Differences between the novella and the film



In the film, Castle Rock is located in Oregon. The novella takes place in Maine.



In the film, Chris stops Teddy from trying to dodge the train. In the book, Gordie does.



The scene in the film where Ace Merrill takes Gordie's Yankees cap and threatens to burn Chris' face with a cigarette has no parallel in the novella.



The only one of the friends that dies in the film is Chris Chambers. In the novella, all of Gordie's friends die. Further more, he dies some time after he has passed the bar.



In the novella, the kids are attacked by leeches while swimming in an artificial lake created by beavers. In the film, the leeches are in a large marsh the boys have to cross while going through the woods.



In the film, the store owner in the film (named Mr. Quidacioluo) is a kind and sympathetic man who is curious about Gordie’s personal life, and who empathizes with Gordie over Denny’s demise, as he himself lost a brother during the Korean War. However, it can be noticed that the grocer attempts to put his thumb on the scale, until learning of Gordie's relation to Denny. In the book the store owner (named George Dusset) is portrayed as a grumpy person who tried to cheat Gordie out of his money twice and yelled angrily at him as he left the shop.



In the film, young Gordie's account ends as soon as the four arrive back in town. In the novella, Gordie details how each of them is set upon by members of Ace's gang. Ace breaks two of Gordie's fingers, while Chris' brother, Eyeball, breaks his arms in two places, leaving his face "...looking like a Canadian sunrise".



In the film, Gordie, rather than Chris, holds the gun on Ace.



The film takes place in 1959, and the novella in 1960.



The film does not have a storm before the boys find the body.

In the film, Chris' brother is just called "Eyeball." In the novella, his real name is revealed to be Richard and he was even called "Richie" by Chris.