I was also annoyed by THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION, not least because I think it's a pretty good play. My issue was that Sorkin actually changed the outcome of the climatic trial by having Farnsworth lose the case when, in reality, he'd won. I mean, this was the whole point of the story. It went beyond poetic license. It was a prime example of "if you don't like this story, write a play about something else, please."
It was as if if the writers of the TITANIC musical just decided to have the ship not sink at all and make it to New York on schedule instead. What's the point of any of it, if you're not being true to, at least, the barebones of actual history?
By the same token, I'm actually not all that annoyed by bio-musicals, like FUNNY GIRL or ANNIE GET YOUR GUN that bear only a passing resemblance to the life of the person they're supposed to be about. I guess musicals get a pass from me in this regard that plays don't. Maybe it's because it's easier to take a play more seriously. |
