Post 5

When reading this question, my favorite film of all time pops into my head, “The Outsiders.” It was originally a book that was adapted into a movie in 1983, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The original writer of this story was Susan Eloise Hinton, most famously known by S.E Hinton. Susan who wrote the book when she was 15, only used her initials instead of her full name, because the publishers felt that reviewers of the book wouldn't believe a girl had written "The Outsiders." Not only is this book the second best selling children’s book under Charlottes Web, but became a smash hit at the box office as well. Though writing for a script is different then writing for a novel, there were changes that had to be made. Even though S.E Hinton, received most if not all of the credit considering how well known the book is and how she was the idea behind the movie, Kathleen Rowell received the screen credit for writing the film version. However the director Francis Ford Coppola read Kathleen’s version of the script and threw it in the garbage and wrote his own to shoot the film. Kathleen still received all of the credit from the Writers Guild. I guess that is great, a female receiving credit for writing a screenplay, but technically she didn’t write it and I rather a female get credit for something that she did then something that she attempted to do and fool everyone by still putting her name on it, and that’s defiantly the Writers Guild who are at fault. I agree with Coppola for wanting to write his own script, because he stayed true to what Susan wrote and to the book. He consulted her and let her make decision and she made a cameo in the movie (the nurse), and was on set all the time giving input and getting to know the actors. She had a lot of say and I think that, that is great news for her, I just wish originally she was able to share her name with the word and not have to hide it because she is a female. She went on to writing many other famous novel, which also turned into movies, such as, “Tex,” “That was then, this is now,” and “Rumble Fish.”

Personally I find it sad that women feel that they can’t even put their own name on their own works of art, but instead have to hide their identity until their work starts to get recognized. The fact that S.E Hinton who came up with the bases novel which gave spark to this amazing film, had to hide her name or else it would might have not been published or got the recognition that it did, is outrageous to me. Reading these articles about how women have to work under men, or need a man by their side when being an anchor or new reporter is sickening, and to know that now they have to hide their names not be allowed to fully reviled themselves is even more upsetting especially for me being a female filmmaker, and screenwriter.