Robert E. Howard's character of Conan the Barbarian and the world he
inhabited is one of the most famous licensed properties in the world. From
comic books to motion picture films to novels and lunch boxes if you can
think of it then chance's are there's a licensed Conan version out there.
Despite my three year long interest in comic books and my obvious love of
motion picture films the character of Conan never really interested me
however that's probably more related to the world he inhabited then the
character himself. Set in a mystical and powerful period of time known as
"The Hyborian Age" Conan was a lean mean fighting machine that destroyed
evildoers and conquered the land. Conan is pure fantasy a genre that has
never really interested me as I prefer stories about realistic events or
concepts that relate to our modern world. However this film is not about
Conan as a character as much as it is about Robert E. Howard the man who
brought him to life.
Novalyne Price (Renee Zellwegger) is young school teacher who has
aspirations of becoming a writer. However luck isn't on her side as she's
been turned down by all the publications she's contacted. To her advantage
her old beau and friend Clyde has a friend named Bob Howard (Vincent
D'Onofrio) who has managed to get a number of stories published in a set of
pulp magazines including "Weird Tales". Once she manages to get an
introduction it's clear that the two share a special bond and over the next
few years what could be considered a unique relationship develops. It's
clear that Robert cares for her though he is unable to commit to a full
time relationship due to his mental state and unsocial behavior. You see
Robert lives a very isolated life away from the hustle and bustle of the
world around him. He rarely leaves the confines of his parents home where
he looks after his ailing mother and spends countless hours writing his
'yarns'. When he does leave it's usually only to hang out with Novalyne
and even then he's reluctant to do so. Though he's not always the best
boyfriend material Novalyne finds herself drawn to the man and the mystery
behind the self proclaimed "king of the pulps".
"The Whole Wide World" is described by it's director Dan Ireland as "a
small film" both in nature and it setting and after viewing it it's hard to
argue with him. Based on the memoirs "One Who Walked Alone" by Novalyne
Price Ellis, Michael Scott Meyers screenplay focuses primarily on a study
of the characters and their romantic journey. Director Dan Ireland takes
the screenplay and creates a lush and beautiful sweeping love story that is
as unconventional as one can get. Despite all the similarities and the
obvious bond they share there is no way in reality that Bob would be able
to overcome his issues to have a normal relationship with the young school
teacher and aspiring novelist. The director knows this but still manages to
create beautiful backdrops for the true to life characters to carry out
their relationship against. The best sequences are the ones that deal with
the couple when they are in pure love without another thought in their
heads. A car ride through the countryside, an outing at the movies, and the
many picturesque sunsets they enjoy together. In addition to the romantic
aspects the screenplay also covers Bob's mental illness and delusions
without taking a softball approach. It's clear that the first priority in
Bob's life is his mother and his stories and that no matter how much he may
love Novalyne she will never come first. There are times when he refuses to
see her for months at a time or even come to the phone to even speak to
her. Yet after all his episodes you can see that his love has never waned.
Another interesting aspect of the screenplay that was touched upon only
briefly was the concept of writing and the different processes people go
through.
One of the key aspects of any motion picture are the performances given by
the talent involved. After all one can often forgive a weak story or a few
missing plot points if the cast is strong. Luckily the cast in "The Whole
Wide World" takes this project to the next level. Renee Zellwegger best
known to audiences from "Jerry McGuire" and "Bridget Jones's Diary" gives
an amazing performance as the free spirited yet strong and independent
Novalyne Price. Renee proved early on that she had what it takes to play
strong female characters in "Jerry McGuire" and gives one of her better
performances in this small unseen gem of a film. This is the best Renee
Zellwegger performance you've never seen. Vincent D'Onofrio currently
appearing on TV in "Law and Order : Criminal Intent" gives his all in a
demanding role that see's him at the verge of a breakdown one minute and
calm and romantic the next. The chemistry between the two stars is good
and the relationship seemed real. If I had to pick a favorite performance
in the film it would be difficult but I think Zellwegger really did a good
job with this role which that she took when Olivia D'Abo (the original
star) became pregnant just before shooting commenced.
"The Whole Wide World" isn't a film about Conan. It's a film about the man
who created Conan and the girl he once loved. Although Robert E. Howard was
misunderstood during his life and after his untimely death, this film
paints a picture of a genuine man who was in love without really even
knowing it. Novalyne's Price Ellis source material lends itself well to the
screen as director Dan Ireland and screenwriter Micheal Scott Reynolds
bring to live the true story of Novalyne and Robert's relationship in this
excellent film.