James M. Cain: A Prolific Author of Film Noir Novels
James M. Cain's life was marked by a strong academic background, with his father serving as a professor and president of Washington College. His mother, an opera singer in Maryland, instilled in him a love for the arts. Cain himself graduated from Washington College in 1910 and began his writing career as a journalist for the Baltimore American and later the Baltimore Sun, which is still in publication today, by 1914.
In 1916, Cain was drafted into the military and served as a writer for the Army Times during his time in France in 1918. After his release, he continued to write for various publications and eventually published his first novel, "The Postman Always Rings Twice," in 1934. This novel would later be adapted into a popular film in 1946.
Cain's success as a writer led to numerous adaptations of his novels, with him serving as a "story contributor" and gaining significant recognition in the Film Noir genre during the 1940s. However, in 1946, he took a bold step by forming the "Cain Plan," also known as the "American Authors' Authority." This plan aimed to give writers authority over their copyrights and serve as their representative in negotiations with movie producers and in court disputes, much like the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). The Cain Plan faced opposition from the American Writers' Association, leading to a heated debate in the Saturday Review.
Throughout his life, Cain was married four times, and his legacy as a writer continues to be celebrated today.
