Atlas Shrugged



Ayn Rand's masterpiece Atlas Shugged is being made into a movie.

I learned of this project via Betsy's Page who linked to this information chocked post by Robert Bininotto. From that post I learned that Angelina Jolie has been lined up for the Dagny Taggart role which means Brad Pitt will also be associated with the film. The IMBD site has Pitt listed for the role of John Galt. I agree with Robert Binidotto that Pitt would make a great Ragnar Danneskjold but I disagree with his choice of Russell Crowe for John Galt. I think that role should go to an unknown so that people will ask "Who is that actor?" Just as in the book everyone always asks "Who is John Galt?"

I first read Atlas Shrugged during the summer of one of my college years. I was staying at a friend's cottage at Tricky Pond up in New Hampshire and once I picked up the book from their library - I was hooked (well that's not quite true since the book does get off to a bit of a slow start). I've since read the book about 4 times but truth be told - if I pick up the book now I just skip to John Galt's speech near the end.

Clearly I'm not the first person to make this oservation but Ayn Rand really wasn't that great of a writer. She had very powerful ideas but her fiction writing was not really compelling. I also have to admit that I've always looked at the Dagny Taggart character as a bit of a slut. I guess that makes Angelina Jolie perfect for the role.

My favorite little John Galt factoid is that some guy changed his name to John Galt Jr. to run for President of the US in 2004.

If you haven't read Atlas Shrugged - you should. It is important to understand the ideas that shape our world and clearly Ayn Rand's ideas are still a force in today's world.