Water for Elephants: Movie & Book Review
Apr 26
There is nothing I love more than a book/movie combo. Something about the characters coming to life in the written word then 
seeing it all being acted out in front of you just sucks me in! As always with a movie made from a book you always have the possibility of being utterly dissapointed by the lack of detail that the movie gives after ready the written counterpart. Another downfall of a book made into a movie is the characters not lining up, in your head you create your own character based on the descriptions that the author gives, your own instincts, people you know that remind of the character etc, seeing the casting directors interpretation may be a disappointment if it doesn’t line up with yours.
About 6 months ago I saw a beautiful trailer for a movie called “Water for Elephants” it absolutely sucked me in with its beautiful imagery, storyline, music and not to mention the beautiful actors. I picked up the book immediately to begin reading it in preparation for the movie coming out, I have to read books before movies, if not I never finish the book.
I absolutely devoured this book about a man Jacob Jankowski, 90 or 93 who is living in a nursing home. Jacob is remembering his life at a young age. The story begins with him at 23 finishing up his last exams at Cornell to become a veterinarian. His education is interupted when his parents are killed in a car accident leaving him with nothing, no home, no money and no hope. He jumps a train in search of a place for work but finds out that the train that he landing on is the traveling circus of “Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth” He quickly learns that traveling with the circus is not the easiest job with a clear caste system in place Jacob is not treated with the respect that he is used to. He spends his first few days shoveling manure until someone realizes that he is tune with the animals and may be able to help with the shows star horse.
Jacob is then appointed the shows vet befriending the shows star couple, August and Marlena Rosenblum. Jacob is instantly infatuated by Marlena and his infatuation grows as they spend more and more time together. You follow Jacob through standard coming of age issues with virginity, lust and friendship. During his friendship with the Rosenblums he becomes very aware of August and his treatment of Marlena. As time goes on the circus acquires an elephant, Rosie, and Jacob and Marlena become very attached to her while August is cruel and hateful to her.
After a heated argument between August and Marlena Jacob and August fight over Marlena’s honor. Marlena then flees to a 
hotel to get away from August where Jacob comes to comfort her, they sleep together declare their love….blah blah blah 
Marlena goes back to the circus avoiding August in an attempt to leave him with Jacob in the coming days. In the climax of the story several workers who have been redlighted from the train come back to release the animals in an attempt to get back at the owners. Jacob is startled when the animals are released and there is a stampede on the circus grounds. He spots Marlena in an altercation with August and witnesses Rosie, the elephant kill August with her foot stake. Jacob and Marlena live happily ever after.
The movie starring Robert Pattinson and Resse Witherspoon was a great adaptation of the book. Ovsioulsy some things were left out as they always are due to time constraints but overall it was a great visual representation of the story. The look of the film, costumes, hair and make up were stunning and Reese Witherspoon & Robert Pattinson’s chemistry actually worked. They made thier love seem forbidden and that was the whole point.
Did you see the movie or read the book? What did you think? Leave it in the comments below or tweet your thoughts to me @mlj2374
-Drama mama out
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