This is genuinely one fo the most insightful pieces I've read on Salinger's cinematic influence. The connection between Seymour Glass and Marty Mauser is particuarly brilliant because it shows how Jewish alienation evolved from tragedy to survivability across generations. I dunno if Anderson would admit it, but the Tenenbaums really are just the Glass family with therapy access. Safdie giving Marty redemption through people instead ofspiritual practice feels like the answer Salinger couldn't find.
It's true - but then he goes on at length in other stories about the wonder of Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" or Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps". He never gave his characters any resolution, so its not surprising he had distaste for scripts that solved everything in 90 minutes.
This is genuinely one fo the most insightful pieces I've read on Salinger's cinematic influence. The connection between Seymour Glass and Marty Mauser is particuarly brilliant because it shows how Jewish alienation evolved from tragedy to survivability across generations. I dunno if Anderson would admit it, but the Tenenbaums really are just the Glass family with therapy access. Safdie giving Marty redemption through people instead ofspiritual practice feels like the answer Salinger couldn't find.
Thank you! Kept thinking of both Salinger and Malamud while watching Marty Supreme.
Incredible write-up. Is it a stretch to add Donnie Darko to this category?
Thank you! No - not at all. That film and a few others I almost included in the write up.
Really brilliant piece, especially enjoyed the part about romantics being born into an unromantic age.
It’s funny as well, Salinger states himself in the first paragraph how much he despises movies.
It's true - but then he goes on at length in other stories about the wonder of Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" or Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps". He never gave his characters any resolution, so its not surprising he had distaste for scripts that solved everything in 90 minutes.
Thank you so much for reading and the thoughtful comment! I absolutely think Salinger would more than recognize people’s modern alienation