Eyewitness (1981) Novelization

Written by John Minahan.  The film was written by Steve Tesich and directed by Peter Yates.  It starred William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Plummer and James Woods. 

This is not your typical novelization. It's written in the first person from the main character's perspective (William Hurt) and uses what could be described as a method-acting approach. The opening chapters are a deep dive into everything about the main character and is so divergent from the final film that I initially thought that the author used an early, radically different version of the script. The first-person narrative imposes changes on the story, as the book only recounts what the main character experiences. As a result, some scenes featuring Sigourney Weaver's character are omitted; they are covered in dialogue later to maintain continuity. The book eventually veers into the lane that aligns more closely with the final film. This was an interesting approach and it made me want to see the film again.

From the back cover:

If he had seen the killer, he'd know why the killer wants him dead.

EYEWITNESS.

Daryll Deever didn't see a thing that night. But whoever brutally snuffed out the diamond dealer in Daryll's building obviously thinks Daryll knows too much. So do the police. The only thing Daryll does know for sure is that his best friend had a strong motive for murder. But if his friend did do it, why does he also want to get rid of Daryll? And why resort to such sadistic means? The one hope left in Daryll's life now is TV newswoman Tony Sokolow. And Tony is closer to the killer than she thinks. So very close, in fact, that his next move will bring him near enough to kill again.

Hanover Street (1978) Novelization

Amid war-shattered London, three extraordinary people play out their lives in a haunting novel of love, passion and violence...Halloran, the reckless American bomber whose fiery affair with the Englishwoman gave him something to live for. Sellinger, the mild-mannered British agent who risked his live trying to prove himself to his wife. Margaret, the woman they both loved. Beautiful, brave, unforgettable--she was torn by her desire for the two men.

***

Written by Maureen Gregson, based upon a screenplay by Peter Hyams.  This is a good novelization for a film that has a good cast—Harrison Ford, Christopher Plummer and Lesley-Anne Down—and a great music score by John Barry. The screenplay by director Peter Hyams is the weak link here, with some major plot points poorly handled. There is also a tonal problem with the film, as it wobbles unsatisfactorily between old-fashioned love story and action film. 

Still, the film is not uninteresting. Harrison Ford shows glimpses of the action star he would become.  The bombing raid sequences are well done via miniatures.  The film obviously had a big budget and it looks like it all made it on the screen.  Despite its faults, it still makes us care about the lead characters.

The novelization fleshes out much more than the movie can, and as a result the story plays out more naturally. We learn more about everyone, and war-time London is described with reasonable realism. The script's big issues are still weak here--Harrison Ford snapping on his final flight still seems awfully unmotivated, for instance--but I ended up liking the novel more than the film. Your mileage may vary, of course.