The Hot Rock began life as an attempt at a Parker novel:
One day in 1967 I was wearing my Richard Stark hat, looking for a story to tell about my man Parker, and I thought, he reacts badly to frustration, what if he had to steal the same thing four or five times? I started to work it out, then realized the idea was only comic and Parker wouldn’t stand for it. But I still liked the notion, and even–once it was comic–saw how to make it six thefts of the same elusive item. So I’d do it that way.
–From “Meeting John,” Donald Westlake’s foreword to the 2001 Mysterious Press edition
This change in approach resulted in the creation of Donald Westlake’s most famous character, the always-unfortunate John Dortmunder, and what may be Westlake’s best-known novel, The Hot Rock.
The Hot Rock opens with Dortmunder getting out of jail after a four-year stint, and its in these first few chapters that the Parker roots are most apparent (although Parker wouldn’t have been in jail for four years, of course). Like Parker, Dortmunder finds long conversations annoying. Parker’s coldness is transformed in Dortmunder to moroseness. And Dortmunder is no more capable of going straight than Parker is–stealing is what he does. Dortmunder goes directly from jail to discuss the heist of the title object. Getting a real job doesn’t even cross his mind.
Westlake tosses in a few other references to Dortmunder’s roots. A truck needed for one heist is from Parker’s Rent-a-Truck, and a piece of equipment is borrowed from Fun Island, setting of Slayground. Character Alan Greenwood at one point goes by the name Alan Grofield. (He is not Alan Grofield–Alan Grofield doesn’t live in New York, for starters–but he’s most definitely a parody of Alan Grofield.)
But a handful of winks isn’t what kept me glued to The Hot Rock. Rather, it was the beautifully structured and completely compelling novel itself, where Westlake deftly ratchets up each situation to make it more ridiculous and entertaining than the last. The Hot Rock starts a little slowly, but it sure doesn’t end that way.
I should confess here that I’m not a big fan of comic novels. It’s not that I lack a sense of humor; it’s just that comedy in the form of a novel, even a highly-regarded novel, has never worked for me the way great stand-up comedy or a great movie like The Producers does. I don’t know that I’ve ever laughed out loud while reading a novel–a smile is about all the author will get out of me.
Since I’m probably never going to think a novel hits the funny meter higher than “mildly amusing,” for me to enjoy a comic novel it needs to be great as a novel, apart from its comic elements. The Hot Rock certainly is. It’s a stupendously enjoyable book fully deserving of its exalted status in the pantheon of crime fiction.
(Note: The Hot Rock was filmed in 1972, starring Robert Redford(!) as Dortmunder. I saw this movie on cable as a kid, probably my first exposure to anything Westlake, but don’t remember a thing about it except for not thinking it was very funny. I hope to watch it again soon, as I don’t trust the judgment of nine- or ten-year old me. If I made a movie out of it, I’d cast Harrison Page as Major Iko. I kept picturing Iko as Captain Trunk on Sledge Hammer! in any scene where he was talking to Kelp or the gang.
The Hot Rock has also been adapted as a well-regarded comic book. I haven’t read this yet, but hope to soon.)
Warning: Declaration of Social_Walker_Comment::start_lvl(&$output, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker_Comment::start_lvl(&$output, $depth = 0, $args = Array) in /home/violentw/www/www/wp-content/plugins/social/lib/social/walker/comment.php on line 18
Warning: Declaration of Social_Walker_Comment::end_lvl(&$output, $depth, $args) should be compatible with Walker_Comment::end_lvl(&$output, $depth = 0, $args = Array) in /home/violentw/www/www/wp-content/plugins/social/lib/social/walker/comment.php on line 42
I always took Greenwood as Grofield, but believe the Hot Rock happened before the Score (the Score was Grofield’s first appearence if I remember correctly). I just figure he moved from New York between the Hot Rock and the Score in keeping with getting a new identity.
Interesting theory! The Score is the next Parker book I’m planning on re-reading, so I’ll keep that possibility in mind when checking out Grofield’s debut.
Although I doubt the author cared as much about continuity and consistency as geeky fans like me do…
Also both Dortmunder and Parker crossed over with Dan Kearney and Associates.
Yeah, I don’t think Westlake was trying to create a consistent universe as some writers do. It’s not as necessary in crime fiction as in Science Fiction.
For me, the perfect casting for Dortmunder would be William H. Macy. And for Kelp, Edward Norton (the Kelp from later in the series; I believe the Kelp of The Hot Rock is quite a bit older than he seems to be in later Dortmunder novels).
just watched the movie. it is pretty good
The Score came out in the sixties, Dortmunder wasn’t around until the seventies.
I feel the same about comedy novels, they’ve never really made me laugh out loud but I do still get a kick out of them if they’re good. I have let out loud a sort of noise once after reading a particular callous act of Parker’s though. Westlake seems to have certain kind of humor, I can’t imagine them getting it right in a movie nowadays. They’d make it too dumb and slapstick.
I think what Matthew meant is that The Hot Rock was written as a prequel.
I’ve never seen any of the other movies based on Westlake’s humorous books except for Jimmy the Kid (US), but based upon the previews and posters, they all look dumb and slapstick (like Jimmy the Kid).
“I have let out loud a sort of noise once after reading a particular callous act of Parker’s though.” See this piece: http://americareads.blogspot.com/2010/07/humor-writers-favorite-20th-century.html
The actor I would cast as Dortmunder is Denis Leary. He can do that round-shouldered, hangdog, nondescript thing to perfection. I would also pick Steve Buscemi for Andy Kelp and seriously consider Ben Stiller as Murch (How about his mom, Anne Meara, as Murch’s Mom?). I can’t think of who would play Tiny, though.
Good choices for Dormunder and crew. I like Harry Dean Stanton as Dortmunder, but he’s kind of old for the part now, though. The film project Why Me which DEW co-scripted was originally supposed to be a vehicle for Stanton, but I guess the execs didn’t think Stanton had enough star-power to carry the movie, so it eventually went to Christophe Lambert.
The Hot Rock film was pretty good and mostly faithful, but I have a really hard time accepting Redford as Dortmunder. No guy who looks that handsome would ever have a hangdog personality; he’d be getting practically any woman he wanted!;-) lol That film was originally going to star George C. Scott as Dortmunder, and Redford as Kelp. Of course Scott went on to play Dortmunder–renamed Ballantine, after another German beer–in Bank Shot.
I haven’t seen the Hot Rock movie, but if he had to play anybody, shouldn’t Redford play Greenwood?
That would be the most logical, totally. Except Greenwood was transformed into Greenberg in the film and went from being a smooth ladies man/actor to a bumbling Student Radical with a penchant for explosives.