I was pleased to get my hands on Thomas Savage’s novel, The Power of the Dog, so soon after watching the Jane Campion and Netflix adaptation of it. Also pleasing was how closely the adaptation followed the events of the novel!
Sure, certain details were missed and others were added, but I thought the film was pretty true to its source material. I also enjoyed how the movie broke itself up into chapters just like the book has laid out. We meet Phil immediately, and it’s clear from the start that he is odd and cruel by nature. All the ranch hands that work for him and his brother, George, respect Phil, but mainly out of fear. I don’t blame them! If a person made even the most innocent mistake, they were at the mercy of Phil’s harsh words and glares. Perhaps the only person, at least at first, unfazed by his nature was George. Maybe that’s because George comes off a bit aloof, but also there is some sort of undying brotherly love there.
That love is what makes George’s swift marriage to widow, Rose, so shocking and infuriating. Poor Rose, a nervous and quiet woman, is immediately frozen out by Phil and mocked endlessly, but done so in such a quiet way that she could never bring it up to George for fear of resentment. It’s Phil’s aggressive nature that leads her to drinking and disengaging with the world. Good thing her odd son Peter is looking out for her. I think I might have said this in my brief review of the film, but Peter has some sociopathic tendencies, not so dissimilar to Phil. Both really are looking out for the ones they love, but Peter is more quiet and methodical about his plan to get rid of the poison in his mother’s life.
Going back to the film, I thought they did an excellent job capturing the feeling that is spelled out in the last chapter of the novel. There is a dark lust followed by an even more sinister execution. I found it equally as chilling reading it as I did seeing it played out on screen. Truly, everyone involved in the film really paid a great homage to this novel and now that it’s been nominated for so many awards, I hope more people check out both versions of this story.