Not-So-Beautiful Mess

Re “Oscar Fever Is Pushing the Envelope of Civility,” March 16: I don’t understand why people are making such a big deal over “omissions” from John Nash’s life in “A Beautiful Mind.” The movie isn’t a documentary, folks; it isn’t a literal retelling of his life. The filmmakers took parts of Nash’s life to create their story and excluded others. I don’t see everyone riled up over the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” because it included some parts of L. Frank Baum’s tale and changed or omitted others.

It’s a shame that the nit-picking is overlooking “A Beautiful Mind’s” craftsmanship. Too bad it isn’t an entirely made-up story, for then people could have appreciated it for what it is--a motion picture with a story to tell--instead of condemning it for what it is not (a verbatim account of a person’s life).

Julie Bixby

Huntington Beach