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?

Yes, I thought Jerry got shot down over France or something like that. Saddling Peter with the Dukedom always felt a bit meam.

Er, mean

As I recall the Wimsey Papers are mostly DLS whinging about the government rather than anything very Wimsey-ish.

I've nothing against Ian Carmichael in other things it's just a while ago I read people on amazon saying that the dramatisation of Busman's Honeymoon ends with P & H laughing which is the definition of travesty!

Also, my mil wouldn't watch EP on principle because of Ian Carmichael and prided herself on the old days were best attitude which really used to get my goat. However, I'll probably be the same with regards to EP and any subsequent remake so I'm probably just as stubborn as she was. Which cheeses me off even more!

Was IC in that?

Anyway, I doubt it was IC's dramatic decision!

Thanks Rusty, will pm
You back!

Have all of you already read this? EP's account of filming the proposal-vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/not-as-dorothy-would-have-liked-it/

vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/not-as-dorothy-would-have-liked-it/

Of course it wouldn't have been Ian Carmichael's decision! I'm using it for shorthand for those interpretations!

Ah, sorry!

claraschu that's a pretty adorable blog. EP seems to do social media very well.

EP was doing themed London walks at one time. I couldn't afford to go, which I shall forever regret.

Hi Annie, I'm glad you liked it. I loved reading about the filming of GN, as I loved the EP and HW films and got a bit obsessed with them (though of course nothing is going to be as wonderful as the books).

Have any other of you diehard fanatics read the blog I linked to?

Yy

Still can't find the audiobook

Something I know that I find quite interesting is that there is a Dorothy L Sayers society and Edward Petherbridge (and his wife) and Harriet Walter are still regularly involved with the group.

I bought mine via audible but it was a while ago.

Oooh, Lindy found it online: www.sayers.org.uk/society.html#join

£18 quid a year? Hmmm. Might do, for a year anyway, if I can justify £18 to myself.

The Society makes various awards, including the Dorothy L Sayers Bellringers Award.

Archery Annie, my mum is a member of the society. They go all over the place on trips and conventions. They visit pretty much anywhere connected with the books or Dorothy and do dinners and awards and generally have a lovely time.

That sounds lovely, Lindy!

www.audible.co.uk/search/ref=a_pd_Classi_tseft?advsearchKeywords=sayers+dorothy&filterby=field-keywords&sprefixRefmarker=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6&sprefix=sayers

Not sure if the above link will work for everyone else, as I'm signed in to Audible, but this is their Sayers stuff.

They are redoing the whole lot of Wimsey, starting from the beginning read by Jane McDowell, but I am hesitating because of the few reviews that there are, several don't like the narrator. Apparently she can't pronounce Balliol and when LP was looking out on the roof in Whose Body she pronounced 'the leads' as 'leeds' instead of as the metal.

I've listened to the samples a few times and noticed that she makes a slight pause before French phrases and pronounces them as if she's not very confident - and as there's an awful lot of French in Wimsey, it could get a bit annoying. Wonder what she made of Cathcart's letter in C of W?
I must admit I'm very fussy about narrators in my audio books - I think Diana Bishop who did the Miss Silver books would be wonderful, or perhaps Nadia May, who reads A Careless Rage for Life. I've got a Ngaio Marsh read by her and it's pretty good.

Yonic, you have mail!

I do, thanks!

I didn't realise ACRFL was an audiobook, will look it up.

Iirc, the Carmichael version of Clouds doesn't have the French letter ?

Am just popping by again to salute DLS for making one of the main protagonists of a series of novel written in 1930 a woman who has, very publicly, had sex out of wedlock, and who isn't "redeemed" or "saved" in a moral sense - just saved physically (from the gallows) and intellectually (from being attached to a bore who didn't value her work or her intellect).

Just wanted to say a massive thanks to the OP!
As a result of finding this thread, inspired me to re-watch, after several years, the Edward Petherbridge/Harriet Walters DVDs - sheer joy.
From the first scenes of 'strong poison' the acting was so sublime - really capture the character so well - loved the books, and the tv definitely added another dimension - perfect. OP - thanks again!

Yy Annie.