INDECENT PROPOSAL
by Jack Englehard
copyright 1988
Joshua Cantor is a speech writer for what's described as a "corrupt corporation" in the Philadelphia area, married to the gorgeous blond Joan, whose wealthy father comes from the Main Line. Because he doesn't make a huge living, Josh goes to Atlantic City frequently to try to win big. On one such trip, he meets Ibrahim Hassan, a wealthy man from some Arab nation or other, who gambles tens of thousands of dollars or more at a clip; Ibrahim decides that Josh is lucky for him, because whenever Josh is around, Ibrahim wins. Upon meeting Joan, Ibrahim wants to spend a night with her, and is willing to pay them a million dollars for the privilege.
While well written and concise, I found the book distasteful on a number of levels. First, while I understand that some folks enjoy games of chance, I despise anyone who gambles thinking that he will win enough to change his life if he just stays at it long enough. Get out there and get a better job, you bum! I also don't understand a husband even bringing the "indecent proposal" to his wife.
I don't recall the movie making clear that Josh was trying to augment his income to what he thought his wife "deserved" by gambling, but I do recall that the indecent proposal was made by Robert Redford for Demi Moore. I really didn't understand that at all, because Redford was a very handsome man, and pretty brunettes are all over the place. So why did he need to pay for one? At least in the book, the wealthy man was an Arab sheik, for whom gorgeous blondes were nonexistant, so his offer to pay for one, in particular the wife of someone he deemed a "lucky" person, made limited sense.
Still and all, while the book was well written, I didn't much like it. 2.5/5
Maybe a happier review next week!
12 comments:
Thanks for this review. I know to steer clear. Your taste seems to be pretty much the same as mine it seems. Diane
Happy Snowy Thorsday!
I trust your judgement!
I always disliked the premise of the movie, although I have never read the book and wouldn't because of the movie - backwards, I know.
g
WEll You image of the snow is great even if the book was not
Not a movie I had any interest in seeing, but I don't think I ever knew it was based on a book. This won't make it to my 'must read' list.
I am with you. Although I have never read the book the movie turned me off. A good man/husband would NEVER consider the offer.
You are so right -- that movie was so ridiculous I laughed straight through it.
Haven't seen the movie and didn't remember it until you named the cast. Won't read the book either.
Next? ;)
Thanks for the heads-up. Sometimes, "well written" doesn't save the day.
I didn't see the movie. It didn't sound like something I'd like and I'll pass on the book, too. There are too many good reads to waste time with a bad one.
I thought the movie was pretty good. It raised some interesting questions. Primarily, does everybody have a price? At what point do people's values start to crumble? And then, how do they deal with the consequences. But I think I'll pass on the book.
Mango Momma
Post a Comment