The Whole Wide World is a romantic film that’s based on a true
story about the relationship between a young Texas schoolteacher named Novalyne
Price and a local writer of pulp fiction stories named Bob Howard. Novalyne has
literary ambitions, and so she’s eager to meet this professional writer through
a mutual friend of theirs. Yet this ‘Bob Howard’, as everybody in his sleepy
little town knows him, is actually Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan The
Barbarian, and prolific author of many pulp stories in and out of the fantasy
field. Conan is already a very popular character when Novalyne meets Howard, and
it’s his passion for the brutish warrior that sets off a spark within Novalyne
that results in her falling in love with him. But while Howard has a reputation
for being something of a flake around town, Novalyne soon learns that, instead
of simply being eccentric, the man she loves is truly an unusual person who walks
his own path--alone, if need be.
There’s no doubting that Robert E. Howard was an incredibly talented writer with
an unlimited imagination and strong descriptive powers. In reading one of his
Conan stories, he places you right in the fantastic world of his Cimmerian
barbarian. Yet Howard was also a man who was haunted by personal demons. Actor
Vincent D’Onofrio does a splendid job in capturing Howard’s strange
idiosyncrasies--including his paranoia, as well as his unnaturally close
relationship with his mother--yet without completely alienating the viewer from
Howard. Despite his flaws, Howard remains a sympathetic man-child figure, thanks
to D’Onofrio’s sensitive performance. And Renee Zellweger shines as the practical
Novalyne, who ultimately can’t resist Howard’s odd charms no matter how much she
tries.
The script superbly captures the biographical aspects of Howard’s life and
weaves it into a credible, if unconventional love story. And while the film
sometimes reveals its low budget origins (particularly in its overzealous music
score, which sometimes doesn't match the mood of a given scene), both the script and the sturdy performances more than compensate for
whatever minor faults there are. The DVD has a commentary by D’Onofrio, who also
co-produced the movie, as well as an interview with Zellweger, who went on to
become a major Hollywood star since appearing in this film. Romance fans looking
for something different may appreciate The Whole Wide World. Yet fantasy fans,
as well as fans of Conan The Barbarian, may also want to check this film out,
for it provides a fascinating glimpse into the heart and soul of the man who was
Conan’s father. --SF
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