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grah11
Reviews
The Pearl (2004)
A fine adaptation
A novella like "The Pearl" requires some fleshing out and consolidation in order to make it meet the demands of a movie adaptation. I found the portrayal of Richard Harris's doctor as the villain of the piece a very satisfactory way of putting a face to the cause of Kino's problems. In the book, he's attacked by shadowy types, and you're never certain just who they are. That's fine in a book where you can go back and look for clues, but not so good in a movie. In the book, the clues point to the doctor as the source of at least the first attack, so it makes sense to give the doctor the position of head pearl - buyer too. I appreciated the presentation of the head beggar as a sort of Greek chorus. Like the book, it showed that there were people worse off than Kino, and unlike the book it showed that just because you're poor, it doesn't make you a greedy so - and - so like the doctor. The cinematography emphasised the beauty of Kino's home, and the music, while not the most inspired in the world, suggested aptly what was going on around Kino, just as it does in the book. Someone criticised the glowing pearl elsewhere on this site. In the book Steinbeck says that the pearl "cozened" Kino's mind, and I believe that the "magical" pearl that we see represents this idea well. As for the ending - it's a movie! Also in the book there is a hint of triumph about Kino and Juana's return to La Paz - people are afraid to mess with them now because of the "pillars of sorrow" that metaphorically tower above them, and Kino at last has his rifle, albeit at a terrible price. Overall, I recommend that students who enjoyed the book watch this interpretation and consider some of the decisions made by the director. Doing so will enhance your understanding of Steinbeck's novella.