Book	DVD

Nobody's Fool

Novel by Richard Russo

Film starring Paul Newman

Directed by Robert Benton (1995)

The setting for Richard Russo's book, Nobody's Fool, is the small town of North Bath, in upstate New York. The themes explore the lifetime effects of abusive, kind, and indifferent family relationships of husbands and wives and the children of these parents.

The primary story is about the trauma sixty-year-old Donald (Sully) Sullivan suffered from the beatings administered by his drunken father on his mother, his brother and himself.

A major effect of his youthful beatings by his father was to instill a refusal to surrender in Sully. This characteristic revealed itself throughout his life with good and bad results. It gained him celebrity status in his high school football career. His coach said if he had ten more players like Sully, the team could win the state championship. The same trait kept his later life in turmoil.

Integrating different families with different social backgrounds, Russo, with his usual wit and clever dialogue, portrays the humorous and sad relationships with the cascading effects on individuals, families and society.

Each character is stuck in someone else's reality. Each is restricted from all but the most basic personal action. All appear to be victims of circumstances beyond their control. With experience, Sully and his landlady (his former eighth grade teacher) find their release.

The reader is so enchanted by the characters and their stories that he laughs and winces in rhythm with each undulation of their lives.

Paul Newman starred in the 1995 movie made from the novel. Robert Benton wrote the script and directed the film. In addition to Newman, the cast included Jessica Tandy, Bruce Willis, and Melanie Griffith.

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