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Comments
That's funny as Agatha Christie had a character called James Bond in her short story 'The Rajah's Emerald'.
Oh yes I remember that one! I wonder if there's an adaptation of it.
I don't believe so, no. And perhaps an adaptation of Christie's short story 'The Rajah's Emerald' today featuring a character called "James Bond" (albeit many years before Fleming wrote Casino Royale in 1952) might well be problematic given the proactive nature of EON's lawyers. It might be best leaving well alone, considering the story is a standalone not featuring a series character like, say, Poirot or Miss Marple.
So it was adapted in some form? I stand corrected!
So, was 'The Rajah's Emerald' one of the stories adapted then? I've not seen that series, unfortunately, though I vaguely think I've heard of it.
No. "The Rajah's Emerald" has, to the best of my knowledge, never been adapted on screen. The short stories that were filmed (and aired in 1982 on ITV) are :
The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife
In a Glass Darkly
The Girl in the Train
The Fourth Man
The Case of the Discontented Soldier
Magnolia Blossom
The Mystery of the Blue Jar
The Red Signal
Jane in Search of a Job
The Manhood of Edward Robinson
Here's the credits for the series :
And did you know there was an anime series based on Poirot and Marple ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie%27s_Great_Detectives_Poirot_and_Marple
I didn't think that 'The Rajah's Emerald' was ever adapted for TV or radio but I'm by non means an Agatha Christie expert! Perhaps an audio book of the short story collections the story appears in exists though? However, if it does, that's not really an adaptation per se.
They could change the name. Although the sole interest of the short story by insight IS the name of the protagonist.
That's true. They could change the name. And, in fact, EON might insist on it, given how much their try to protect their brand.
Then you have a really boring story filled with very old clichés and flat characters. I'll say it again it's only interesting because of the name of the protagonist.
"The line-up of these usual suspects is, to say the least, impressive.
[Back row, left to right:] Ted Allbeury, Frederick Forsyth, John Gardner, Julian Symons, Miles Tripp (aka John Michael Brett), Gavin Lyall and Kingsley Amis (aka Robert Markham). [Middle row:] David Cornwell (John Le Carré), Eric Ambler and Lionel Davidson. [Front row:] Anthony Price, H.R.F. (Harry) Keating and Len Deighton.
"The occasion was the 75th birthday of Eric Ambler, to whom all British thriller writers owe a debt, and a ‘surprise’ birthday lunch (it is rumoured that a ‘mole’ tipped off Eric beforehand) thrown by fellow writers at the Savoy in 1984."
Yes, I saw that photograph on the Spybrary Podcast Facebook discussion group recently. It's a very interesting photograph featuring two Bond continuation authors together (John Gardner and Kingsley Amis) as well as many other famous thriller writers. It's of especial personal interest to me as back in 2007 I wrote an article on this meeting between Gardner and Amis at the Savoy, which now features on my blog. This newly unearthed photograph makes a nice visual accompaniment to my article:
http://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/ian-fleming-and-kingsley-amis.html
Of the authors above I would of course recommend that you start with John Gardner's James Bond continuation novels. Or Kingsley Amis' Colonel Sun (1968). ;)
Not surprised by that suggestion! ;-)
I'm also interested in checking out Len Deighton's work – especially The IPCRESS File and its sequels. I'm a huge fan of the Harry Palmer films.
Also, this one!
Yes, I love the Harry Palmer films too. And I have that cookery book too. I got it when it was reissued in, I think, 2009. Len Deighton celebrated his 90th birthday in February 2019.
https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2957:toby-peters-over-hollywood&catid=38:profile&Itemid=191
Of the writers on the photo, I've read John Gardner (yes, the Bond continuation novels, but also the Secret Generations trilogy -the first one is highly recommanded- and the first two Liquidator novels), Frederick Forsyth (from Day of the Jackal to Icon), Kingsley Amis (Colonel Sun), John Le Carré (the Smiley trilogy) and Eric Ambler (The Schirmer Inheritance, when it was serialized in a TV programme my parents bought every week).
Any recipes you'd recommend? :-D
I also wonder, has Len Deighton done any recent interviews? I remember reading an interesting one years ago (I think it was a site dedicated to his work, if I'm not mistaken).
I'm sure there are some good recipes in there but I've not looked at that book for a long time.
I think Rob Mallows' excellent The Deighton Dossier website and blog is the one you are referring to, @Torgeirtrap. It has had an interesting series of interviews with Mr Deighton over the years.
Yes, that's the site I was thinking of. Thanks!
My pleasure! It is a great resource and Rob Mallows is one of the biggest Len Deighton experts out there.
The site has been redesigned since I last visited, I think; it's almost unrecognisable. Plenty of new(er) content to read too!
Glad that I helped you find it again. I noticed it looked different too on a recent visit. Happy reading!
Thanks again! I've bookmarked the site so I don't lose it. :-)
Glad to have been of help! :)