MARK WIBERG

Yesterday I posted a reaction to what I read on the internets about the film version of The River Why (based on the novel by David James Duncan). I had Googled here and there and didn’t see any mention about a settlement to a lawsuit that was brought between author and producers, so I wrote a bit about ironic that Sierra Club seemed to act a certain way in regards to the author’s property!

Well, thanks to the magic of the internet, a producer from the film, Tom Cohen, found my post and has provided a thorough comment on the original post, stating that the dispute was settled last November. (note to internet: why were you hiding this information?). Here’s some of what he wrote:

Mark:
I read your comments on The River Why film with particular interest because I am the guy that allegedly misappropriated the movie rights to the book. While I sincerely appreciate your interest in and comments on the subject, there are some facts you should be made aware of.
The lawsuit settled informally in August and formally in November 2008. …

The actors are more than aware of the subtle greatness of the novel. They are also aware that the producer, Kristi Denton Cohen, and the director, Matt Leutwyler, have devoted an inordinate amount of time and risked an absurd amount of money to make a film they are passionate about. I hope, when you see the film, that devotion will be apparent.
Your comments have made us rethink the tagline. It’s really difficult to come up with anything that summarizes the book or the film. We are open to suggestion—although ultimately the distributor will decide. Meanwhile, we are changing it to: “You can fish all your life without ever knowing it is not fish you are after.”
Please keep up the commentary.

Tom Cohen

So, if there are The River Why fans out there who read about this dispute and wonder what’s up with it, that’s your answer. I appreciate very much being provided an answer so quickly, when all I was doing was venting/reacting to a few different articles and documents about the filming of one of the best books I’ve read. I cannot say how the filmed version has turned out. Yes, I will probably see it. I am aware that books and film are entirely different mediums and that all one can hope for is that the spirit of the book, along with some of well-written characters, are conveyed. As Tom mentioned, many people, including those who worked on the film, are aware of the specialness of this book. Hopefully this translates to the film. If I think of a tagline, I’ll let them know.