This article looks at teaching modern literature with the use of film versions of the works studied. A special course that was organised around this concept is described in detail. The course began by identifying and analysing aspects of the writer's art in general and in a number of short stories. The next stage involved a brief survey of the film-maker's art. Finally novels and film versions of the novels were studied and compared as complete works and in great detail for selected sections. Results of the course are discussed and suggestions are made for ways to use film versions of literary works in general literature courses and other contexts.