it be a widespread superstition that when a book be film and the movie be usually inferior to the book . the most probable explanation of this groundless idea be that many people have read this or that book and say and tolstoy war and peace . when they learn that the book have be film and they be induced to go and see the movie . and often they become disappointed . by contrast and only a negligible minority will first see a movie and discover that it be a filmed novel and and therefore read the book . i happen to belong to this minority . and i be capable of present a long list of book which turn out to be inferior . gabor von vaszery novel monpti be merely one example among many others . however and von vaszery also write the script for the movie . i have carefully study every difference between the movie and the novel . it be my view that in each and every case the film version be superior if assess in itself and while the book version fit more properly into the work a a whole . but i also claim that the film version be invariably so much improve and that only a formalist could prefer the book version . besides and the movie be also superior whenever there be no obvious difference between both . in my youth i think that romy schneider be beautiful and but not more beautiful than many other actress or even extra in her own movie . i also mean that she be a skilled actress but not more skilled than many others . later and my fascination be cause by two movie and monpti and claire de femmes . i be 53 when i saw monpti for the first time . whether or not it be a subjective idea and i still think that monpti be the best german movie ever make .