Birmingham Author’s Book Hits the Big Screen

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2018/10/Don_Keith_for_web.jpg
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:28:"The file could not be saved.";}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => error
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1152;s:6:"height";i:648;s:4:"file";s:29:"2018/10/Don_Keith_for_web.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"Don_Keith_for_web-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Don_Keith_for_web-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Courtesy Don Keith
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1647215778 
1540533628

A new thriller opens in theaters today. It’s about an American submarine captain on the hunt for a U.S. submarine in distress. Soon, a group of Navy Seals has to rescue the kidnapped Russian president to avert World War III.  The film “Hunter Killer” features some big names including Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. It was adapted from Birmingham author Don Keith’s novel, “Firing Line,” which he co-wrote with George Wallace (not the former Alabama governor). Keith spoke with WBHM’s Andrew Yeager.

Interview Highlights

 

Concerns about having his book adapted by others:

“Hemingway said it best. He said if you sell your book to the movies, cash the check and go away. I certainly understand that. The good news for us is even though the book, it’s 692 pages, they condensed it down to a two hour and one minute movie. Obviously they can’t do the whole thing. So they did leave out three other subplots, but they did stick primarily to the plot …

“We were concerned. [Keith’s co-author] George [Wallace] obviously being a former submariner, he did not want to get ridiculed by his submariner buddies. But it was also important to me and to him, too, that this be an accurate portrayal of what life is like on a submarine, what it’s like for the guys who volunteer to do some rather interesting duty.”

On writing now that his book has become a movie:

“I still try to go by my own prescription when I tell writers who ask that you really shouldn’t write a book, a novel or a nonfiction book, with the idea that this would make a movie and I’m going to do this because that’s what will help sell it to the film industry. I still think you have to just tell a story. To me the perfect story is an average person who is placed in an unusual situation and who does remarkable things. If you do that, it’s going to work in a book. It’s going to work in a short story, a TV show or a movie.”

What it means to have his book become a movie:

“I’m actually numb because even to see the trailer or some of the featurettes that have been running on HBO and some other places, to see these big-time actors — Gary Oldman, he’s playing a character that I created and gave the name to and gave a personality to, not exactly like it was in the book. But still, to see last year’s best actor mouthing words that I wrote and have the nameplate on his desk that I created, it’s an odd and good feeling.”

 

Donatella Versace to step down as brand’s chief creative officer after nearly 30 years

Donatella took over the brand after the murder of her brother, Gianni Versace, its founder, in 1997. Her bold creative vision and unique style have been instrumental in preserving the Versace legacy.

As global tariff tensions rise, here’s the latest on U.S. trade with top partners

President Trump has upended global markets by imposing tariffs on imports from several of America's top trading partners. Here's what to know.

A man says his stepmom locked him in a room for decades. He escaped by setting a fire

Police in Waterbury, Conn., allege the man's stepmother locked him in his room with limited food and water for over 20 years, until he started a fire using hand sanitizer, printer paper and a lighter.

Trump plans to visit the Justice Department Friday, a rare move for a president

The president is planning to give remarks on "restoring law and order," according to the White House. Trump has vowed to end "weaponization" of the DOJ after having been investigated himself.

Senate Democrats face major dilemma: help GOP pass funding bill or trigger shutdown

The government runs out of funding Friday at midnight, leaving Democrats to decide whether to help Republicans pass a bill to avoid a shutdown or block the bill and be blamed for triggering one.

Thousands of fired federal workers must be offered reinstatement, a judge rules

Thousands of probationary federal employees fired by the Trump administration must be offered job reinstatement, a judge in San Francisco has ruled, because they were terminated unlawfully.

More Arts and Culture Coverage