Book Adaptations Are Pop! Here Are 10 Movies Based On Great Poems (Nos. 1 & 3 Are Not Remembered In The U.S.)

The vast majority of literary adaptations are based on books, and most viewers would probably be surprised to learn that so many popular films were inspired by acknowledged poetic masterpieces. Some of these films you clearly saw as a child, but not all of them, of course.

“The wind will carry us away”

The story revolves around a city engineer who, after coming to the countryside to care for a dying relative, struggles to fit into the local community.

This rather unusual arthouse is considered a masterpiece of Iranian cinema and is based on the poem of the same name by local poet Forough Farrokhzad. The film touches on themes of life, death and the inexorable passage of time, and also sheds light on the contrast between urban and rural life and their values.

“Oh, where are you, brother?”

Comedy-crime drama set in the Deep South in the 1930s. It follows the journey of three escaped ex-convicts in search of hidden treasure while being pursued by a police officer.

And just look at the cast: George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman and Tim Blake Nelson.

The film takes some creative liberties (adding American folklore and Southern culture), but is based on Homer’s Odyssey, considered one of the greatest literary works of all time.

“Set up”

The black-and-white film noir, directed by one of the most iconic directors of the Golden Age, Robert Wise, tells the story of the aging boxer Stoker Thompson, who, despite a series of setbacks, never gives up on his dreams. Things seem to get complicated when Stoker wins a brutal fight with serious consequences.

Praised for its realistic portrayal of the boxing industry and incredible direction, The Set-Up is, oddly enough, based on the 1928 poem of the same name by Joseph Moncure March.