Les chemins de la liberté

This movie is an example of a movie destroying a beautiful story in an attempt to market it to please everyone. TROTC, the book, was a gorgeous 'boys story' about Danny, journeying from boy to man. The film revolves around his relationships with his best friend, Prunty, and his father. While the father remains intact in the film, Prunty is transformed from a heroic, sexual, powerfully built, deceptively savvy man to a neutered town idiot.

In the novel, the women were in the periphery: Danny's mother is dead in the beginning. His love interest is a bland but beautiful girl from the good side of the tracks. Danny is an awkward, gangley teen with bad skin who has no chance with the beautiful girl, but gets her anyway due to his heart and personality.

The movie switches the roles. Danny, still a great personality but now he looks like a Calvin Klein model. The girl, still a bland personality, but now she is equally bland looking. But she gets Danny. Why? The movie gives no clue.

My guess: the story was changed because the film is now aimed at teenage girls who want to see a plain girl with no personality get the super-hunk. Prunty was neutered so he didn't threaten the girls chances. Why switch the action from the 1950s to 1990s? I guess the target audience couldn't have coped with working their brains.