Somerset Maugham and the Cinema

Calder (emeritus, English, Univ. of Saskatchewan; A Hero for the Americas) examines Hollywood adaptations of the works of W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965), who was one of the most widely read authors of the first half of the 20th century. His prolific output included nearly 20 novels, 32 plays, more than 100 short stories, and several nonfiction works, often centered on the strains and stresses on society and the individual. He never ventured into screenwriting, but his popular works were highly sought by film producers, although the subject matter (sex; marital infidelity) often hotly conflicted with the film industry’s Hays Code. Calder examines the Maugham adaptations—there were at least 39 between 1920 and 1960—and discusses how screenwriters had to revise the stories to appease the censors. One of Maugham’s most famous short stories, “Rain,” about a missionary’s determination to reform a sex worker, was adapted three times, with Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, and Rita Hayworth in the starring role. There’s also the Bette Davis–starring The Letter and recent adaptions of The Painted Veil and Being Julia.