"The Fourth Perspective," the movie

Robert Greer is the latest contributor to My Book, The Movie.

Greer is the author of five CJ Floyd mysteries -- The Fourth Perspective is the latest --with a sixth, The Mongoose Deception, due in October.

Here's how he introduced CJ Floyd in The Devil's Hatband:

Cheroot smoking African-American bail bondsman CJ Floyd is a man who plays the odds whether chasing down bond skippers, keeping a thumb on Denver's gang-banging vermin, or working on the occasional bounty hunting case that comes his way. Dressed in a Stetson, cowboy boots and a black leather gamblers vest, CJ, a Vietnam veteran help keeps his "home front" community of Five Points together and its denizens on the straight and narrow.

So who would the author entrust to bring his character to life in the movies? Here's the start to Greer's answer:

There’s an old Hollywood bromide that states that you have to have a bankable box office star to have a chance at financial and artistic success with a movie. Hogwash! At least when it comes to films that star white actors. Take L.A. Confidential and the first Star Wars movie, for instance, no superstars bringing home the bacon there, although some of the actors went on to become superstars. When it comes to movies with black actors in lead roles, however, Hollywood finds it even more prudent — some might say necessary in fact, to go with an actor with a name. So, if your lead actor is black, the rule of thumb is, “hit a home run with your casting.” Even Denzel Washington, a Hollywood golden boy, found the going tough in the classic noir film, Devil in a Blue Dress, a directorial artistic gem but box office flop. I always felt that Washington was miscast as Walter Mosley’s Easy Rollins character, but “bankable” he was, and that’s the ultimate show biz buzz word.

That said, and given my choice of choices when considering who I’d like to see play my mystery series protagonist CJ Floyd, I’d go with... [read on]

There are also some important considerations about who might best direct an adaptation.

My Book, The Movie: The Fourth Perspective.

The Page 69 Test: The Fourth Perspective.

--Marshal Zeringue