John O'Hara;s writings, and there are many, seldom got translated to film well. Ten North Frederick and A Rage to Live are other efforts that are not worthy of the novels. O'Hara had better luck on the stage with plays like Pal Joey but his great novels just were just too big and detailed to make the move. He had a hand in the screenplay for this movie so he does share some of the blame. His great success as a writer flows from his great knowledge of the U.S. and its sexual mores in from say 1900 to 1920. This is a time when people apparently did not have sex but O'Hara makes it plain they did and made an effort to do so. Recommend his writings but the films failed and that is just so tragic. A critic once wrote that O'Hara's novels are like huge ancient ruins that when stumbled upon, the discover can not determine why they were built. That remark was written about 20 years after his death just about the time that all artists fall out of favor before their merits are rediscovered and the value of their work is confirmed.
Review of From the Terrace
