Whilst not a Narnia movie, I was intrigued to find out today that Guillermo Del Toro's latest movie is an adaptation of a book called "Nightmare Alley" by William Lindsay Gresham (the father of Douglas Gresham).
I can't say that I'm at all familiar with any of Gresham's work (to be honest, I probably wasn't even aware that he was a writer) but the film looks really interesting.
Del Toro is is probably one of my favourite directors and the film has an all-star cast, so I'll probably check it out regardless, but I was wondering if anyone here could shed some more light on it?
The film is not out in the UK till the end of January 2022, but I think it's already been released in the US.
Has anyone seen the film? Is anyone familiar with the book or William Gresham's wider work as writer?
Also, did Douglas Gresham have much of a relationship with his biological father? I presume he wouldn't have been as involved with the production of this movie as he was with the production of the Narnia movies.
Topic starter
Posted : December 29, 2021 12:07 pm
Bill Gresham was not a good father; he was abusive, a heavy drinker, violent, and unfaithful to his wife.
He visited Doug in 1960, shortly after Joy's death, and Doug described their relationship as cool and unemotional. Bill died in 1962.
His two novels were his best writing, I believe. This book was made into an earlier film starring Tyrone Power.
You can read a stronger description in Doug's book Lenten Lands.
Bill had a second family after remarriage, so I think if anyone took an interest in this film it would have been from that family.
There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.
"...when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."
Posted : December 29, 2021 4:46 pm
icarus liked
Yes, by all accounts William Gresham was a very troubled individual who led a somewhat sad and tragic life, beset by frequent problems with alcoholism and other mental health issues.
However I think there is something oddly fascinating in the duality of the two men Douglas would have as his fathers. Both naturally talented writers with a great gift, however whose personal choices saw their lives and their careers take such contrasting and divergent pathways.
The blog "A Pilgrim In Narnia" published a really interesting essay the other week comparing the work of Gresham and Lewis which is well worth a read if anyone else was keen to know more, as well as a review of Del Toro's movie itself:
https://apilgriminnarnia.com/2021/12/28/gresham-lewis-connor/
Topic starter
Posted : December 30, 2021 5:23 pm
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