MovieChat Forums > The Joy Luck Club (1993) Discussion > rose and ted (poss spoilers)

rose and ted (poss spoilers)

posted 19 years ago by silver_noodle
4 replies | jump to latest

can anybody shed some light on why the story of ted and rose was so altered in the film than to the book? the film kept pretty much to the original story except in this one instance,
the film showed that after ted took rose for granted, and they had that fierce and moving scene in the garden, and then they got back together, whereas in the book there is a much stronger ending with rose, discovering ted's sly reasoning, turns it on its head and gets a come-uppance.

i cant understand why the director wouldnt of wanted to stick with this plot.

any suggestions?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] silver_noodle 18 years ago

thanks for (kind of) answering my question

[–] ingemund 18 years ago

I think it's because, from the standpoint of movie-making, it was easier to dramatize it this way than in the book.

Because in the book... let me get out my copy... " 'You can't just pull me out of your life and throw me away.' I saw what I wanted: his eyes, confused, then scared. He was hulihudu. The power of my words were that strong."

It's very powerful in the book, but, while I give the actors in the movie lots of credit, it would've been trickier to dramatize. I think the scene as Amy Tan wrote it in the movie is more dramatic for the movie.

Plus you gotta have at least one white guy in the present who isn't an antagonist, ha ha.

[–] silver_noodle 18 years ago

you are right i guess, it probably wouldnt have come across with the same feeling as in the novel, i guess im just a little disapointed as its one of the most sinsearly empowering pieces of the book.

and yes, having at least one spouse that isnt a antagonist keeps it nicely rounded off!