Yes, the movie Genius (2016) is based on the true story of Max Perkins, an editor who worked with literary giants such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe.
What is the true story behind the movie Genius (2016)?
The movie Genius (2016) is based on the real-life relationship between the renowned editor Maxwell Perkins and the prolific author Thomas Wolfe.
Maxwell Perkins was a well-respected editor at the prestigious publishing house of Charles Scribner’s Sons in New York City. In 1929, he received a massive manuscript from an unknown author named Thomas Wolfe. The manuscript was titled “O Lost,” and it was over 1100 pages long.
Perkins recognized the genius of Wolfe’s writing but recognized that the manuscript needed significant editing. He worked closely with Wolfe to cut the novel down to a manageable size and to refine the language.
The two men developed a close relationship, and Perkins became a mentor to Wolfe. Over the next several years, Wolfe worked closely with Perkins on several more novels, including “Of Time and the River” and “The Web and the Rock.”
Their relationship was not without its difficulties, however. Wolfe was known for being difficult to work with, and he struggled with alcoholism and other personal demons. Nonetheless, Perkins remained a friend and mentor to Wolfe until his premature death in 1938 at the age of 38.
In the movie, Perkins was played by Colin Firth, and Wolfe was played by Jude Law. The film received mixed reviews but was praised for its portrayal of the complex relationship between Perkins and Wolfe.