He transitioned to film, making his directorial debut on the musical drama/remake Goodbye, Mr. Beginning as a dancer, Ross established himself as a choreographer and director on the stage in the 1960s. Ross' push for novelistic faithfulness may be better understood in the context of his career. Meyer had to fight Ross to make that change because Ross wanted the screenplay to remain staunchly faithful to the novel - which, of course, Meyer himself had written! Thankfully, the writer won the battle and the film is all the richer for that creative decision (and others). Even better for those who have read Meyer's novel, Meyer decided to change the mystery that forms the backdrop for the second half of the tale. Happily, the pastiche novel, first published in 1974, as well as Herbert Ross' big-screen adaptation, first released in 1976, both stand the test of time as delightful interpretations of well-known characters. In an interview that is included on Shout Factory's marvelous Blu-ray edition of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (first released in January 2013 and available here as of this writing), Meyer recounts a story from his own childhood that inspired him, first to investigate Sherlock Holmes further and, years later, to write a book about Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective. Nicholas Meyer credits his father for the book that defined his career. Stories told to us in childhood can shape our entire lives.
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