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Post by wallis on Apr 20, 2018 0:01:07 GMT
I still enjoyed the production. I thought it classy and I didn't care two hoots if they deviated from the original story, not having read it myself. Christie did it herself so why not Sarah Phelps who was only trying to bring the story into the 21st century rather than the 20th with swearing as well. Please tell me no one swore in 1958? Maybe Christie didn't include swearing in her books but you can bet your bottom dollar that folks did even in the middle/upper classes. I do think.there is a big difference between the original author changing their own work because they've decided they could do it better (almost like a second draft) or it being.presented on a different format. A lot.of Novels need extensive reworking to transist to stage or screen. I have no issue with updating for a modern audience and didn't mind the swearing, sex scenes etc. I have no.issue with dialogue changes, even.insertoon or removal.of scenes or characters. But changing the.killer and whole motive to that extent doesn't sit right with me. Especially as the.original motive (sex, love, jealousy and money) is as valid now as it was at the time of writing. Fair enough KK but I still enjoyed it for what it was. I think Sarah Phelps is a brilliant screenwriter. I assume that it was written with most of us viewers not really knowing the original story.
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Post by LouP on Apr 20, 2018 7:12:15 GMT
I have to say that swearing in the 50s was a big no no and use of the F word was the most shocking of all. Nowadays it is just another word. It has been dumbed down so means nothing . Not then. It didn’t trip off the tongue, like now. If it was intended to bring it up to date I cannot for the life of me see why. It was 1958 not 2018 in old fashioned clothes. Stiff upper lip and all that. Imagine Jane Eyre with Rochester F - ing and Blinding. Doesn’t sit right. Nor did this for me. I was around at that time and remember and was a drama student a couple of years later. Even then no F word. Lots of smoking but no swearing tripping off the tongue.
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Post by Uncle Quentin on Apr 20, 2018 7:51:09 GMT
I have to say that swearing in the 50s was a big no no and use of the F word was the most shocking of all. Nowadays it is just another word. It has been dumbed own so means nothing . Not then. It didn’t trip off the tongue, like now. If it was intended to bring it up to date I cannot for the life of me see why. It was 1958 not 2018 in old fashioned clothes. Stiff upper lip and all that. Imagine Jane Eyre with Rochester F - ing and Blinding. Doesn’t sit right. Nor did this for me. I was around at that time and remember and was a drama student a couple of years later. Even then no F word. Lots of smoking but no swearing tripping off the tongue. Completely agree. It was still a shocking word in the early 1970s when I was a kid Lou. Mind you, back then folk were better educated and didn't need it to string their words together like today's feral rabble. I must have been about five before I even heard it. An older boy who lived a few doors down said it to me, and not having any idea what it meant, I went straight home and said it to my mam who was having a cup of tea with her friend. She leapt up, dragged me to the kitchen sink, and squirted Fairy Liquid down my throat to "clean my filthy mouth out." Then she gave me a good hiding and sent me upstairs. I never said it in front of her ever again.
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Post by kitkat1971 on Apr 20, 2018 8:22:50 GMT
I have to say that swearing in the 50s was a big no no and use of the F word was the most shocking of all. Nowadays it is just another word. It has been dumbed own so means nothing . Not then. It didn’t trip off the tongue, like now. If it was intended to bring it up to date I cannot for the life of me see why. It was 1958 not 2018 in old fashioned clothes. Stiff upper lip and all that. Imagine Jane Eyre with Rochester F - ing and Blinding. Doesn’t sit right. Nor did this for me. I was around at that time and remember and was a drama student a couple of years later. Even then no F word. Lots of smoking but no swearing tripping off the tongue. Yes. That's a very good.point re the swearing as it was a period piece. Clearly I wasn't around in the 50s but my Mother did used to discuss what.life was like as a young woman.in that era and how the difference of only 10 or 15 years (being born pre or during the War compared to the Baby Boomers,) made such a difference to experience and attitudes. She always indicated that things in Post War Britain before the Sexual Revolution.of the 60s were very austere, not just financially but socially and religion wise. Part of that was swearing being an absolute no, mo, not to mention sex before marriage. So yes, updating it to the 21st Century doesn't make sense as it was set mid 20th Century. I think what they mean is updating it for 21st Century Audiences expectations of Drama which is rather different.
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Post by wallis on Apr 20, 2018 8:27:48 GMT
There was swearing in the 50's but the amount did vary by occupation and social class. The American GI's over here during the war were a lot to blame by all accounts for the introduction of the F word.
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Post by LouP on Apr 20, 2018 8:30:30 GMT
"Bloody" was the worst thing said in the 50s and was rarely used even then . Maybe when someone stubbed their toe and cursed the thing that caused the damage!
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Post by kitkat1971 on Apr 20, 2018 8:31:26 GMT
I have to say that swearing in the 50s was a big no no and use of the F word was the most shocking of all. Nowadays it is just another word. It has been dumbed own so means nothing . Not then. It didn’t trip off the tongue, like now. If it was intended to bring it up to date I cannot for the life of me see why. It was 1958 not 2018 in old fashioned clothes. Stiff upper lip and all that. Imagine Jane Eyre with Rochester F - ing and Blinding. Doesn’t sit right. Nor did this for me. I was around at that time and remember and was a drama student a couple of years later. Even then no F word. Lots of smoking but no swearing tripping off the tongue. Completely agree. It was still a shocking word in the early 1970s when I was a kid Lou. Mind you, back then folk were better educated and didn't need it to string their words together like today's feral rabble. I must have been about five before I even heard it. An older boy who lived a few doors down said it to me, and not having any idea what it meant, I went straight home and said it to my mam who was having a cup of tea with her friend. She leapt up, dragged me to the kitchen sink, and squirted Fairy Liquid down my throat to "clean my filthy mouth out." Then she gave me a good hiding and sent me upstairs. I never said it in front of her ever again. Likewise. By the time I'm old enough to remember (so mid to late 70s), my.parents, at least my father did swear but in what would be considered quite light now (damn, bloody hell were the usual.ones) & there were certain words which were never used either by them, or us once grown up - at least in their presence. I'm not a heavy swearer even.now, but I do sometimes including the F word. But I was so embarrassed and ashamed when it slipped out once in front of Mum and even though I was way too.old to be disciplined.in any way, I could tell how shocked and disappointed in me she was.
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Post by kitkat1971 on Apr 20, 2018 8:39:02 GMT
There was swearing in the 50's but the amount did vary by occupation and social class. The American GI's over here during the war were a lot to blame by all accounts for the introduction of the F word. That is most likely true. My mother is only going to have spoken about her own experiences which will relate to her class, upbringing, social situations etc. As today, there will probably have been differences between social groups and circumstances. But I would say that generally there was much, much less tan we're used to now.
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Post by Uncle Quentin on Apr 20, 2018 8:39:25 GMT
There was swearing in the 50's but the amount did vary by occupation and social class. The American GI's over here during the war were a lot to blame by all accounts for the introduction of the F word.My old Nan told me that too Wallis, when I was an older kid, about ten or eleven. (Unlike most of what I write on here, that "old Nan" story is true)
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Post by Uncle Quentin on Apr 20, 2018 8:43:59 GMT
Likewise. By the time I'm old enough to remember (so mid to late 70s), my.parents, at least my father did swear but in what would be considered quite light now (damn, bloody hell were the usual.ones) & there were certain words which were never used either by them, or us once grown up - at least in their presence. I'm not a heavy swearer even.now, but I do sometimes including the F word. But I was so embarrassed and ashamed when it slipped out once in front of Mum and even though I was way too.old to be disciplined.in any way, I could tell how shocked and disappointed in me she was. I'm bitterly disappointed in you too, you were brought up not dragged up young lady! You've brought great shame upon this forum, Charley & myself will never be able to hold our heads up high in public again. You've tainted us all by association you foul-mouthed heathen.
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Post by kitkat1971 on Apr 20, 2018 8:50:12 GMT
Likewise. By the time I'm old enough to remember (so mid to late 70s), my.parents, at least my father did swear but in what would be considered quite light now (damn, bloody hell were the usual.ones) & there were certain words which were never used either by them, or us once grown up - at least in their presence. I'm not a heavy swearer even.now, but I do sometimes including the F word. But I was so embarrassed and ashamed when it slipped out once in front of Mum and even though I was way too.old to be disciplined.in any way, I could tell how shocked and disappointed in me she was. I'm bitterly disappointed in you too, you were brought up not dragged up young lady! You've brought great shame upon this forum, Charley & myself will never be able to hold our heads up high in public again. You've tainted us all by association you foul-mouthed heathen. I'm sowwy. I will not do it again, I ####ing swear.. Whoops
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Post by LouP on Apr 20, 2018 10:20:38 GMT
//(Unlike most of what I write on here, that "old Nan" story is true)//
So you didn't say the F word in front of your Mum and her friend then and got walloped for it ?
I shan't believe a word you say again, Unk.
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Post by Uncle Quentin on Apr 20, 2018 11:36:57 GMT
//(Unlike most of what I write on here, that "old Nan" story is true)// So you didn't say the F word in front of your Mum and her friend then and got walloped for it ? I shan't believe a word you say again, Unk. Yes, that one was true too Lou. I do tell the odd tall story elsewhere on this board occasionally though.
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Post by AaronSilver on Apr 29, 2018 2:47:04 GMT
I have just caught up, and watched all three episodes together, the final part was brilliant and brought the story together. I loved a lot of Agatha Christie's stuff and have read a fair amount of them but this wasn't one of them. As for the argument over Phelps's adaptation, I would think that Agatha would be delighted that her work is still being used prolifically as it is. Just like the BBC adaptations of Chaucer's work, I remember watching one or two of them, the one I enjoyed most had Julie Walters in the starring role and the writer had obviously done a Phelps on a very aged piece of work. I think the writers would just be happy to still be getting read and used, I'm sure Shakespear and Chaucer would pretty much amazed that hundred of years after writing their works they were still being used prolifically like they are.
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Post by butterball on Feb 9, 2020 13:49:12 GMT
The Agatha Christie offing that was usually shown at Christmas - The Pale Horse, is on tonight on BBC.
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