Swallows and Amazons

[AntarcticPilot]

I would say some can do justice but if I were to choose between a book and a film,I'd choose the book. It's just that the limitation of our imagination and it would be a little disappointing seeing the characters and like,woahh..that's not what I imagined!

Agree entirely. The pictures in my head never match the pictures on a screen, either large or small. And the pictures in my head can change as I change, and as my understanding of the book changes. In any case, the Producer ALWAYS gets something wrong! My pet hate is the characterization of Theoden in the Lord of the Rings (Pt 2); Jackson just got it WRONG, though otherwise the film is actually one of the better attempts to put a book on screen!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Amen to that.

Oddly enough, I recall telling my boss at Foyle's bookshop in 1991, that I'd always pictured actor Robert Hardy as Captain Flint/Uncle Jim...

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...to which my boss replied, "what, that pompous ass?"

Not sure why, but Hardy seemed to me to have the right combination of authority and mischievous humour.

The lake stories are great, but I think I rated We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea as Ransome's best. The description of the tide moving and the awful noises of the anchor dragging as the scope grows too short in the grey fog, with river-traffic all around, is as clear in my mind now as when I last read it, probably in the 'eighties.

(I haven't read all of this thread, sorry if I repeat an earlier theme.)

I've never really considered it before, but now you mention it, Hardy would make a good Captain Flint. And as for hime being a pompous ass, that's as may be, but in S&A, Captain Flint starts out by BEING a pompus ass!

 

[Lakesailor]

I can't see Hardy becoming avuncular.
You need a James May character but a bit older. In attitude as well as physically.

 

[Seajet]

I would agree ' We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea ' is in my opinion the best of a very good bunch; at the Portsmouth International Festival Of The Sea a few years ago I was lucky enough to go aboard A.R.'s boat Nancy Blackett, which Goblin is based on and pretty identical to; brought quite a lump to the throat.

As for who would play which character I haven't a clue about modern child actors, except maybe Hermione from Harry Potter could play a rather more fetching than original Susan ?!

http://nancyblackett.org/

 

[AntarcticPilot]

This thread has inspired me to re-read the S&A books for the first time for years. Done "Winter Holiday" (which probably inspired me to be a scientist involved in the polar regions!), reading "Peter Duck" at the moment.

I'd forgotten how good they are! The account of the chase down channel between "Wild Cat" and "Viper", which ends with "Wild Cat" evading "Viper" in fog is amazing - and a good reminder of sound signals, though possibly out of date! I reckon I've had a little smile on my face the whole time I'm reading. "Missee Lee" may be next - my wife may well have comments on that one!

Fortunately, I have the entire series on my bookshelf

 

[prv]

Fortunately, I have the entire series on my bookshelf

I probably had most of them as a kid, but they seem to have disappeared. Recently bought a new set and re-read them, as you are. Definitely get a lot that went over my head when I was ten!

Pete