Portnoy's Complaint

Some books are better left unfilmed. In this case, Roth's novel was very funny and often shocking for its own sake, but the film, an embarrassment for everyone involved, fails miserable in adapting the book to the big screen. Benjamin, who had already established himself with his work as the ultimate Jewish schlemiel in GOODBYE, COLUMBUS; DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE; and MARRIAGE OF A YOUNG STOCKBROKER, was the obvious choice to be cast in the title role here as the whining Alexander Portnoy. Beckerman, a "packager" rather than a producer at the time, acquired the rights to the book early, so he is listed as part of the team that dispensed this dismal attempt at a com...