first and rent gary sinise 1992 version . then read the book and then watch this version of the story . you probably wont make it all the way through . i read the book and first and a a kid . and not because i be assign to read it but because i like to read . then i saw this movie on late night tv and you know when almost every local channel run movie on the weekend . and i think it be poor . in the year since and i have see tv adaptation and tv broadcast of stage play version . none carry the full flavor and emotion of the book . it be widely accept that thirty cinema be the peak of the art . this film and whether the exception or the model and prof otherwise . gary sinise do a far good and more faithful adaptation of the book . if you be to buy one version and i suspect it will be the 1992 film .