The book was amazing. If you know the history, you'll know that Berendt wrote the book initially as a travel guide, wound up getting to know the Savannah natives, then, oops--one of them is indicted for murder.<br /><br />The transfer to film was painful. Romance was added that didn't need to take place, characters sat on the jury that would have NEVER gotten past a competent DA who could object, and several trials were condensed into one.<br /><br />And, it's never a good sign when The Lady Chablis is WAY too old to play herself. She was supposed to be in her twenties when the story takes place. She looked every bit the 40's she was at the time of filming, and I have to say that she came across less funny than she did when I envisioned her character in my mind while reading the book.<br /><br />If you love the movie--great. If you've read the book, you'll hate it.