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Dorothy Sayers' Whimsey novels - do you know the (1980s) TV adaptations?

366 replies

JeanneDeMontbaston · 10/01/2015 11:33

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, but it feels as if it'd be more at home here that the TV threads. I love Dorothy Sayers. MN introduced me to her. I wish they'd do another adaptation, but the 1980s ones are surprisingly good.

The wonderful sconerhymeswithgone showed me the existence of these on youtube. (The link is to Gaudy Night, because that's what I'm watching, but there are lots of earlier ones).

What do you think? I liked the casting, but I have quibbles. And the ending to Gaudy Night is a travesty, right?

OP posts:
LRDtheFeministDragon · 16/01/2015 22:34

I have.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 22:33

Have you read HHC, LRD?

LRDtheFeministDragon · 16/01/2015 22:29

Grin Oh, yes.

But that's one of the things I love - Sayers herself writes in a very 'modern' way. It's depressing in that little has changed, but encouraging that she explodes the myth that no-one noticed these things getting on for a century ago.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 22:01

Loved the HW eye roll when the mechanic apologised for swearing in front of a lady.

Plus ca change...

PigeonPie · 16/01/2015 16:40

I saw this Facebook post from Watts and Co (the Church furnishers) and thought of this thread!

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 11:14

Are you "toby" or "two bee" phonetically, tobee?

Grin
YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 11:13

I think the stage version is on YouTube,

tobee · 16/01/2015 11:11

Definitely the hardest scene in BH is the scene where Harriet waits to see if Peter will call for her after the execution, in terms of succeeding dramatically as the climax of the Wimsey/Vane novels and their relationship and I think that is pulled off with no disappointment .

Ps They didn't do BH on TV because I believe they couldn't get the rights at the time but Petherbridge and his real life wife Emily Richard took it to the stage at the time.

tobee · 16/01/2015 10:44

Two good points.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 07:42

I think the happily ever after only began at the end of BH when they started to properly trust each other.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 07:39

Tobee, I imagine the phonetics are because it was a play first?

tobee · 16/01/2015 01:22

Just wonderin' what everyone thinks of Busman's Honeymoon and the short stories with Harriet and Peter married? I always think books after "and they lived happily ever after" a let down but I couldnt resist with Wimsey.

In Busman's Honeymoon I found the phonetic representations of the yokels pretty embarrassing and just skip through the mystery stuff to read the sexy stuff like some teenager, to get my rocks off!

The short stories are quite cute though.

By the way, I downloaded The Attenbury Emeralds just because Petherbridge reads it the only Wimsey one sadly, as far as I can see, although there are other books he's narrated.

MiscellaneousAssortment · 16/01/2015 00:46

Ooh I hadn't realised there were to adaptations. I will be watching... Am addicted to the audiobooks with Ian Carmichael

LRDtheFeministDragon · 16/01/2015 00:44

Yes, I thought so!

In fact, though I like that one, the whole thing makes him more passive/dull than he is in the books - he doesn't understand French, and he can't ride or drive well!

IrenetheQuaint · 16/01/2015 00:32

Yes I was annoyed by that too. It made Wimsey look weirdly ignorant.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 16/01/2015 00:29

Oh, no, I don't think it came across as if he didn't hear it (which would, as you say, make sense as it was cryptic). I think they were trying to get it translated for the audience and used that as the method, and I think it was clumsy.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 00:25

I think he either didn't hear it or didn't understand what was meant by it. Didn't it translate to, "see, miss, what did I say?"

LRDtheFeministDragon · 16/01/2015 00:16

Ahh, you are so much more profound than me. I just found it homoerotic, but I think you are right.

Hi, scone. Smile

One quibble I do have - how come Peter asks Harriet what the French dancer says? He's part French, FFS! It is a major, repeated issue!

IrenetheQuaint · 16/01/2015 00:11

Is it just me or is there something quite suggestive about Bunter galloping through the waves for what seems like ages? The scene feels like some sort of transference of all the sexual tension between Wimsey and Harriet.

YonicSleighdriver · 16/01/2015 00:11

Whose body is the very first one.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 16/01/2015 00:03

Hey, LRD! Wink

SconeRhymesWithGone · 16/01/2015 00:01

The all-whiteness of the nominations is indeed pretty glaring. It's particularly sad that Ava DuVernay, who directed Selma was snubbed. It's hard to imagine how a film can be a candidate for best picture, but the director is ignored. One issue is that they expanded the number of films that can be nominated but not the director categories. And by all accounts David Oyelowo was superb (he was really good in the Butler too).

Back to LPW, I am watching Have His Carcase tonight and enjoying it very much.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 15/01/2015 23:59

Grin And belatedly, hello, doctrine!

I feel as if we're in an Edwardian game of charades, dropping our costumes.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 15/01/2015 23:58

Yes, I'm sure lots of it is a stunt double, but there's enough where you see Bunter's face and body, that he must have needed to be able to ride, and ride bareback, which is not very easy, is it? I've done it once, walking, and I felt as if I was going to fall off the whole time!

irene, I love the argument. I do think that bit where she moves her chair round to see what he's working on is so well done. Because we can see she moves because she is seeing herself as an equal, and she is comfortable. But as soon as she moves, he notices and reacts, and puts her on the defensive.

yonic - if I've not, I must! (I never remember them by title til I know them well, so I may know the plot).

YonicSleighdriver · 15/01/2015 23:54

Have you read Whose Body? I love Bunter/LPW in that.