Book Review: Marathon Man by William Goldman

”Is it safe?” Who can forget that immortal line coming out of the late Laurence Olivier’s mouth in the movie based on William Goldman’s book, Marathon Man?

Olivier’s psychotic Nazi dentist is one of the great villains of the screen. If ever a character epitomizes the secret fears we hold for a profession, this is it. Olivier tearing at the nerves inside Dustin Hoffman’s mouth served to scare thousands out of the dentist chair for years.

The book on which the movie was based is an easy to read, page-turner thriller. Goldman knows how to write sparingly and judiciously. He writes like a master craftsman, knowing the story he wants to tell and how to get there in the most straightforward manner. This is marvelous if you’re looking for an easy to read page-turner to lay beside your bedside table, less so if you want something meaty to chew on.

The story is about a young college student and marathon runner, Babe, who gets caught up with international assassins, and one Nazi on the lam. There’s lots of cool killer-for-hire, secret spy stuff going on, a little romancing and one gruesome anti-dentite scene.

The problem there is that I kept thinking about the movie and not paying attention to the book. It’s a well-crafted book, for sure, but it’s really hard to beat Sir Laurence as a psycho Nazi dentist looking for diamonds.

I have a habit of reading books that later become movies, or reading books after watching the movie it’s based on, or reading a book just before I see a movie. I’m not really sure why. I guess I like books that are good matches for the silver screen, and really like movies to the point of wanting to read more about them, get more in depth. It kind of spoils the surprise of a book or a movie when I have consumed its counterpart, but for whatever reason I do it a lot.

Article Author: Mat Brewster

Mat Brewster is a periodic ex-pat wondering if he'll ever find a home. You can find him musing on pop culture, and obsessing over concert bootlegs at The Midnight Cafe.

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