Just re-watched the 1970 movie version of Joseph Heller's Catch 22, directed by Mike Nichols from a screenplay by Buck Henry. I first read the novel after the film was announced but shortly before it came out and I kept wondering, "How are they going to make a movie out of this?" A group of friends and I went to see the first matinee on the first day and emerged from a theater in Westwood, utterly confused as to whether or not they'd pulled it off. The only consensus was that a movie with Paula Prentiss naked in it couldn't be all bad.
For a long time, if you'd asked me if I liked the film, I would have said, "I don't know yet." I finally decided I did, as much for the amazing cast as for the clever way Henry pared down a sprawling book while still retaining its sense of sprawl. I'm not sure if it works for those who never read Heller's book…and in a sense, if you did, you don't need to see the movie. But I decided I liked the film, and I just watched the DVD to listen to the commentary, which has Steven Soderbergh interviewing Nichols. I find a lot of DVD commentaries tedious and worthless, largely because the filmmaker doesn't have a lot to say, and it's especially awkward for some to deliver a monologue in that context. But Soderbergh's chat with Nichols was fascinating, especially when the latter pointed out little things you might otherwise never notice — like intentional "mistakes" in continuity and one place where Buck Henry does an unbilled cameo, above and beyond his credited role. It was also interesting to contrast Nichols' recollections with things that Charles Grodin wrote in his autobiography.
Even if you didn't like the film, you might enjoy the commentary…so here's another link to buy it at Amazon along with my recommendation. It's a good movie, and not just because of Paula.