Catherine Called Birdy review: Lena Dunham does book-to-film adaptation right

It’s hard to find something in pop culture that most people agree on, but there’s at least one broad statement about the media that rarely starts a discussion. Or maybe an artistic adaptation.What no one seems to agree on is whether it’s better for an adaptation to follow the book faithfully or chart its own course. It seems to be universally despised for anything that changes. Take Jane Austen’s latest Persuasionwhich gives the novel a terrible modern update, transforming Anne Elliott from a somber and wise woman to a witty and sarcastic woman.

For fans of Karen Cushman’s Newbery Honor Award-winning historical fiction Catherine called Birdiewriter-director Lena Dunham changed the book’s ending for the screen in favor of something more contemporary. It may be even stranger to say that they did. Sometimes books don’t play as well on screen as movies do. Understanding that, they updated Cushman’s story to make it more cohesive and compelling as a film. game of thronesBella Ramsey leading the cast Catherine called Birdie is a rare book-to-film adaptation that makes a big change for the better.

[Ed. note: This post contains ending spoilers for the book version of Catherine Called Birdy, and discusses general changes to the plot for the film version.]

Cushman’s 1994 novel is rather dark. Catherine called Birdie is the medieval diary of fourteen-year-old Catherine, the only daughter of an English lord. The book begins as a mere account of her days until her father decides to marry her, after which she spends her time evading suitors, before becoming much older than her. became engaged to a wealthy man in She ran away from home and sought sanctuary with her newlywed uncle, but eventually decided to accept her destiny and not lose her senses once she got married. Notably, her suitor dies in an accident, leaving Catherine to be engaged to a much more age-appropriate son instead.

For young readers Catherine called Birdie It’s like the Dear America or American Girl books – yes, it has a compelling story, but Alsothe book is chock-full of details about a particular time period that might kick-start your fascination with history. From simple chores to more exciting festivals, it also showcases the daily life of a medieval lady.

The mundane aspects of Katherine’s life in the book are particularly appealing to the target audience, middle-aged readers who may not have been exposed to the actual history of this period. As Catherine talks about spinning cloth, keeping birds, attending village festivals, and sharing her thoughts on how various saints were martyred, it’s all part of her daily routine. But for modern readers, it offers a glimpse into an ancient and strangely unfamiliar way of life.

Photo: Alex Bailey/Prime Video

The problem is that while The Daily Chores of a Medieval 14-Year-Old makes for an interesting read, it doesn’t make for a particularly interesting film. Much of the book’s charm comes from Catherine’s spirited voice, and the film’s narration captures part of it, but the film can’t tell its story through narration alone. is. Dunham’s script thus makes Katherine’s impending engagement an earlier and more central plot point.

The biggest change in the movie is that Catherine’s family is much more sympathetic than the one in the book.

This is a tactic employed by the Netflix adaptation. shadow and bonewhich leaves main character Alina behind for the entire episode to focus on her best friend, the tracker Mal (Archie Renault, who happens to play Catherine’s friar brother Edward Catherine called Birdie). One of the biggest criticisms of Maru in the book is that he’s jealous and controlling, but much of that comes from the book’s first-person perspective and is filtered through Alina and her insecurities. However, in the show, Maru’s side of the story is fleshed out, and some of his dialogue and actions read as less aggressive than Alina perceives. and their relationship goes from what feels like a one-sided crush to a beautiful mutual pinning.

of Catherine called Birdie, much of Catherine’s family’s actions are still framed through her narration and perspective. Because when Katherine says something, the audience can see what her parents, siblings, and other people in her life are actually doing. Sir (the wonderful Andrew Scott) is no longer a lazy glutton who squanders and objectifies his family’s money, but becomes a complicated man who loves his family and wants what’s best for them. About his mistakes in wasting and mismanaging their property.

Photo: Alex Bailey/Prime Video

Katherine cannot see the conversations she had with her adviser about marrying her, as she only eavesdrops through the door. But the audience can, and see Rollo’s distressed face as he realizes that the only solution to the family’s financial woes is to arrange the marriage of his only daughter. Dunham chose to make Catherine’s family more complicated for viewers, but it took the initial ending of being perfectly OK with her impending arranged marriage an unsatisfying and uncaring direction. means pulling them back to. So it changes too. The film’s ending is arguably more modern than one would expect in the Middle Ages, but it’s also narratively satisfying. Her family’s involvement is plausible, given how woven it is.

It may be strange for book purists to hear that a changed ending actually improves the story. , can create something else that can stand on its own while keeping the overall feel of the book.of series of unfortunate events For example, the TV series answered a question that author Daniel Handler had left open for years in the series finale. Handler continued to build his Snicketverse with spinoffs and guidebooks, but the TV series is more finite, more satisfying with closure than deliberate obscurity.

Dunham Catherine called BirdieIt’s not a faithful adaptation of the book, but it’s the one that works best for viewers discovering this story on screen. Catherine called Birdie The film tells a tighter story than the book’s fun diary entries tell, and needed more of a final conclusion than a journal that simply ran out of pages. It’s not that the timidity of the cliche ending, or the misguided attempt at “how are you, fellow kids,” was updated to appeal to young people by being “edgy” or “different.” Katherine’s sharp narration and her insight into everyday life in the Middle Ages juxtaposed with a more narratively cohesive conclusion, making the film more powerful. and let Dunham find her own path and audience.

Catherine called Birdie is in theaters now and will stream on Prime Video starting October 7.