Tue 22 Oct 2024
THEODORE STRAUSS – Moonrise. Viking Press, hardcover, 1946. Serialized before book publication in Cosmopolitan, August-September 1946. Bantam #889, paperback, 1951, as Dark Hunger. Stark House Press, softcover, 2024. Film: Republic Pictures, 1948 (with Dane Clark, Gail Russell).
Danny’s daddy was in the noose before Danny got out of the cradle.
Danny’s mother was sick. So Danny’s daddy called the doc. Twas the middle of the night, goddamn it. Said the doc. She’ll be fine til morning.
Cept she wasn’t. So then it was Danny’s daddy made the housecall. Payback. And the noose.
So Danny’s a bit of an orphan, then. With a chip.
Don’t make fun of Danny’s daddy either. So Jerry learned.
Jerry was a dick. His daddy ran the bank. And Jerry drove a cute little trick of a red sportscar or something. Convertible.
And Jerry was a bully. Back in 1st grade when Danny started school, Jerry kicked the crap out of him with the whole school rooting him on.
Danny didn’t forget. So when Jerry, at the big dance, pretty Gilly, the new schoolteacher in tow, starts ragging Danny bout his daddy in the noose, Danny says come on down to the pond and let’s settle this.
And Danny gets him this time. Beats him up but good. Only Jerry won’t give up. And picks up a rock and tries to hit Danny. Only Danny takes the rock away. And hits Jerry. Hard. On the head. Too hard.
So Danny throws Jerry in the swamp. Goes back to the dance and picks up Gilly. And drives her home.
Only murder don’t go away that easy. There’ll be a reckoning, I reckon.
Decent little 40’s noir. Almost said ‘descent’. And it is. But ambiguous. With a strange sort of redemptive end. Where one may want to be caught. For the truth of it. And the peace.
October 22nd, 2024 at 5:50 pm
This is one of only two novels written by Theodore Strauss. His Wikipedia page is here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Strauss
He seems to have best known for a long series of TV documentaries in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, winning or being nominated for several Emmy awards.
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:24 pm
I just found this, in case you or anyone else might be interested:
October 25th, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Moonrise is a film with many virtue and flaws.
But for 75 years it has been mandatory viewing for students of film.
Because of the personal approach of its great director Frank Borzage.
October 26th, 2024 at 1:01 am
Borzage is always an interesting director, not always a successful one, but always interesting. The movie certainly has its points, including a strong performance by Clark and an atmosphere to spare.
November 2nd, 2024 at 10:56 am
Brilliant first chapter. The plot starts with the fight between Danny and Jerry.
Basically a coming of age story– the hard way, but is there any other? — but Danny’s is harder than most. The last line nails the theme down – a little clumsy, but Strauss waits until the last third of the book to show Danny’s realization and struggle over this and this is where the suspense is.
Book very much richer than the movie especially in regards to Gilly’s characterization and that of Billy. Danny’s attack on Billy is seen through Billy’s eyes which makes it that much more effective. Minor characterizations very good, especially that of the sheriff, Clem, but the movie captured these nicely also and Ethel Barrymore’s performance of the aunt superior to the portrayal in the book For the most part the movie follows the plot point by point and uses much of the dialog in the book. What’s missing from the movie, understandably, are the nuances of the internal struggles of the principal characters.
What is also clearer in the book is the dream state Danny lapses into for refuge and how this psychological quirk also constitutes her relationship with Danny — she is unsure of the reason for her attraction to him and much more unsure about who he is and knows that he is withholding a significant portion of his personality and fears from her.
Basically Danny is relying on the dream world and the support of others to get by, but he gradually comes to realize he cannot be the man his father was until he assumes responsibility for his own actions. Mose acts as a conduit for understanding as he does in the movie and the portrayal of the sheriff acts as a counterpoint to the rest of the narrow-minded villagers, who are either rush-to-judgment types or just can’t understand Danny, which is not their fault really since he gives them little to work with.
Bonus round for this book is the portrayal of rural small-town life that never descends into sentimentality, ridicule or stereotyping.
November 2nd, 2024 at 8:24 pm
A great comparison of the book vs the movie. Thanks, Bill! I have access to the movie now, and will give it a try soon. The book will take a little longer.