This article contains spoilers for “One Battle After Another,” now screening in theaters. Since its development, rumors have circulated that Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film would be an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland.” Anderson, a long-time admirer of the post-modern author, previously adapted Pynchon’s 2009 novel “Inherent Vice” into a film in 2014. His interest in creating a cinematic version of “Vineland” has been well-documented, and during a recent Q&A session following an early screening of “One Battle After Another,” Anderson confirmed, “I struggled for years to try to adapt it.”
As “One Battle After Another” premiered, audiences familiar with Pynchon’s complex narratives can finally provide their insights. Notably, the film credits read, “Inspired by the novel ‘Vineland’ by Thomas Pynchon.” While this seems definitive, the term “inspired” is quite telling. As Anderson elaborated during the Q&A, “I loved that book. I loved it, and I loved it so much that I thought about adapting it. But the problem with loving a book so much when you go to adapt it is that you have to be much rougher on the book to adapt it. You have to kind of not be gentle.”
Consequently, while “One Battle After Another” retains certain elements from the novel, it also omits or alters many aspects. The film’s characters serve as the primary connection to Pynchon’s work, even though their names have been changed significantly.
The film’s characters have identifiable parallels to those in “Vineland.” For instance, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob Ferguson closely resembles Zoyd Wheeler, the protagonist of “Vineland,” portraying an ex-revolutionary living out his retirement in northern California. Bob’s daughter, Willa Ferguson (played by Chase Infiniti), echoes Zoyd’s daughter, Prairie Wheeler. The estranged mother, Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), represents Frenesi Gates from the novel, while Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) mirrors the book’s antagonist, Brock Vond.
Throughout the film, Bob and Zoyd exhibit paranoia stemming from their revolutionary pasts, both missing their respective partners and fearing for their daughters’ safety. Willa and Prairie share a skeptical view of their fathers’ fears but gradually come to understand them as their past begins to resurface. Furthermore, both the film and the book introduce intricate love triangles involving Bob, Perfidia, and Lockjaw, alongside Zoyd, Frenesi, and Vond.
However, a notable difference exists between the dynamics. In “Vineland,” the romance between Frenesi and Vond is portrayed with depth and sincerity, whereas the relationship between Perfidia and Lockjaw in “One Battle After Another” is depicted in a more surface-level manner. This distinction highlights a broader divergence between Anderson and Pynchon as storytellers. Pynchon’s characters often serve as archetypes that expose societal themes, whereas Anderson’s characters reveal profound emotional depth and growth.
The narrative structure of “One Battle After Another” diverges significantly from Pynchon’s intricate storytelling. While both plots center around an ex-revolutionary compelled to return to action after his daughter is kidnapped by a former enemy, the film adopts a more straightforward action-oriented approach. “One Battle After Another” presents a rescue narrative where Bob strives to save Willa while she uncovers her parents’ histories.
In contrast, once Prairie is kidnapped in “Vineland,” Zoyd becomes almost secondary to the story. The novel shifts largely into flashbacks that explore Prairie’s discovery of her mother’s revolutionary past and her complex relationship with Vond, leading to an ambiguous conclusion. Whereas Willa in the film actively fights for her freedom and reunites with Bob, the ending of “Vineland” leaves readers with an unresolved sense of chaos and uncertainty, remaining true to Pynchon’s signature style.
The contrasting conclusions of the two narratives reflect their distinct settings. Pynchon’s “Vineland” unfolds in an alternate reality where southern California seceded from the U.S. during the 1960s, presenting a satirical critique of America’s cultural shifts from the ’60s to the ’80s. The novel illustrates the failure of the hippie revolution and the disillusionment of its followers, personified by Zoyd, who embodies the struggles of a 1960s idealist two decades later.
In contrast, “One Battle After Another” lacks the overt allegorical elements of the novel. Although the film features a sixteen-year leap in its timeline, it refrains from making broad statements about the socio-political landscape. Instead, its setting feels contemporary, eerily reminiscent of imminent future scenarios. The chilling depictions of modern American politics, including government raids and aggressive immigration policies, resonate with today’s climate, reflecting real-world issues that parallel Pynchon’s original narrative.
Ultimately, “One Battle After Another” serves as a more accessible and entertaining adaptation of Pynchon’s dense and intricate work. Anderson, recognizing the challenges of bringing “Vineland” to the screen, chose to extract elements that resonated with him personally. The result is a thought-provoking film that retains the essence of Pynchon’s themes while offering a contemporary narrative experience.
As audiences navigate the complexities of both “One Battle After Another” and “Vineland,” they are reminded of the delicate balance between adaptation and inspiration. While the film may not serve as a direct representation of Pynchon’s novel, it successfully captures the spirit of the original work, providing viewers with an engaging cinematic journey.
