I’ve never met anyone who’s actually read anything written by Upton Sinclair, but he’s a a guy smart people often cling to I guess. For those not claiming to be one of those smart people (in other words me, I had to look it up), Upton Sinclair wrote novels in the early 1900’s about such exciting things as President Warren G. Harding. Scintillating stuff.

If Aint-It-Cool-News is to be believed, one of his old books is being dusted off and made into a movie by one of my favorite (and not nearly prolific enough) directors: Paul Thomas Anderson. Not to be confused with Paul W.S. Anderson who makes Aliens fighting Predators boring, PT Anderson is the guy who turned Adam Sandler into an amazing dramatic actor. That Anderson’s next project is the Upton Sinclair novel “Oil”, a weirdly relevant tale about the president being bought and paid for by big oil.

It’s also been announced over at PTAnderson.com, so it looks like this is the real deal. Overly liberal wackos are no doubt already wetting themselves at anticipation, but the staunchly middle of the road moderate in me hopes Anderson stays away from tiresome modern-day political implications. We’ve all had just about enough of that. Most normal, balanced, well-rounded individuals went deaf to that sort of partisan grandstanding on either side about a year ago, and I know in my case, hearing still hasn’t come back.