estienne

I was rather surprised that this BBC film from the late seventies hadn't already turned up in this forum. It was an adaptation by Leslie Megahey (who wrote and directed) of a Sheridan Le Fanu ghost story, which purported to explain the genesis of a (real) painting by the seventeenth-century Dutch painter Schalken.

If I remember the plot correctly, the young Schalken is in love with the beautiful daughter of his master Gerrit Dou, but the miserly Dou marries her to a rich old man (John Justin, shockingly different from his Prince in The Thief of Baghdad). Schalken throws himself into his work, becoming quite successful, and finally meets up with Dou's daughter again, in what turns out to be a very spooky scene indeed. It also benefits from a narration by that great friend of the ghost story, Charles Gray. Friends of mine who saw this when the BBC showed it (a couple of times, over successive Christmases, some 25 years ago) still vividly remember it. It's been such a long time since I last saw it that it might turn out to be terrible, though I doubt it.

Read more about it on IMDB: Schalken the Painter (1979) (TV). I suppose one would pitch it as "M R James meets Girl with a Pearl Earring"...

In the 1980s Megahey went on to make a very interesting dramadoc trilogy on early 19th-century French painters as well as a Renaissance romp called Cariani and the Courtesans - not a patch on Schalken but quite good fun, as I recall. He also made the "medieval courtroom drama" The Hour of the Pig, with a pre-Darcy Colin Firth.

sippog

Hello SJMW (May I call you SJ?)

Pardon me for asking: but are you reviewing it or looking for a copy?
If so, I might be able to help.

regards
Sippog

If I had a swimming pool, it would probably burn down . . .

estienne

Forgive my previous effusiveness - I'm new to this. (For some reason I thought more information would be useful, and I never seem able to suppress the critic in me...)

I'd certainly be interested in seeing a copy, if you have access to one. What sort of condition is it in?

S

Brute force and ruddy ignorance!

barrington bond

Hello, just joined. I recorded the repeat of this but there was a bit of atmospherics interfering with reception towards the end. If anyone has got a better copy than mine I'd be interested.

Regards,
Barry

Jack Gurney

Yep, I have one- if you send me a PM we can exchange details.

Briskly

This is my all time favourite ghost story - I saw it when it was first shown and the images have stayed with me ever since. I'd love to get hold of a copy if it is at all possible.

drevin13

I'm trying to find Schalcken the Painter. Does anyone know how I can get a copy of it?


For Omnibus, BBC tx. 23/12/1979, colour, 70 mins

Director Leslie Megahey
Production Companies BBC, RM
Screenplay Leslie Megahey
Based on a story by Sheridan Le Fanu
Photography John Hooper

Cast: Jeremy Clyde (Godfried Schalcken); Dou (Maurice Denham); Cheryl Kennedy (Rose); John Justin (Vanderhausen); Charles Gray (narrator); Anthony Sharp (gentleman)

D Cairns

By asking me!

square-eyes

Its also available for download at the moment at the uknova torrent website under "Ghost Stories"

laura1

Hi
I can do you a d v d copy to
play region 1 as in the U.S.

Laura1

drevin13

I'm having trouble joining Uknova. It seems they limit the number of members.

drevin13

I was able to get a copy off uknova. I really appreciate all of the kind offers from the forum members. Thank you all. I’m taking an art history class on Dutch Genre Painters and I think a few of us are going to have a movie night and watch this film. Thanks again!

Maureen

ajhooper

Does anyone have a good copy of this?

Please get in touch

aphra

I have an off-air copy which is about as good as you can get. I will send you a PM.

ghost

:I would really like to have a copy of this. Have only just found out the title although the story has 'haunted' me since I saw it. Would it be possible for you to let me have one - will pay costs.