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

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

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?

Well, in other news, it was announced today that KK and Benedict have been nominated for Oscars. Good for them.

Yes, good for them - but that does make me have to share this tweet I've just seen:

When Laura looked out, all she could see was white. "Is it a blizzard, Pa?" "No, Half-Pint," Pa said. "Just the Oscar nominations."

Who do you feel was overlooked OP?

(Although it wasn't your tweet so perhaps irrelevant.)

It wasn't my tweet, and IMO it's not really about being overlooked - I'm sure that does happen, I just can't comment on it because I've seen next to nothing this past year - it's that films are still pretty white.

I haven't seen any of the nominated films either, but I plan to see The Imitation Game this weekend.

Selma was nominated for best picture but none of the actors in in were nominated. I do want to see it, but I am a unhappy about reports that they have been a bit unfair in the portrayal of LBJ.

Mr Turner, which has been ignored (very oddly) by both Oscars and BAFTAs, has no actors of colour but plenty of grubby-looking working class people. That might have relieved things a bit.

I must say, though, Grand Budapest Hotel is brilliant. Saw it in the cinema last year and thought it was wonderful. Ralph Fiennes' performance was magnificent.

Oh, and Boyhood is extraordinary. Really enjoyed that.

[Here ended the 2014 Cinema Review as I think those are the only two films I saw in the cinema last year.]

Back to DLS.

Just watched the third episode of Have has Carcase. I think it was very well done and the Harriet/Peter fight came to life really well.

But why was Bunter riding and driving?!

I love the third episode of that, yonic!

My theory is that Edward Petherbridge can't ride, and either wasn't allowed,or wasn't able, to drive what must have been a rather expensive vintage car over dodgy roads. Perhaps Richard Morant was able to?

I agree, it struck an odd note, though.

But I did like the line 'there rides the man who ...,' because I think something the books do well is to get across how close they are, in a way we can't really relate to, and which must have been unusual to the point of anachronistic when Sayers was writing.

Why, hello!

Yes, I never thought of the not being able to ride thing - EP must be selling me on The Lord-of-Everything-He-Does character!

I agree it was a nice moment.

...I mean a nice LPW/bunter moment.

Most of the riding is done by a stuntman, surely; but Richard M starts and finishes so he would need to look vaguely convincing.

The argument between them when Harriet is full of confused feelings and starts a fight to raise the emotional temperature without being aware of what she's doing is v. convincing.

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

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).

And belatedly, hello, doctrine!

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

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.

Hey, LRD!

Whose body is the very first one.

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.

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

Hi, scone.

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!

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?"