The Devil Wears Prada

It is usually the case that “the book was better,” but not in the case of The Devil Wears Prada.

Actually, the novel and the film are very similar, and the film is a rather faithful rendition of the book.  However, the end was subtly different, resulting in a profoundly better story.

The Devil Wears Prada (the novel) is the story of a girl who gets a job that is unreasonable and essentially impossible.  It gets crazier and more difficult, until finally she quits.

“The Devil Wears Prada” (the film) is the story of a girl who gets a job that is unreasonable and essentially impossible.  It gets crazier and more difficult, until finally she masters it, and then she quits.

The book is a detailed depiction of a crazy job.  The film is a story of personal and professional growth.  In the book, the conflict is resolved by quitting.  In the film, the conflict is resolved by growing to meet the challenge.  Then she grows some more by realizing the job is stupid, and she quits as a moral choice.  All they really changed was the end, and that only slightly, and yet it completely recast the meaning of the entire story.