Dolan's Cadillac
Encyclopedia
Dolan’s Cadillac is a short story by Stephen King. It is included in Nightmares and Dreamscapes, King's fifth collection of short stories.
The story is narrated by the protagonist, a schoolteacher
, and there is only one other main character, Dolan.
. He has become widowed after Dolan, a wealthy crime-boss
, has his wife murdered in order to prevent her from testifying against him. The murder remains unsolved, and Robinson, unskilled in the arts of revenge
, has no recourse. Over a seven-year period, however, Robinson—mentally haunted by his wife's voice—devises a scheme of retaliation.
Discovering that Dolan regularly makes the same route when travelling to Los Angeles
in his Cadillac, Robinson decides to trick Dolan into taking a fake detour
, on which the Cadillac will crash into a ditch and be buried alive. He takes on a summer job with a road paving crew so that he can learn to operate the heavy equipment needed to excavate an oblong ditch just long and deep enough to contain the car, but not so wide as to allow escape through its doors.
The trap works, and Dolan is stuck in his Cadillac as it crashes into the pit. One of the bodyguards in the car with Dolan is killed in the crash; the other, crushed by the engine block, screams out of pain and panic, prompting Dolan to kill him. Robinson greets Dolan and announces his intent to bury him alive. Dolan addresses Robinson by name, prompting him to lean over the roof of the car as Dolan fires a few bullets skyward. He misses Robinson, who proceeds with the burial.
Dolan, increasingly desperate, pleads with Robinson for his freedom, offering him a large sum of cash. Robinson merely tells him he will be released if he screams, gleefully listening to Dolan's cries as he completes the burial and paves over the car. With what must be the last gasp of air left to him, Dolan screams out, "For the love of God, Robinson!" (An allusion to The Cask of Amontillado
) as the latter drops the last piece of paving into place.
Robinson pays a relatively small price of undergoing much physical and mental exhaustion, but he feels satisfied that he has done a great service to the memory of his late wife, whose voice finally falls silent; this silence is something of a relief to Robinson. The press reports Dolan missing, joking that he is "playing dominos or shooting pool somewhere with Jimmy Hoffa
."
and Kevin Bacon
, with Stacy Title
in the director's chair, however the project never came to fruition. Then in April 2008, IGN.com reported that a successful movie adaptation
would be restarted in May that year. It was directed by Jeff Beesley, scripted by Richard Dooling
and starred Christian Slater
as Dolan, Wes Bentley
as Robinson, and Emmanuelle Vaugier
as Robinson's wife. The film was shot in Regina
and Moose Jaw. J-pop
idol Crystal Kay
performed its theme song, "Hold On".
The story is narrated by the protagonist, a schoolteacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, and there is only one other main character, Dolan.
Summary
The narrator, Robinson, is a schoolteacher who lives in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. He has become widowed after Dolan, a wealthy crime-boss
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, has his wife murdered in order to prevent her from testifying against him. The murder remains unsolved, and Robinson, unskilled in the arts of revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
, has no recourse. Over a seven-year period, however, Robinson—mentally haunted by his wife's voice—devises a scheme of retaliation.
Discovering that Dolan regularly makes the same route when travelling to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in his Cadillac, Robinson decides to trick Dolan into taking a fake detour
Detour
Detour may refer to:* Detour, a temporary routing to avoid an obstruction-Entertainment:Literature* Detour , a 1939 novel* Detour , an entertainment and fashion magazine published by the Detour Media GroupFilm and television...
, on which the Cadillac will crash into a ditch and be buried alive. He takes on a summer job with a road paving crew so that he can learn to operate the heavy equipment needed to excavate an oblong ditch just long and deep enough to contain the car, but not so wide as to allow escape through its doors.
The trap works, and Dolan is stuck in his Cadillac as it crashes into the pit. One of the bodyguards in the car with Dolan is killed in the crash; the other, crushed by the engine block, screams out of pain and panic, prompting Dolan to kill him. Robinson greets Dolan and announces his intent to bury him alive. Dolan addresses Robinson by name, prompting him to lean over the roof of the car as Dolan fires a few bullets skyward. He misses Robinson, who proceeds with the burial.
Dolan, increasingly desperate, pleads with Robinson for his freedom, offering him a large sum of cash. Robinson merely tells him he will be released if he screams, gleefully listening to Dolan's cries as he completes the burial and paves over the car. With what must be the last gasp of air left to him, Dolan screams out, "For the love of God, Robinson!" (An allusion to The Cask of Amontillado
The Cask of Amontillado
"The Cask of Amontillado" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book....
) as the latter drops the last piece of paving into place.
Robinson pays a relatively small price of undergoing much physical and mental exhaustion, but he feels satisfied that he has done a great service to the memory of his late wife, whose voice finally falls silent; this silence is something of a relief to Robinson. The press reports Dolan missing, joking that he is "playing dominos or shooting pool somewhere with Jimmy Hoffa
Jimmy Hoffa
James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa was an American labor union leader....
."
Film Adaptation
Initially, it was planned to be adapted into a feature film starring Sylvester StalloneSylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
and Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
, with Stacy Title
Stacy Title
Stacy Title is a film director and producer. Her filmography as director includes Let the Devil Wear Black , The Last Supper and Down on the Waterfront .She is the wife of Jonathan Penner and has directed him in several movies...
in the director's chair, however the project never came to fruition. Then in April 2008, IGN.com reported that a successful movie adaptation
Dolan's Cadillac (film)
Dolan's Cadillac is a 2009 thriller starring Wes Bentley, Christian Slater and Emmanuelle Vaugier. It is based on a short story of the same name by Stephen King.-Plot:...
would be restarted in May that year. It was directed by Jeff Beesley, scripted by Richard Dooling
Richard Dooling
Richard Patrick Dooling is an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for his novel White Man's Grave, a finalist for the 1994 National Book Award for Fiction, and for co-producing and co-writing the 2004 ABC miniseries Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital.Dooling's first novel, Critical...
and starred Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
as Dolan, Wes Bentley
Wes Bentley
Wesley Cook "Wes" Bentley is an American film actor known for his role of Ricky Fitts in American Beauty.-Early life:Bentley was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the son of Cherie and David Bentley, who are United Methodist ministers....
as Robinson, and Emmanuelle Vaugier
Emmanuelle Vaugier
Emmanuelle Vaugier is a Canadian film actress, singer, songwriter and television actress who has had recurring roles as Detective Jessica Angell on CSI: NY, Mia on Two and a Half Men, Dr. Helen Bryce on Smallville, and FBI Special Agent Emma Barnes on Human Target...
as Robinson's wife. The film was shot in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and Moose Jaw. J-pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
idol Crystal Kay
Crystal Kay
Crystal Kay Williams , known by her stage name Crystal Kay, is a singer and songwriter from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan...
performed its theme song, "Hold On".