Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, television was vastly different for us kids. We had to rely on the local UHF channels for any kind of entertainment. So this column will be covering two movies that were shown ad nauseam on my local TV channel 56, WLVI. We have a book that began as a movie, a book that became a TV movie and a book series that should be made in to movies.

MR. MAJESTYK by Elmore Leonard – For those expecting the Leonard of the dense crime novel, you’re in for a total change of pace. This 1974 book was based on the movie originally commissioned by some actor called Clint East-something. (I think he made a few Westerns and some cop movies.) But he bailed on this, thus treating me to my first exposure of Charles Bronson in the role of Vincent Majestyk.

Let me restate something: This was a screenplay first, and it shows. That is no slag against the book at all – it just reads super-quick, taking me all of 90 minutes. Majestyk is a melon farmer who just wants to get his crops in on time. But then trouble rears its head in the form of some punk ass by the name of Kopas, who tries to muscle in on Majestyk by forcing workers on him.

Majestyk shows his disdain by punching out Kopas, which lands our hero in jail, where he meets Renda, a hired killer for the mob. Some of Renda’s pals break them free, only to screw it up, leading Majestyk to help Renda in the escape, only to try and turn him in. T

Then the book moves into a tale of cat-and-mouse revenge, with Renda wanting to exact revenge on Majestyk, not caring that it’s pissing off his bosses. What it lacks in character development, it more than makes up with Majestyk as a man who won’t back down.

If you’ve read other Leonard books and were always curious about this one, pick it up. Just don’t expect a really complex plot that we’ve been spoiled with before. It feels more like one of his old Westerns, where you see that even in just a few pages, most of Leonard’s stuff blows away his competition.

THE GIRL, THE GOLD WATCH & EVERYTHING by John D. MacDonald – Another movie I saw all the damn time on TV featured the acting talent of that dude from AIRPLANE! and Mindy. Now after all this time, I finally read the 1962 book on which it was based. The movie has the basics down, but leaves out so much more. If you’re thinking the title seems familiar, here’s a brief clip.

Kirby Winter’s rich Uncle Omar passed away, leaving his only heir a gold watch and a promise of a letter to be opened only after a year. But the big surprise is the watch has a special power for its holder: stopping time. But this is not discovered until halfway through the book, after two crooks try to get their claws into Kirby, thinking he knows what his uncle’s edge was in business.

Omar’s former partners discover that he embezzled $27 million, with Kirby profiting from it all. Even when Kirby explains that all the money was just given away, they just don’t believe him. But these are problems Kirby will have to deal with, along with the sudden fame he gains from being accused of the crime.

Throw in a Southern belle whose first meeting with Kirby is the stuff of Penthouse letters, and MacDonald gives us a lighthearted romp with this book. Sure, it seems Kirby is getting the shaft in most of the situations, until he discovers the real reason he was given the watch. Then the fun really kicks into high gear.

The movie cuts out whole characters, but also duplicates several scenes, including Kirby’s final revenge on one of the crooks. If you’re expecting some piece of high art, go read something Oprah suggests. But if you’re in the mood for a light crime with a little science fiction angle, you won’t regret the read.

THE SWEET RIDE by Richard S. Prather – As much as I’ve enjoyed the other Shell Scott books, it saddens me that this 1972 one just meanders a bit too much for my tastes. Maybe it’s because this is one of the later books, but it also plays a bit with time that might throw a few people off, starting out with Shell getting into a huge car crash.

Then it flashes back to the mayor of Newton, Calif., who has a bit of a problem: He’s worried that the local boss is going to run for his office, so he hires Shell to find out some dirt on the guy. This goes on for about 80 pages, taking its sweet time and, to be honest, losing my interest – until the big reveal.

Spoiler warning: Said mayor is actually the crime boss. Yeah, that was a nice little twist. But on the whole, the novel goes from there into typical mystery mode. There are plenty of girls for Shell to go around with this time. Hell, there is a club where all the waitresses are naked.

Again, I got the feeling that Prather was running out of steam with this one. There is nothing to grab the reader. Yes, talk of naked women always perks my interest, but on the whole, stick with the earlier books in the series.

Next time: a bunch of moldy oldies. –Bruce Grossman

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• DANCE WITH THE DEAD by Richard S. Prather
• THE PEDDLER by Richard S. Prather
• A PURPLE PLACE FOR DYING by John D. MacDonald
• RUM PUNCH by Elmore Leonard
• THE SHELL SCOTT SAMPLER by Richard S. Prather
• THE SWITCH by Elmore Leonard