Until I reached my teen years, I really wasn't one for reading fiction. Then, thanks to a Canadian-born English teacher, I 'discovered' C S Forester, and I began to appreciate a good story in book format!
(By the way, the book that he made us read was THE SHIP, which was Forester's fictionalised account of the Battle of Sirte, and which featured as its main characters the crew of the cruiser HMS Artemis.)
I happened to mention my enjoyment of Forester's books to a librarian ... and they suggested that I ought to try several other authors, including Rudyard Kipling and John Buchan. I followed this advice ... and I was soon hooked! In particular, I enjoyed the latter author's stories that featured Richard Hannay, later Major-General Sir Richard Hannay KCB DSO OBE and his cronies:
- Mary Lamington, later Lady Mary Hannay
- Ludovic 'Sandy' Gustavus Arbuthnot, later 16th Lord Clanroyden
- Barbara, Lady Clanroyden
- Sir Archie Roylance
- Janet, Lady Roylance
- John Scantlebury Blenkiron
- Peter Pienaar
I began with THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS, which I had seen on film in two versions:
- Alfred Hitchcocks 1935 version, which starred Robert Donat.
- Ralph Thomas' 1959 version, which starred Kenneth More.
However, the film version of the story that - in my opinion - keeps closest to the original story, is the 1978 version, which starred Robert Powell.
Robert Powell as Richard Hannay.
Not only that, but it proved so popular that it resulted in a spin-off television series that was simply named Hannay.
By coincidence, the latter is currently being televised by the Talking Pictures TV Freeview channel, and I have been watching them. There are two series and the episodes are as follows:
- Series 1
- The Fellowship of the Black Stone
- A Point of Honour
- Voyage into Fear
- Death With Due Notice
- Act of Riot
- The Hazard of the Die
- Series 2
- Coup de Grace
- The Terrors of the Earth
- Double Jeopardy
- The Good Samaritan
- That Rough Music
- The Confidence Man
- Say The Bells of Shoreditch
The stories are not based on anything written by John Buchan, but they are very much in their mould, and are set in the period immediately before the outbreak of the Great War. (i.e. the Belle Époque). There is one recurring villain in both series, Count Von Schwabing, who is played with great gusto by Gavin Richards ... who is probably better known for the role of Captain Alberto Bertorelli in the Second World War comedy, 'ALLO, 'ALLO.
Bob, I think it was Greenmantle that caught my imagination the most, although there were many good books by John Buchan. As a boy I very much enjoyed the Ronald Welch books - they inspired me to write my own rules for the Spanish Armada as a wee lad!
ReplyDeleteSteve
Steve,
DeleteI agree that GREENMANTLE is one of the best of the books.
I do not remember reading any of Ronald Welch’s books … but I will certainly take a look at them.
All the best,
Bob
I was lucky that the local library had many Ronald Welch books. Unfortunately they are not readily available any more but Knight Crusader - one of the best - is available on Kindle. Captain of Dragoons (Marlborough era) is also excellent and I believe was made into a radio show. Although written for teenagers some time ago they are well written and I recommend them.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
DeleteI looked on Amazon and was surprised to see how many hardback editions of his books are on sale! I’ll probably give one that is available as a Kindle download a go.
All the best,
Bob
Knight Crusader
DeleteSteve,
DeleteCheers!
All the best,
Bob
I really enjoyed “ Captain of foot “ in my teens, well worth a read.
DeleteTradgardmastare,
DeleteNow that sounds interesting …
All the best,
Bob
Bob, We've just watched Hannay on TPTV as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. For some reason, I missed it at the time of its original broadcast but I think that the scripts and acting have really stood up well over time.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the best adaptations of the Hannay novels were done on BBC radio starring David Robb in the leading role. They actually follow the plot of Buchan's 39 Steps rather than re-telling Hitchcock's version of the story. It may be apocryphal, but the story goes that Buchan was invited to a screening of the 39 Steps film and halfway through it he is supposed to have leant over to Hitchcock and asked "I wonder how it ends".
Regards,
Andy
Andy Hussey (Andy),
DeleteThere are some very interesting old films and TV programmes available on TPTV … and my favourites are - besides HANNAY - MAIGRET, SERGEANT CORK, and SCOTLAND YARD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_Yard_(film_series).. The latter featured Edgar Lustgarten, and I remember seeing them at the cinema with my mother. She had worked for Warner Brothers as an airbrush artist and had a free pass to most cinemas!
I love the story about Hitchcock and Buchan. It’s very believable!
All the best,
Bob
The only Buchan book I have read is Greenmantle. An interesting twist on the old Great Game, where England and Russia were on the same side for once.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the 1978 version of the 39 Steps. Much preferable to the others (including the more modern version with the chap from Spooks).
And where would we be without TPTV!
Nundanket,
DeleteIt’s an excellent book … and its plot is more believable than not. As to the 39 STEPS … it’s one of those stories that seems to get remade every so often … and not always well.
All the best,
Bob
A veritable cornucopia of my boyhood reading. One author I enjoyed that would not make it today was 'Sapper', with his (to modern eyes) very un PC stories about 'Bulldog' Drummond. I concur with the Welch books, which I was reading at the same time as the William Brown books of Rachmel Crompton.
ReplyDeleteJoppy,
DeleteI must admit that I've never read any of the BULLDOG DRUMMOND books ... and its something that I really out to rectify.
Another author that people don't read these days is J A Henty, who is far too aggressively and obstinately nationalist and reactionary for modern tastes and sensibilities. I was read them whilst at primary school, and particularly remember WITH WOLFE IN CANADA.
All the best,
Bob