The Way to Dusty Death
{{Short description|1973 novel by Alistair MacLean}}
{{For|the soliloquy from Macbeth|Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox book
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Alistair MacLean - The Way to Dusty Death.jpg
| caption = First edition cover (UK)
| author = Alistair MacLean
| illustrator =
| cover_artist =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Thriller novel
| publisher = Collins (UK)
Doubleday (US)
| release_date = 1973
| media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
| pages =
| isbn =
}}
The Way to Dusty Death is a thriller novel written by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. It was originally published in 1973. The title is a quotation from the famous soliloquy in Act 5, Scene 5 in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth.
The book was published in 1973 and became a best seller.PAPERBACKS
By Joseph McLellan. The Washington Post and Times-Herald 7 October 1973: BW13.
The Chicago Tribune thought Maclean was writing "as a parody of himself".MacLean on the Grand Prix: A long way from Java Head: The Way to Dusty Death
Cromie, Alice. Chicago Tribune 9 September 1973: f8.
Plot introduction
The protagonist, Johnny Harlow, a world champion Formula 1 racing driver, was in a devastating accident during the French Grand Prix, which caused the death of his best friend, a Californian driver and Isaac Jethou, along with maiming his girlfriend. It is only one of a series of crashes which have dogged the Grand Prix circuit in the past season, one of which led to the death of Harlow’s younger brother.
The crash appears to have completely destroyed Harlow’s nerve, and the boss of the Coronado team, MacAlpine, for which he drives, is torn between wanting to keep his star driver, and concerns that Harlow has turned into an alcoholic.
However, Harlow is playing a role, as he suspects that there is more behind these "accidents" than “acts of God”, and soon finds out that a few people will do anything to prevent him from discovering the truth.
Proposed film adaptation
The story was originally written as a screenplay. It was meant to star Maclean's friend Jackie Stewart and be produced by MacLean's second wife.War Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair
Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 December 1972: p1.{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|pages=179–180}}
In August 1972 Scott Finch said he was going to work on the script to what was then called The Way to Dusty Death.Trail blazer
Linscott, Gillian. The Guardian 8 August 1972: 13. At one stage J. Lee Thompson, who had directed Guns of Navarone, was attached to direct.{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|page=110}}
The novel came out in September 1973 the New York Times declaring "MacLean does not miss one cliche."Criminals At Large
By NEWGATE CALLENDAR. New York Times 9 September 1973: 426. The book became a best seller.Coming of age on a high-school paper
Petersen, Clarence. Chicago Tribune 8 September 1974: f8.
In October 1973 it was reported that filming of the movie version was postponed "indefinitely."Formula won
Dymock, Eric. The Guardian 15 October 1973: 17.
In 1976 Maclean's second wife Mary formed a company with producer Peter Snell, Aleelle Productions, who aimed to make movies based on MacLean novels including Golden Gate, Bear Island, The Way to Dusty Death and Captain Cook.{{cite news|title=Why my husband and I have parted—by Mrs Alistair MacLean|last=Dempster|first= Nigel|date= 19 January 1977|page=13}}
In 1976 Don Sharp was working on the film, with John Gay to write the script, for producer John Gay but they were unable to raise money.{{cite interview |last=Sharp |first=Don |subject-link= |interviewer=
Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson |title=Don Sharp Side 6|work= |date=2 November 1993 |publisher=History Project |location=London |url= https://historyproject.org.uk/interview/don-sharp|access-date=14 July 2021}}
Film rights were taken away from MacLean's wife following their divorce in 1977. In 1979 Peter Snell, who produced the film adaptation of Maclean's Bear Island, said he wanted to film The Way of Dusty Death next.BEAR ISLAND': THE FILM THAT STAYED OUT IN THE COLD ADILMAN, SID. Los Angeles Times 11 March 1979: m6. However the film did not eventuate for over a decade, when it emerged as a TV movie.
TV movie
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| based_on = {{Based on|The Way to Dusty Death|Alistair MacLean}}
| screenplay =
| director = Geoffrey Reeve
| starring =
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $8.5 millionFilmmaker Tax Breaks Are a Hit in Luxembourg: [2 Edition] Buerkle, Tom. International Herald Tribune 8 February 1995: 5.
| network =
| released = {{Start date|1995}}
}}
The Way to Dusty Death appeared as a 1995 made-for-TV movie directed by Geoffrey Reeve starring Simon MacCorkindale as Harlow and Linda Hamilton as romantic interest Marie{{citation needed|date = August 2021|reason = the list below and IMDB have her as Beth}} MacAlpine.
=Cast=
- Linda Hamilton as Beth MacAlpine
- Simon MacCorkindale as Johnny Harlow
- Uwe Ochsenknecht as Gerhard Tracchia
- Anthony Valentine as James MacAlpine
- Serena Scott Thomas as Alexis Dunetskaya
- Tom Burlinson as Ike Jethou
- Olegar Fedoro as Braggi
- Christopher Cazenove as Paul Vincennes
=Production=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.alistairmaclean.com/The-Way-to-Dusty-Death.html Book review at AlistairMacLean.com]
- {{IMDb title|qid=Q26693418|id=tt0131130}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20210925135447/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8113bed4 TV movie] at BFI
{{Alistair MacLean}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Way to Dusty Death, The}}
Category:Novels by Alistair MacLean