What is the difference between the movie and the story?

As is often the case with any kind of psychological story,
the movie simply cannot match the effect of the written narrative.  And, such is the
case with the 1985 movie, Smooth Talk, starring Laura Dern as
Connie and Treat Williams as Arnold Friend.  For, it is always difficult in a movie to
convey all that goes on in the mind of the character. In addition, Smooth Talk presents
only one interpretation of Oates's novel, whereas her denouement is ambiguous and allows
different interpretations.

With a gothic story such as
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" there are also subtleties of character that
cannot be portrayed by an actor as well as they can with the aid of an omniscient
narrator and the written page.  For instance, the name of Arnold Friend, if one removes
the rs is An old Fiend, suggesting, of course,
that the deceptive man who appears young and is not, who is uncertain of which slang
word is currently used by teens, and who has to balance himself in his
boots--indicating,perhaps, that he is standing on hooves--is the devil that has come for
Connie whose trashy dreams have now
materialized. 

Regarding the portrayal of Connie's
character, Laura Dern does a good job of depicting the duality of Connie who acts one
way at home and another with her friends and in her flirtations; however, it is
difficult for her to convey well what transpires in Connie's mind as Arnold Friend
terrifies her.  Although she does portray Connie's terror, the audience cannot know as
they do with the narrative that

readability="9">

She thought for the first time in her life that
it was nothing that was hers, that belonged to her, but just a pounding, living thing
inside this body that wan't really her 
either.

And as Laura/Connie
walks out the doorway, it is difficult for the viewer to understand the detachment which
Oates so well communicates,

readability="8">

She watched herself push the door slowly ope as
if she were safe back somewhere in the other door way, watching this body and this head
of long hair moving out into the sunlight where Arnold Friend
waited. 

In an effort to
portray this feeling, Laura Dern looks bacwards from the seat in the convertible as
Friend drives her away, but this action does not fully convey what Oates's words do. 
Besides, the narrative is altered as the companion of Arnold, Ellie, stays in the house
while they go off, and Laura Dearn actually returns, also, but it is not known whether
she has been raped or not.

In short, much of the effect of
the psychological horror is lost in the flim version as are other important details,
evocative language, symbols, and ambiguities.  At any rate, the three-star movie
Smooth Talk is only loosely based upon Oates
story.