There are obvious differences of the film The Glass Key compared to the novel. One of the main things that the film lacks is complexity. As Dr. Campbell said earlier in class, Hollywood simplifies the emotions. The film has a semi-hero with Ed but his character is not nearly as complex as Ned is in the novel. Ned is much more hard-boiled than Ed. We only truly see one of Ed’s faults at the beginning of the film when he rolls dice once. Gambling is a vital part of Ned’s character and the screenplay adapter just tapped the surface. Instead of Ed getting involved for the money, he gets involved for the woman and somewhat for Paul’s sake.
One of the most disturbing parts in the novel is when Ned, after being brutally beaten, finds razor blades and attempts to kill himself. The film had a similar scene, but instead of killing himself he uses it to tear the stuffing out of the bed to light it on fire. Instead of being desperate and suicidal, he’s MacGyver. It’s obvious that Hollywood was not prepared for that, which is why I’m actually in favor of a remake being made.