JD Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye'

Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM

by Gerry Shannon

Author says, in this scenario, Gerry Shannon explores an alternative version of JD Salinger's famous Catcher in the Rye.

In 1949, the feature film My Foolish Heart is released, starring Dana Andrews and Susan Hayward.

It is an adaptation of JD Salinger's short story Uncle Wiggily In Connecticut. However, it gets a poor reaction from audiences, and no less then the fuming author himself - who, having seen it, swears off any future film adaptations of his writings.

My Foolish Heart

However, nearly four decades later he surprisingly relents to an adapation of his most famous work, the novel The Catcher In The Rye, which sees release in 1988, starring John Cusack as teenage anti-hero Holden Caulfield.

Author says, As in real life, My Foolish Heart begins author Salinger's disillusionment with Hollywood.

In 1951, the novel, The Catcher In The Rye, is released.

Written by JD Salinger, it presents a story told in the first-person by teenager Holden Caulfield who has been kicked out his boarding and embarks on mis-adventures in New York city over a few days at Christmas.

Book Release

The novel becomes rather infamous for it's use of profanity and depiction of sexuality and teenage angst, and continues to be banned in high schools across America to this day. A film adaptation by filmmaker John Hughes, and starring John Cusack as Holden, is released in 1988.

Author says, In this scenario, the infamy of Catcher follows as in real life - which is only heightened upon the release of the film adaptation in the late 80s.

In 1987, Hollywood is stunned when Paramount Pictures announces that the adaptation of JD Salinger's famous novel, The Catcher In The Rye, is currently in pre-production.

John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off) is scheduled to both write and direct with young actor John Cusack close to signing to star as the novel's teenage anti-hero, Holden Caulfield.

Movie announced

There have been attempts to film the controversial novel down through the intervening decades since it's release in 1951 - but Salinger had previously swore off allowing any filmed adaptations of his writings following the release of the 1949 film. My Foolish Heart, a botched adaptation of a short story of Salinger's. Members of the world press attempt to contact Salinger's agent or the famously reclusive author at his hideaway in New Hampshire for the reason for his surprising change of mind, but they are unsuccessful.

Author says, The Catcher movie is announced, but author Salinger reason's for allowing it are unknown... at least at this point.

In 1992, in what is his first published work in nearly thirty years, author JD Salinger (pictured) releases the long-awaited sequel to The Catcher In The Rye, entitled... Holden Meets Hollywood. (The title is seen by many as a sarcastic play on the titles of the old Abbot and Costello series of films).

J.D. Salinger publishes Holden Meets Hollywood by Gerry Shannon

The new novel is set nearly twenty years after Holden's previous literary appearance, and sees the jaded and directionless young man suddenly abandon a guest-speaking appearance at his old Pency Prep and sets off for Hollywood with his sister Phoebe and one-time girlfriend, Jane Gallagher. Holden is horrified to learn his brother DB had secretly written a screenplay about Holden's mis-adventures as a teenager in New York one certain Christmas (i.e. the events of the original novel), and resolves to stop the shooting of the production.

The novel is seen by practically all as a savage criticism on the workings of Hollywood and those who revel in celebrity culture, and features thinly-veiled parodies of those who featured in the making of the real-life The Catcher In The Rye film, such as director John Hughes and star John Cusask. As a review in The New York Times perhaps best put it, ... it's almost like Salinger approved the making of the Catcher film in order to set-up this scenario for his new book, as both an inspiration and a monunmental meta-textual joke to the rest of the world. Speaking from the set of his latest film, Breakfast Club Reunion, John Hughes would say to reporters, No, I haven't read it yet... but I'm oddly flattered even it's twice as harsh on me as friends of mine are saying; it's nice to finally hear the very reclusive Mr. Salinger's thoughts on the Catcher movie, as in-direct as it is.

The novel is followed by Salinger's last collection of short stories, The Fall of the Glass Family, published three years later.

Author says, In this scenario, Salinger's reasoning for allowing the Catcher movie are at last revealed (thought you can never tell with the engimatic author) - and a real-life rumoured short story collection is published a few years after.

Steve Payne

Editor of Today in Alternate History, a Daily Updating Blog of Important Events In History That Never Occurred Today.

Imagine what would be, if history had occurred a bit differently. Who says it didn't, somewhere? These fictional news items explore that possibility. Possibilities such as America becoming a Marxist superpower, aliens influencing human history in the 18th century and Teddy Roosevelt winning his 3rd term as president abound in this interesting fictional blog.

Sitemetre

Hit Counter