James M. Cain

1892–1977 · American novelist and journalist

James M. Cain (1 July 1892 – 27 October 1977) wrote the hard, fast crime novels that Hollywood turned into some of the defining films of the 1940s: The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce. He barely watched them. John Leonard reported in the New York Times in 1969 that Cain had seen only two of the films made from his books, and his standing answer to anyone who wanted him to be upset about it is the line on this page.

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“They Haven't Done Anything to My Book. It's Right There on the Shelf”

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