Prizefight: The Nanny Diaries Vs Devil Wears Prada

In the latest edition of Prizefight, i will compare The Nanny Diaries with the Devil Wears Prada, these films have quite a bit in common, they were both released around the same time, both adapted from hugely successful novels, both of which i have read, and both revolve around dealing with horrendous bosses. I will compare these films on their translation to the big screen, their casting and the hideousness of their bosses!

The novels they are based on both have their issues, that said, The Nanny Diaries is significantly more well written than The Devil Wears Prada, it is more intelligent, and has less narrative issues. The film of The Nanny Diaries follows much the same path as the novel does, the story is almost identical and the characters are much the same as they appear on the page, nothing significant is changed. The Devil Wears Prada however features significant alterations to the source material, the whole plot is reshuffled slightly to streamline it, and to make the characters more believable and empathetic. The character of Miranda is much more understandable in the film than in the novel, and in the book, she remains an out-and-out villain till the very end, in the film she eventually comes round, and we see their relationship as more of a power struggle, with both finally understanding the other. Thus The Devil Wears Prada despite requiring more effort in adapting it to the big screen, is a better adaptation, despite not being quite as faithful an adaptation.

Casting is hugely important in both of these films, the heroine of The Nanny Diaries is Annie Braddock, nicknamed Nanny, who is played by Scarlett Johansson. Johansson might seem like an odd choice for the role, and it is unusually plain for her, however she has the charisma to pull off playing such a mundane part, and she is oddly credible as a lower middle class college grad. The heroine of The Devil Wears Prada is Andy Sachs, again a college grad who goes to work for Runway, a high end fashion magazine. Again, she is well cast, although one feels that this role is a little less of a stretch for her than it is for Johansson, who is playing someone completely separate from anyone else she has ever played, and who never uses her sexuality, and, unlike Andy Sachs, who never has moments of looking pretty or attractive, in fact the whole affair is more a lesson in dowdiness, and Johansson is entirely refreshing in the role.

The bosses in the film are also impeccably cast, Laura Linney Plays Mrs X, a wealthy upper east side trophy wife, who takes little interest in raising her child, and who seems to have little worries in life. Meryl Streep plays Miranda Priestly, a thinly veiled Anna Wintour inspired magazine editor, who is fiercely professional, and who treats her assistants as disposable. Both are fantastic, and i love Laura Linneys portrayal of Mrs X, however Meryl Streep's performance is simply iconic, every note of her performance is perfect, from the cold "that's all", to the way she pats her grey hair, and her carefully pursed lips, everything is exact, and the results are stunning. As for the characters themselves, they are both fearsome creations, Mrs X is a woman who is unreasonable, cruel, has little time for her son and who wants everything from her husband. She is cold and unemotional, she treats her nannies like slaves and she expects them to do everything for her, her actions seem unrealistic, and she has no real motive, other than that being her nature. Miranda Priestly is more easy to understand, she has real motives, and she is motivated by ambition and impatience, and not by greed. Overall, Miranda Priestly is a more believable character, her motivations are more clear.

Both films are fantastic, despite not being Oscar worthy dramas they both feature great performances, and are great fun, they may not be great art but they are delightful distractions, and they do what they attempt successfully. However it is clear that The Devil Wears Prada is the superior film, well adapted and the better acted movie.