This is the second or third reading for me of James M. Cain’s “The Postman Always Rings Twice”. I’ve probably seen the Nicholson/Lange movie several times as well. I am always amazed when I am re-reading a book that even a few scenes or characters have been forgotten about – not because they were unimportant or even secondary to the story, it is just that other characters and scenes stood out so much in my prior readings.
“The Postman Always Rings Twice” has now become a important American novel about adultery, forbidden love, and, quite possibly, murder. If you’ve never read the book and only seen the most recent film adaptation of the book, you should give it a read. Especially since Nicholson was absolutely the wrong choice to play the drifter and bum, Frank Chambers, read the book and let the writing and your imagination paint a picture of Chambers.
One of the things I find quite amazing about so many first novels is that some can be so damn good. Cain’s first novel is fantastic and never disappoints.