character other than Nick Charles.

7. THE GOOD EARTH   (MGM, 1937--from the novel by Pearl Buck)

Even though Pearl Buck won the Nobel Prize for Literature, she produced only one enduring novel, The Good Earth .   The rest of her fiction varies between popular entertainment and downright hack writing.   Despite the casting of Anglos in the principle roles, the film retains much of the novel, the locust attack remaining the centerpiece. It won two Academy Awards, including best actress for Luise Rainer.

8. ALICE ADAMS   (RKO, 35--based on the novel by Booth Tarkington)

Katherine Hepburn infuses Alice with all the awkward characteristics of the character, often leaving the viewer feeling mortified at her actions. Fred MacMurray as the beau gives a sturdy performance as does the rest of the cast. If he film had not opted for a happy resolution, it would have ranked much higher on this list.

9. DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK   ( 20th Century Fox, 1939--based on the novel by Walter D. Edmunds)

Screenwriters Sonya Levien and Lamar Trotti kept most of the events from Edmunds' novel, and John Ford captured the spirit that infused the American frontier (in this case, New York State) during the American Revolution. The Indians come across as stereotypical, but that fault resides in both book and film.   In the end, Ward Bond sees the American Flag raised above the fort and says, "So that's what we've been fighting for."   The scriptwriters added this bit of hokum, but they can be forgiven since at that moment the world lay on the verge of a world war

10. LAW AND ORDER     (Universal, 1932--based on the novel Saint Johnson by W. R. Burnett)
Today prolific author W.R. Burnett is almost forgotten in literary circles, but doing the 1930s and1940s he was popular and widely read. Here he retells the events of Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral, although his protagonist goes by the name of Frame Johnson. This proved a hard bitten, realistic look at the Old West, and the finest westerns of the 1930's until Stagecoach .   The film was remade twice, first as a 1940 B western, starring Johnny Mack Brown, the second in 1953 starring Ronald Reagan. Neither followed the Burnett novel as closely the first, and neither matched its power.

THE BLACK CAT     (Universal, 1934 based on the short story "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allen Poe)

The New York Times (May 19, 1934) warned that the film "was not remotely to be identified with Poe's short story."   While this is certainly true, Karloff and Lugosi give fine performances, and the atmosphere is somber and foreboding, much along the lines of a Poe story. In many ways, this film ranks right at the top of the Universal horror cycle and was the studio's biggest hit in 1934.

DESTRY RIDES AGAIN     (Universal, 1939--based on a novel by Max Brand)

The novel concerns Destry who returns to town after serving a prison term for a crime he didn't commit. He extracts his revenge, and in doing so, clears his name. The James Stewart film is heavier on comedy than action, and in the screenplay, Destry is a deputy sheriff who refuses to carry guns until the final reel. A classic western despite tossing Brand in the wastebasket.

FREAKS   (MGM, 1932--from the short story "Spurs" by Tod Robbins)
 
The short story lacks the camaraderie of the sideshow 'freaks' who share a fierce loyalty. In addition, the ending, quite different from the film, brings the title 'Spurs" into sharp focus. The short story's ending is, in fact, more satisfying than the film's. The ending of the film is more horrific but less satisfying. Still, this is an amazing film for its time. The downbeat ending is a real surprise coming from MGM, a studio intent on turning out fluff material and big adaptations of classics. The film runs a brisk 66 minutes and makes the most of its brevity.

LADY FOR A DAY   (Columbia , 1933--based on "Madame La Gimp," a short story by Damon Runyon)
 
This excellent little film directed by Frank Capra is an entertaining rags-to-riches story.   The acting is sharp, especially May Robson as Apple Annie, and Runyon comes alive in every minute of the 96 minute running time. Capra remade the film as Pocketful of Miracles , which ran 40 minutes longer.   He should have left well enough alone.

LITTLE CAESAR   (Warner Bros., 1930--based on the novel by W.R. Burnett)
  
Burnett proved a versatile author who wrote in many genres. Today the film, except for the performance of Edward G. Robinson in the lead appears a bit creaky and dated, but for 1930 this proved a searing indictment of the underworld.

SHE   (RKO, 1935--based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard)
 
This version of Haggard's 1886 novel proved a financial disaster, losing   $180,000. Critics called Helen Gahagan's portrayal of Ayesha lifeless and Irving Pichel's direction leaden.   Yet the film created an atmosphere of suspense and wonder as it stayed close to the novel. Of the many film versions of She , this remains the best and most enjoyable.

SHOW BOAT (MGM, 1936--based on the novel by Edna Ferber)
 
In actuality, this film comes from the Broadway musical based on Ferber's book. The music is terrific, and the rendition by Paul Robeson of 'Ole Man River' is downright surreal.   In many ways this film is superior to the 1951 technicolor production.