Ship of Fools: Another re-imagined detective...

Thread: Another re-imagined detective... Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

Specifically "Father Brown". I have finally come to the conclusion that it has been set in a counterfactual England where the Reformation never affected an established church, while leaving an opportunity for an unspecified "chapel" to pop up where required. And an ordained Catholic priest could just decide to stop being a priest like that.

Posted by Gildas (# 525) on :

I haven't seen it but I note that yet another sleepy English village has the sort of body count more usually associated with the west side of Baltimore.

Clearly this should have been a Viz Top Tip: If you live in a sleepy English village and a famous detective moves in, get the hell out because people are going to start getting whacked.

Posted by Gussie (# 12271) on :

It doesn't bear a great deal of similarity to Chesterton's stories, but I rather like the Father Brown series. I think Mark Williams is good in the title role.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

It's a dire travesty, modelled on the Marple/Poirot genre and set in a time-warped Mayhem Parva.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gildas:
Clearly this should have been a Viz Top Tip: If you live in a sleepy English village and a famous detective moves in, get the hell out because people are going to start getting whacked.

Likewise: do not get on a train if you hear a portly Belgian referring to his "little grey cells". The next one will be much safer.

And make sure you absolutely avoid pleasant-sounding doctors or lawyers in places which sound like Midwinter. They're always the worst.

Posted by Rev per Minute (# 69) on :

And if your Aunt Jane or Jessica is planning a visit, put her off - you will either end up in a prison cell or in the mortuary.

As was stated here nearly nine years ago for a new generation - if a blue box with a light on the top appears in your street, leave immediately. If you have access to the technology, leave the planet. Don't stop for clothes or anything else, you can buy those when you get somewhere safe.

Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :

And never ever visit a country house when the forecast is for bad weather.

Am I correct to gather, from this thread, that there is a re-imagined "Father Brown" series out there? See, I don't see his stories as being fit for re-imagining.

Now, an updated/re-imagined Charlie Chan series would be neat. The only two things I would insist on are (a) the actor should be of genuine Chinese descent--no more Norwegians; (2) just because he is Asian doesn't mean he knows martial arts--I long for the day when I see an Asian character on TV that does NOT know martial arts.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

Hedgehog, that is brilliant. You have the core of a project that could be pitched to a TV company there. Wasn't there a series of books about a historical Chinese judge who did a bit of detecting?
Yes, there is a series, for afternoon TV, using a character called Father Brown, with occasional visits from Flambeau. It is set in a village where the parish church is Catholic, where there are no Anglicans, and the only chapel people are introduced when there is a plot reason for someone not to be Catholic, but also not to be atheist (the Irish housekeeper is very anti-atheist). The Catholic church occupies the same place both physically and socially as an Anglican church would, with regard to the Women's Institute, local fetes etc. It's softer than I remember the books to be - I'm going to have to do a reread. And I do like the actor.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Judge Dee.

Other untapped lodes would be Roger Sheringham, Reggie Fortune or Miss Silver.

Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
Hedgehog, that is brilliant. You have the core of a project that could be pitched to a TV company there. Wasn't there a series of books about a historical Chinese judge who did a bit of detecting?
Yes, there is a series, for afternoon TV, using a character called Father Brown, with occasional visits from Flambeau. It is set in a village where the parish church is Catholic, where there are no Anglicans, and the only chapel people are introduced when there is a plot reason for someone not to be Catholic, but also not to be atheist (the Irish housekeeper is very anti-atheist). The Catholic church occupies the same place both physically and socially as an Anglican church would, with regard to the Women's Institute, local fetes etc. It's softer than I remember the books to be - I'm going to have to do a reread. And I do like the actor.

There was a murderous homophobic Anglican vicar in one episode (with apologies for the spoiler), IIRC. Memorable because I went to Sunday School with the actor who played him!

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

They are repeating the first series next week. I'll watch out for him.

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

G K Chesteron's Father Brown it is not and the profile of the Catholic Church rather fits the north better than the south of England but it is very watchable. Cosy death and cake afternoon viewing. Today was Earl Grey with a victoria sponge...

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

BBC Canada recently finished showing the first series of Father Brown and while I enjoyed it (I thought Mark Williams was very good) I couldn't help thinking that a little village like that wouldn't have a Roman Catholic church of those proportions (or that many parishioners).

I think the secret is just to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the "whodunit".

Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Rev per Minute:

As was stated here nearly nine years ago for a new generation - if a blue box with a light on the top appears in your street, leave immediately. If you have access to the technology, leave the planet. Don't stop for clothes or anything else, you can buy those when you get somewhere safe.

No, no, no! If you see a blue box with a light on the top run towards the light! Bang on the door, sneak inside, use the phone and if all else fails a yellow truck might work.

The safest place to be when the TARDIS shows up is in the TARDIS!

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

quote:
Originally posted by piglet:
I couldn't help thinking that a little village like that wouldn't have a Roman Catholic church of those proportions (or that many parishioners)

That was what I meant by the profile of the Church being more North of England than South. The Midlands and the North would be more likely to have churches of both Anglican and Roman Catholic denominations along with a Methodist Chapel depending on the local industries. If there were canals and coal mines then you would be more likely to find a substantial Catholic Church to cater for Irish and Scottish workers as well as a small English congregation.

Posted by Arch Anglo Catholic (# 15181) on :

I heartily agree with, and endorse, the preceding remarks with one exception!

The small village of Nympsfield in Gloucestershire could be the location of the stories. It is a tremendous oddity in that the large church in the village, and the Marist convent nearby, are both Roman Catholic, while the CofE church is down a lane on the outskirts of the village. Truly odd, but you could imagine the modified and quite un-Chestertonlike Fr B strolling down the street!

In passing, the sisters at the convent are lovely and very welcoming and the convent makes an austere but friendly retreat location if you like that kind of thing.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

I saw one of the new Father Brown stories last year - it was the adaptation of The Hammer of God. I didn't much care for it (partly, I thought, it was an odd one to adapt, quite atypical of the stories) but I did like Mark Williams.

Does anyone remember the 1970s (?) series starring Kenneth More as Father Brown? I don't know if it's available on DVD, or still being shown on cable or satellite, but I wouldn't be surprised if an episode or two have found their way onto one of the popular video sites out there. My recollection is of More playing the part very true to Chesterton's original - wise, humane, and with a sometimes mischievous sense of humour.

The originals are odd stories to adapt for tv, since they're often quite slight and inconsequential, though always clever and amusing. When I'd read this thread last night, I went and read The Honour of Israel Gow, which is very funny and shows Brown at his witty best. But I couldn't imagine it making a good tv show, because what drama there is, is very understated.

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

I found the Kenneth More series yesterday while I was loading the stories onto my parents kindles.

Father Brown DVD on Amazon.co.uk

Posted by Gussie (# 12271) on :

I really liked the early 1950s film with Alec Guinness as Father Brown, he was very good at the humility.

When I decided not to try and work out which original story, if any, the episodes were based on, I enjoyed it a whole lot more.

I do wish soemone would do a series with Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver. A true to the original mind you, not like that fairly recent Miss Marple series that totally changed the plots.

Posted by JoannaP (# 4493) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gussie:
I do wish soemone would do a series with Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver. A true to the original mind you, not like that fairly recent Miss Marple series that totally changed the plots.

My immediate reaction is No, but that is being dog in the manger-ish. If they were televised, I would not watch them; those books are part of my comfort reading and I would not enjoy them if the characters were not as I imagine them.

Since being taken to see Mary Poppins as a child, I have tried to avoid visualisations of books that I love.

Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :

I really enjoyed The Mrs Bradley Mysteries when I discovered them on netflix, then found the books themselves are somewhat turgid.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Diana Rigg is so not Mrs Bradley. But then the Gladys Mitchell originals are typically broken-backed.

Have the Ngaio Marsh books ever been televised? I would have thought the rather reactionary Alleyne would have been a natural.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

I would like to see some of the Margery Allingham stories done--especially Tether's End and Tiger in the Smoke.

Moo

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I would like to see some of the Margery Allingham stories done--especially Tether's End and Tiger in the Smoke.

Moo

The BBC did some of the Campion stories in the late 80s, with Peter Davison in the role. The only one I really remember was Look to the Lady.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I would like to see some of the Margery Allingham stories done--especially Tether's End and Tiger in the Smoke.

Moo
The BBC did some of the Campion stories in the late 80s, with Peter Davison in the role. The only one I really remember was Look to the Lady.

Oh! And I've just found a legitimate copy of it on Youtube, on the BBCWorldwide channel. Screenplay by the most excellent Alan Plater ...

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Davidson certainly captured the character's ostensible vacuity - I just don't think he conveyed there was anything behind it. Wasn't Albert Campion modelled on a George VI?

Posted by Ann (# 94) on :

The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries - they've been on tv the past couple of Sunday evenings - but I can't remember which channel.

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
I really enjoyed The Mrs Bradley Mysteries when I discovered them on netflix, then found the books themselves are somewhat turgid.

D. found the same with Lovejoy. The books were set in Colchester, where he comes from, and Gimbert's was based on the auction house where D's late father was the senior partner.* Having thoroughly enjoyed the TV series, D. bought several of the books, and really hated them - it's not often that he'll willingly discard or throw away a book, but he did with those.

* although I hasten to add that my f-i-l was not like Gimbert in any way whatsoever. [Big Grin]

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :

Interesting, Piglet, because Macarius & I loved the Lovejoy books in the '80's and were bitterly disappointed with the cleaned-up tv version.

Mind you, when we tried to re-read the books a few years ago, we both found them virtually unreadable.

M.

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Hedgehog:
And never ever visit a country house when the forecast is for bad weather.

Am I correct to gather, from this thread, that there is a re-imagined "Father Brown" series out there? See, I don't see his stories as being fit for re-imagining.

Now, an updated/re-imagined Charlie Chan series would be neat. The only two things I would insist on are (a) the actor should be of genuine Chinese descent--no more Norwegians; (2) just because he is Asian doesn't mean he knows martial arts--I long for the day when I see an Asian character on TV that does NOT know martial arts.

Rather than Charlie Chan I'd rather see a series based on Chang Apana the Honolulu Policeman who was the inspiration for the Charlie Chan character.

There was a TV series made from the Judge Dee series in the sixties and seventies. I've never seen it. There was also a trashy historical sword and fantasy Chinese movie released a couple of years ago.

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :

The Auussies got it absolutely right when they made The Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries based on Kerry Greenwood's stories. With the cast slightly reduced (Mr Butler has the skills of both Mr And Mrs Butler; Phryne has one adopted daughter instead of two – and she doesn't appear very often) Essie Davis couldn't disappoint anyone who's a Greenwood enthusiast. In her gorgeous 20s styles she shins up drainpipes, picks locks, flies a plane, and all the rest. I don't know whether we've seen all of the first two series but I believe there's a third series coming up. Bring it on!!

GG

Posted by Tubbs (# 440) on :

quote:
Originally posted by M.:
Interesting, Piglet, because Macarius & I loved the Lovejoy books in the '80's and were bitterly disappointed with the cleaned-up tv version.

Mind you, when we tried to re-read the books a few years ago, we both found them virtually unreadable.

M.

They’ve recently been republished and I picked a few up as part of the Kindle Daily Deal. They’re fine if you treat them as period pieces and helped make my commute too and from work a little more bearable, but Lovejoy’s attitude to women leaves a bit to be desired. The casual references to “giving her a slap” set my teeth on edge.

Haven’t seen the new Father Brown’s as yet, but I do like Mark Williams so will look out for them. Midsomer (?) is still a guilty TV pleasure – I know it’s rubbish, but they do have a clean up rate second to none!

Tubbs

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

What a coincidence. i was going to post about Fr. brown and ask whether it was Chesterton's world view/fantasy that England was still a Catholic country.

The I saw this thread.

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