Hollywood has long coveted J.D. Salinger’s 1951 masterwork Catcher in the Rye whichhas sold over 65 million copies and is listed in Time magazine’s top 100 English-language novels written since 1923. Salinger kept a tight grip on Catcher refusing to allow it to become a film, but since his passing in January there has been a groundswell of rumors that a combination of circumstances may finally allow for a film adaptation.
Hollywood’s love affair with Catcher has existed nearly as long as the novel itself. Those wishing to play the young anti-hero protagonist of the book, Holden Caulfield, is a historical leading man A-list including Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Steven Spielberg and Harvey Weinstein have recently had their requests rejected while during his lifetime Salinger said no to many Hollywood heavyweights such as Sam Goldwyn and Jerry Lewis.
A couple of new revelations have folks in tinsel-town hopeful of Catcher making it to the silver screen. Salinger passed away during a year in which federal estate tax was not applicable, there is the possibility that a death tax will apply retroactively causing his estate to take a massive hit financially. There is also a letter Salinger wrote back in ’57 that indicated the rights to Catcher could be sold after his death.
He wrote:
“It is possible that one day the rights will be sold. There’s an ever-looming possibility that I won’t die rich. I toy very seriously with the idea of leaving the unsold rights to my wife and daughter as a kind of insurance policy.”
All of this Hollywood hopefulness may be unwarranted. Publishers of the book told the Daily Telegraph that, “There are no plans to sell the film rights.” Also, Salinger was adamant in blocking this adaptation so it is probable that he made those wishes evident to whomever now controls his estate.
What do you think of the possibility of Catcher in the Rye becoming a film. Is this something you would love to see or do you side with the author when he wrote that his novel was, “unactable?”
