Lillian Gish is, unquestionably, one of the most significant stars of the silent film era. But one of her greatest performances from the era was in the last silent film she appeared in: The Wind, released in 1928. The Wind was an adaptation of Dorothy Scarborough’s novel by the same name, first published in 1925. This is very much a book that was meant to be turned into a silent film. It’s full of evocative writing that effectively captures the feelings of isolation and loneliness that Letty experiences while attempting to adjust to life on the range and the sheer desolation of her new home. It’s a very specific type of atmosphere that the artistic style of silent film captures magnificently. But how faithful is the movie to the source material?
Book & Movie Differences
Overall, the film version of The Wind stays pretty true the original novel. While the movie doesn’t follow the book exactly, it’s about as faithful as book-to-film adaptations get. By far, the most significant difference between the book and the movie is the ending. (I hesitate to call discussing the ending a spoiler since the version that airs on TCM begins with an introduction by Lillian Gish in which she discusses the ending. However, if you would like to avoid reading about the ending, you may want to come back and finish reading this later.) The film version ends on a much more optimistic note for Letty than the book does, and it ends up becoming a story of resilience with hope for a happy future between Letty and Lige. In the novel, Letty surrenders to madness and runs away into the desert.
The book also frames the marriage between Letty and Lige a bit differently than the movie does. In both cases, it’s very clear to that Letty ultimately agrees to marry Lige because she needs a way to get out of Beverly and Cora’s house. But in the book, Lige is forced to face the truth about his marriage in very dramatic moment that happens later than what is seen in the movie.
Is the Book Worth Reading?
Dorothy Scarborough’s The Wind falls into the category of being a book that made an impact when it was first published, but doesn’t get discussed as much today. And that’s too bad, because it’s a good book. This book is all about atmosphere. One thing you don’t see depicted in the movie is Letty’s memories of her life back in Virginia, but I really liked how effectively Scarborough was able to contrast the hostile environment Letty experiences in Texas to the lush landscapes, full of life, she remembers from home. It is most decidedly not a light or uplifting read, but it does an excellent job of capturing the unadulterated hopelessness of Letty’s situation.
This review is part of the 2024 Classic Film Summer Reading Challenge hosted by Out of the Past. For more reviews on books related to classic film, be sure to follow the #ClassicFilmReading hashtag on social media.
