Now a Major Motion Picture

A light, easy, and enjoyable read, offering fascinating insights into the making of a film — from financing and casting to directing scenes and actors. At many points, it feels like a ‘play within a play’. The author confidently juggles two or three interlocking plots within the same chapter, and at times the novel reads almost like a screenplay — cleverly done. I especially enjoyed the sections set on location or among the filmmakers. Occasionally, the frivolous tone distracts. I would have liked deeper characterisation and richer description of the settings. Still, it’s an excellent book overall.

It is hard to believe that this cracking page turner is Peter Wise’s first novel, or that he only began writing it in his 70s after a lifetime doing other things. But it was well worth the wait. Consistently intelligent and beautifully written, it reflects a fan’s infatuation with the silver screen, but as he takes us through all the hair-raising convolutions and hiccups inherent in the film-making process, he is never slavish or uncritical, for Wise is too perceptive to confuse what appears on screen with what takes place off it, and knows just how arduous, nay impossible, the business has become; how easy it is to lose the plot and how difficult it is to keep to it; how flannel, bullshit and ego are essential parts of the creative process; indeed, how extraordinary it is that anything ever gets off the drawing board, let alone made, even if the shelf life of a modern movie may be no longer than that of most contemporary novels. Troubadour have done the author proud. The book is well designed, without a single typo or misprint, printed in clear and readable type, and stands up to being bashed about on holiday and read at almost one sitting without a cracked spine or single page falling out. Buy it, enjoy it, and hope the author lives long enough to write a follow up as enjoyable as this.

To laugh is a gift. To laugh uncontrollably when reading the first page – and many other pages – of a novel is a delightfully unexpected gift. Now A Major Motion Picture made me laugh often, and always out loud (because I don’t know any other way to laugh). But it’s also serious – the best combination – about the scrapes we (wittingly or un) get ourselves into, the people who take advantage of us, the dashing of our dreams, falling hopelessly in love and the way(s) we do and don’t survive life’s assaults on our hearts and hopes. I must declare an interest. I’m the author’s other half, so I read Now A Major Motion Picture in an early draft. But it’s many months since then and when I opened my printed copy this morning I began to laugh – and worry for the hero – all over again. Perhaps Wise and I share a sense of humour, but my guess is you’ll find this novel as funny, as poignant and as thoughtful about life’s vicissitudes and delights as I do.