Over the course of a 60-year career, the Detroit novelist Elmore Leonard reshaped American fiction and film in the twentieth-century. When he died in 2013, The New York Times called Leonard "the most influential, widely imitated crime writer of his era." This course dives deep into the Leonard catalogue, tracing his career from his 1950s Westerns to late career highlights such as Get Shorty, Out of Sight and the television series, Justified. Along the way, we will examine how Leonard developed his signature style, addressed the social issues of his day, skewered Hollywood, and influenced later writers and filmmakers. As Leonard himself did, we will shift from fiction to film, starting with the 1953 short story, “Three-Ten to Yuma” and its first film adaptation, Delmer Daves’ 3:10 to Yuma (1957) all the way to the 2010 neo-Western series, Justified.

Suggested Readings:
The novel and short stories are widely available. Students will be expected to view some films on their own, either DVD or streaming, before the class when they will be discussed. “Three Ten to Yuma” (short story), 3:10 to Yuma (1957 film), Get Shorty (film), La Brava (novel), Out of Sight (film), Justified and Justified: City Primeval (series pilot) 

Jim Mancall is the author of James Ellroy: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction, as well as a forthcoming book on Elmore Leonard. He holds a PhD in American Literature from New York University and currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at Berkshire Community College.

Previous| Next