The Way to Dusty Death: Difference between revisions
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==Proposed Film Adaptation == |
==Proposed Film Adaptation == |
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The story was originally written as a screenplay. It was meant to star Maclean's friend [[Jackie Stewart]] and be produced by MacLean's second wife.<ref>War Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair |
The story was originally written as a screenplay. It was meant to star Maclean's friend [[Jackie Stewart]] and be produced by MacLean's second wife.<ref>War Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair |
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Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 Dec 1972: p1.</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|page=179-180}}</ref> In |
Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 Dec 1972: p1.</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|page=179-180}}</ref> In February 1972 Stewart said the film was going to be called ''The Hands Are Still Now'' and that he would play a character called Jonnie Harlow, a world champion racer "but there is not much motorracing. It is about drug trafficking and Harlow is a James Bond type hero."<ref>{{cite news|title=Race ace Jackie—film star|date= Feb. 18, 1972|page=11}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Linscott, Gillian. The Guardian 8 Aug 1972: 13. </ref> At one stage [[J. Lee Thompson]], who had directed ''Guns of Navarone'', was attached to direct.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|page=110}}</ref> |
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In August 1972 Scott Finch said he was going to work on the script to what was then called ''The Way to Dusty Death''.<ref>Trail blazer |
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The novel came out in September 1973 the ''New York Times'' declaring "MacLean does not miss one cliche."<ref>Criminals At Large |
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By NEWGATE CALLENDAR. New York Times 9 Sep 1973: 426. </ref> The book became a best seller.<ref>Coming of age on a high-school paper |
By NEWGATE CALLENDAR. New York Times 9 Sep 1973: 426. </ref> The book became a best seller.<ref>Coming of age on a high-school paper |
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Petersen, Clarence. Chicago Tribune 8 Sep 1974: f8. </ref> |
Petersen, Clarence. Chicago Tribune 8 Sep 1974: f8. </ref> |
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Revision as of 04:44, 15 March 2020
 First edition cover (UK) | |
| Author | Alistair MacLean |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Thriller novel |
| Publisher | Collins (UK) Doubleday (US) |
Publication date | 1973 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
The Way to Dusty Death is a thriller novel written by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. It was originally published in 1973. The title is a quotation from the famous soliloquy in Act 5, Scene 5 in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth.
The book was published in 1973 and became a best seller.[1]
The Chicago Tribune thought Maclean was writing "as a parody of himself".[2]
Plot introduction
The protagonist, Johnny Harlow, a world champion Formula 1 racing driver, was in a devastating accident during the French Grand Prix, which caused the death of his best friend, a Californian driver and Isaac Jethou, along with maiming his girlfriend. It is only one of a series of crashes which have dogged the Grand Prix circuit in the past season, one of which led to the death of Harlow’s younger brother.
The crash appears to have completely destroyed Harlow’s nerve, and the boss of the Coronado team, MacAlpine, for which he drives, is torn between wanting to keep his star driver, and concerns that Harlow has turned into an alcoholic.
However, Harlow is playing a role, as he suspects that there is more behind these "accidents" than “acts of God”, and soon finds out that a few people will do anything to prevent him from discovering the truth.
Proposed Film Adaptation
The story was originally written as a screenplay. It was meant to star Maclean's friend Jackie Stewart and be produced by MacLean's second wife.[3][4] In February 1972 Stewart said the film was going to be called The Hands Are Still Now and that he would play a character called Jonnie Harlow, a world champion racer "but there is not much motorracing. It is about drug trafficking and Harlow is a James Bond type hero."[5]
In August 1972 Scott Finch said he was going to work on the script to what was then called The Way to Dusty Death.[6] At one stage J. Lee Thompson, who had directed Guns of Navarone, was attached to direct.[7]
The novel came out in September 1973 the New York Times declaring "MacLean does not miss one cliche."[8] The book became a best seller.[9]
In October 1973 it was reported that filming of the movie version was postponed "indefinitely."[10]
In 1976 Maclean's second wife Mary former a company with producer Peter Snell, Aleelle Productions, who aimed to make movies based on MacLean novels including Golden Gate, Bear Island, The Way to Dusty Death and Captain Cook. [11]
Film rights were taken away from MacLean's wife following their divorce in 1977. In 1979 Peter Snell, who produced the film of Maclean's Bear Island said he wanted to film The Way of Dusty Death next.[12] However the film did not eventuate for over a decade, when it emerged as a TV movie.
TV Movie
| The Way to Dusty Death | |
|---|---|
| Based on | novel by Alistair MacLean |
| Directed by | Geoffrey Reeve |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Budget | $8.5 million[13] |
The Way to Dusty Death appeared as a 1995 made-for-TV movie directed by Geoffrey Reeve starring Simon MacCorkindale as Harlow and Linda Hamilton as romantic interest Marie MacAlpine.
Cast
- Linda Hamilton as Beth MacAlpine
- Simon MacCorkindale as Johnny Harlow
- Uwe Ochsenknecht as Gerhard Tracchia
- Anthony Valentine as James MacAlpine
- Serena Scott Thomas as Alexis Dunetskaya
- Tom Burlinson as Ike Jethou
- Christopher Cazenove as Paul Vincennes
Production
Peter Snell managed to get the film financed as a TV movie. It was made by Delux Productions, a company set up by CLT, owner of the Luxembourg- based TV network RTL. The show was made to be sold in the United States and across Europe. [13]
References
- ^ PAPERBACKS By Joseph McLellan. The Washington Post, Times Herald 7 Oct 1973: BW13.
- ^ MacLean on the Grand Prix: A long way from Java Head: The Way to Dusty Death Cromie, Alice. Chicago Tribune 9 Sep 1973: f8.
- ^ War Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 Dec 1972: p1.
- ^ Webster, Jack (1991). Alistair MacLean: A Life. Chapmans. p. 179-180.
- ^ "Race ace Jackie—film star". Feb. 18, 1972. p. 11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Trail blazer Linscott, Gillian. The Guardian 8 Aug 1972: 13.
- ^ Webster, Jack (1991). Alistair MacLean: A Life. Chapmans. p. 110.
- ^ Criminals At Large By NEWGATE CALLENDAR. New York Times 9 Sep 1973: 426.
- ^ Coming of age on a high-school paper Petersen, Clarence. Chicago Tribune 8 Sep 1974: f8.
- ^ Formula won Dymock, Eric. The Guardian 15 Oct 1973: 17.
- ^ Dempster, Nigel (January 19, 1977). "Why my husband and I have parted—by Mrs Alistair MacLean". p. 13.
- ^ BEAR ISLAND': THE FILM THAT STAYED OUT IN THE COLD ADILMAN, SID. Los Angeles Times 11 Mar 1979: m6.
- ^ a b Filmmaker Tax Breaks Are a Hit in Luxembourg: [2 Edition] Buerkle, Tom. International Herald Tribune 8 Feb 1995: 5.
External links
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