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Pavement Ends
James Baughn

The bad news about "Gone Girl"

Posted Monday, October 21, 2013, at 10:00 AM

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  • well written/mirror of my thoughts/am certain the good people of cape need to "brace" themselves.

    -- Posted by melinda.golliher on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 11:38 AM
  • Times Beach was neither dark nor dystopian. It was a recreation town turned working class river town turned environmental disaster then state park.

    Sad ending perhaps, but nothing dark about it. And not a mall in sight.

    -- Posted by Astrelfrog on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 11:57 AM
  • This review makes me wonder if we read the same book!! I don't remember ANY of this!! In fact, in my memory of it, the setting seemed relatively unimportant, as I was all caught up in what was going on between all the characters.

    Ben Affleck would make a good main character, I think, because he could play it innocent and clueless. I don't know who's playing the wife, but I hope she's secure, because this role could ruin her career! She has as twisted a mind as I've ever seen in literature!

    Lady MacBeth, move over! There's a new bad girl in town!!

    -- Posted by goat lady on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 12:12 PM
  • The story is fiction. I have never watched a movie and based my perceptions of a filming location on the movie because I am capable of separating fact from fiction.

    -- Posted by farmwife2 on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 12:43 PM
  • If I had a dollar for every time I've seen somebody get fact and fiction mixed up, I'd have enough money to buy World Series tickets.

    -- Posted by James Baughn on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 1:46 PM
  • And I would make at least 5 bucks every time I read one of your columns.

    -- Posted by hondaprimacy on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 1:52 PM
  • Ah, yes, it's hondaprimacy again. Thanks for reading!

    You can complain all you want, but I'm not going to stop writing about historic preservation -- or the lack thereof. Somebody needs to keep the university, the city, and MoDOT to task.

    -- Posted by James Baughn on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 3:02 PM
  • I read the book. It's FICTION. So what if the town of North Carthage is dumpy? I for one am glad the incentives were given, the production company came, and I look for a great product to be delivered. Sheesh.

    -- Posted by BoCoDem on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 3:17 PM
  • I just started reading the book (and didn't feel this blog entry spoiled anything). I agree it is fiction, thus do not expect every detail to align with fact, especially with regard to the township of Cape Girardeau.

    Ponder that thought a moment... can you imagine how boring the following notations would be? Third empty, outdated mall built in 1981 that many will not visit after dark, vacant, publically owned airport hanger that most planes can not fit through the door, vacant federal building that almost filled with Cape's wondering homeless, city officials obsessed with bringing a casino to town thinking it would improve local economy, SE Health security guards forcing those who walk to their car and smoke to leave hospital property, two bloated hospitals due to perpetual keeping up with the jones mentality expansion, hospitals firing those who smoke and/ or over weight because they can, shots being fired at least once a week, downtown holding a record number of bars per capita in Missouri, public school drop out rate of 70%... et al.

    With that said, I understand why some might be concerned about Cape Girardeau's reputation. lol

    (I never support giving tax incentives to for-profit companies, under any circumstances.)

    -- Posted by scheuwlfz on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 4:14 PM
  • Lots of good points have been made here. I don't want anybody to think I'm opposed to the movie being made here -- it's been a wonderful experience all around. But I'm nervous about the final product. We can scream "But it's fiction!" all we want, but Cape Girardeau will be forever intertwined with the "Gone Girl" story now, for better... or worse.

    -- Posted by James Baughn on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 4:54 PM
  • What struck me in reading the book was the way the townspeople are portrayed as a bunch of dolts. It made me wonder if all those people who were so excited to be extras read the book first.

    -- Posted by rivertales on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 5:15 PM
  • But, with most certainty, movie goers will not know it was filmed in Cape Geeeeeardeeeaauuuuuu, as is pronounced in NYC.

    -- Posted by Nnc on Mon, Oct 21, 2013, at 5:24 PM
  • I read "Gone Girl" when it first came out. The author also has another very good book, "Sharp Objects" which is depicted in a Missouri town. Her writing style is like no other! I hope the movie is as good as the book. It's been interesting to see how Cape Girardeau became the setting of "Gone Girl." Not every day that Hollywood comes knocking on our doors! I am very optimistic of the movie coming out.

    -- Posted by crochethound17 on Tue, Oct 22, 2013, at 12:24 AM
  • "I think that "Gone Girl" hits too close to home, since it is too much like the Jacque Waller case we have recently closed."

    I am not sure if you've read the book... but Gone Girl is NOTHING like the Jacque Waller case. The only similarity is a missing woman.

    -- Posted by ZU on Tue, Oct 22, 2013, at 2:05 PM
  • I think this columnist made a big stretch and a leap when he came to the conclusion that Cape MAY or MAY NOT be painted in a negative light because of this movie. How many cities and towns have been featured in TV shows and movies? How many have made you say you absolutely think that town is worthless and you never want to visit there. If they used our real name then MAYBE but this town is completely fictional. We just happen to have been chosen as a location for them to film probably less than 1/5th of the movie. North Carthage and Cape have nothing in common other than being in Missouri on the Mississippi River.

    And this book was written long before Jacque disappeared. Sadly, women disappear every day. Jacque's was not a unique case other than it happened to have occurred in this area where they happened to have filmed a movie a few years later about a woman who happened to have disappeared in a town near the Mississippi River.

    -- Posted by newaroundhere on Tue, Oct 22, 2013, at 3:06 PM
  • Very thoughtful and incisive blog post. The book is so well written and the characters so interesting and compelling (in spite of your correctly described creepiness) that I think the plot and characters will overshadow the setting, however it is depicted in the movie.

    -- Posted by riverwalk on Tue, Oct 22, 2013, at 9:23 PM