Similar to the "Razor's Edge", one of the main points in the book was totally ignored in the film. It's a terribly difficult feat to transcibe a book into film sometimes, and in Steppenwolf's case, the task was beyond the scriptwriters. Probably beyond anyone. I couldn't help but notice that the one point that Hesse was driving at, and that Razor's Edge did as well, reincarnation, was either totally struck out of the dialogue, or was given no more than one or two sentences before the scene was abruptly changed. It reminded me of Moby Dick, except in reverse--how one of the greatest movies of all time came from a horribly written book. Hesse was a great writer, that can't be denied, but his books really just don't translate to film.
Review of Steppenwolf
