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The Naked and the Dead (1958): Film vs Book

Film · 1958 · Directed by Raoul Walsh · Starring Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson

About the film

A platoon fights on a Pacific island and the men reveal their hidden selves.

How close is it to the book?

Loosely based on the book

The film tones down the book's rough language and some of its politics.

Read or watch first?

The novel is raw and ambitious, with many voices.

What the book gives you

The Naked and the Dead cover

The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer

An absorbing, realistic story of a platoon.

Who will like it: Readers who like big, gritty war novels.

Watch on AmazonBack to the book