0
0
Billy Wilder’s 1950 noir classic, Sunset Boulevard, is a dark and suspenseful drama—and it’s one of my favorite films. In fact, before reading Ken Bruen’s novel, London Boulevard, I probably would have told you that Sunset Boulevard was sacred ground—not to be desecrated by remakes or revisions. But Bruen’s edgy British thriller proved itself a worthy reimagining of the beloved classic.
After serving three years in prison for a crime that he was apparently too drunk to remember, Mitchell returns to the streets of London, only to find that his best friend, Billy Norton, has gotten himself in deep. The money may be good, but Mitch can tell that Norton’s new boss, loan shark Rob Gant, is nothing but trouble. And once Mitch meets Gant, he knows that it’s best not to get involved.
Distancing himself from his old gang, Mitch takes a job as a handyman for Lillian Palmer, a washed-out stage actress who lives in a huge old mansion with her stone-faced butler, Jordan. It’s an unusual job, though it’s not without its perks. But Gant still wants something from Mitch—and he’s not the kind of guy who will take “no” for an answer.
Inspired by Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, London Boulevard is an intriguing adaptation—one with some pretty considerable changes. As you may have noticed, the main character is an ex-con—not a down-and-out screenwriter—and his role in Lillian’s life has little to do with the big comeback that she’s planning. In fact, the aging actress isn’t the major character that she is in Sunset—though she and her devoted butler do still play a critical part in the story. If you’re a purist, you might be frustrated by the changes. But if, like me, you’re already a little bit leery about remakes of old favorites, you’ll be relieved—because Bruen successfully takes the spirit of Sunset Boulevard and turns it into something that’s new and different…and altogether wonderful.
London Boulevard has all the grit of a down-and-dirty pulp thriller. It twists and turns, and you’ll never really know who can be trusted and who can’t (though it’s probably safest not to trust anyone). It’s the kind of story that Guy Ritchie could have a whole lot of fun with (though, in actuality, The Departed screenwriter William Monahan is already putting the finishing touches on the movie, which is due in theaters in 2010).
Still, the story itself isn’t what makes London Boulevard such a noteworthy novel; it’s the way that Bruen tells it. His prose is like a round of machine-gun fire: quick and sharp and to the point. And though his style is simple and clipped, it’s also strikingly lyrical—heavily seasoned with references to literature, music, and even philosophy. It’s like a work of pulpy poetry—and it’s a sheer delight to read. So if you’re a fan of Wilder’s classic or gritty crime fiction (or, better yet, both), you’ll love this modern twist on an old favorite.
