ayn rand died 27 years ago today :(

ayn rand died 27 years ago today, march 6, 1982, at the age of 77. the author of "atlas shrugged," "the fountainhead," and "we the living," considered herself first and foremost a philosopher of "objectivism." when she died, the day after john belushi was found dead of a drug overdose, i was still relatively unfamiliar with this incredible woman. i had read "the fountainhead," but hadn't yet picked up "atlas shrugged."

a few years (and a few books, and a film) later, i had become a serious fan. while in law school, i was lucky enough to study constitutional law with rand's attorney. he had not only represented rand in various legal matters, but also assisted her in locating the 1942 italian film of her novel, "we the living."

"It was not until the late 1960's that Ayn Rand was able to locate the original nitrate negatives, still in good condition in the vault in Rome. Both films were restored, combined into one, and released (with English subtitles) in 1986 as We the Living (1986) at the Telluride Film festival in Colorado where it received rave reviews, over forty years after its original release."

while "we the living" has the more interesting back story, to say the least - "the fountainhead," with gary cooper and patricia neal, is the decidedly more familiar (and accessible) rand film (to most fans). it's a classic that i never tire of watching.

rip: ayn rand.