YPG Book to Film Club Takes to Theaters for a Viewing of The Help
As the summer rendition of the YPG Book to Film Club, 60 members from 24 publishing houses and literary agencies gathered at the AMC Loews 19th Street East 6 (located at 890 Broadway, NYC) on Wednesday, August 24, at 7:00pm to watch the film adaptation of The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, 2009). Published to critical and public acclaim, this book was selected for our YPG Book to Film club by popular vote, and discounted tickets were generously provided to the first 15 YPG responders by Sterling Publishing.
The adaptation, also called The Help (2011), was directed and adapted for the screen by Tate Taylor and stars Emma Stone as Skeeter Phelan, Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark (Oscar nomination), Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook, Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson (Oscar winner for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), and Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote (Oscar nomination).
After the screening, the YPG Book to Film club members traveled to Lillie’s Victorian Establishment to discuss the adaptation over cocktails. The overall consensus was that it was an effective transformation from page to screen (supported by its Academy Award nomination in 2012 for Best Picture). It was noted that certain liberties were taken with the book, particularly with regards to eliminating the multiple points of view and changing the flashback subplot with the elderly maid Constantine, but overall YPG members agreed that the film remained very loyal to the text and the casting was superb.
