I briefly mentioned and recommended the best-seller, Perfume, a novel by Patrick Susskind in a post about Grasse, which is the perfume capital of France. The novel has sold more than 150 million copies since 1985, and has been translated into 45 different languages. In France alone, 2.5 million copies of Perfume were sold.

The Story from Library Journal:

Set in 18th-century France, Perfume relates the fascinating and horrifying tale of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a person as gifted as he was abominable. Born without a smell of his own but endowed with an extraordinary sense of smell, Grenouille becomes obsessed with procuring the perfect scent that will make him fully human. With brilliant narrative skill Susskind exposes the dark underside of the society through which Grenouille moves and explores the disquieting inner universe of this singularly possessed man.

It’s been many years since its initial publication and I’ve been wondering why it hasn’t been made into a movie. Actually, the German novelist, Patrick Susskind was approached by both Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott for the film rights, but he declined. It wasn’t until 2001 that Mr. Susskind finally allowed the sale of the film rights (for an undisclosed amount) to his friend, German Film Producer, Bernd Eichinger, who produced The Name of the Rose, and The Neverending Story among many other films.

Finally, 21 years after the novel’s publication, the movie, Perfume, was made for the big screen.

Perfume was directed by Tom Tykwer, who also directed and wrote the excellent, Run Lola Run. British actor, Ben Whishaw, will play the lead character, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. (Yes. Last Name: Frog.) Alan Rickman, who i LOVE, will be playing the Antoine perfumer, Richis. I was largely disappointed with Dustin Hoffman casted as the Grenouille’s teacher Guiseppe Baldini, but I’m crossing my fingers everything will be fine.

Perfume opens in French theaters on October 4.