GRAEME

Well, duh! It was Nathaniel Parker - what d'you expect? "Isn't very appealing" is his middle name - the log!

All men leak.

Azanti

Still love the Robert Powell version.

AndyP

Love all three versions - can't really decide whether the Donat or More version is the best.

GRAEME

Just been reading about the new TV version that's on BBC1 on the 28th December.

So, another version with a love interest! This time a sexy suffragette, b'gad!

The lack of any real female characters is one of the many serious flaws with the book - the other is the really lame ending. So I'm guessing they'll have changed that too, again.

And what do we think the "39 Steps" will be this time? Three film versions = three different 39 Steps. I'm willing to put money on them not being 39 steps down from a house to the sea, however....

All men leak.

Honestman

The Hitchcock version is my fave but I also have a liking for Robert Powell's attempt

LukeAFB

I watched the new version last night. Not bad, but either it strays a long way from the book (which I haven't read), or the earlier Kenny More version departs from the book. The "39 Steps" isn't even mentioned until the last half hour and they turn out to be steps down to a beach in Scotland. What happened to the 39 Steps down to the Thames (More version)?

A couple of very obvious mistakes: The railway scenes are supposed to depict the Caledonian Railway, but for some obscure reason the locomotive was painted green. A definite booboo. The second mistake was that the railway track was single line in every shot, but it would have been double track, even then (1914). And finally, where did they get the German submarine, as it definitely didn't look CGIed?

batman

That's what they are in the book. Apart from the Harold Lloyd ending ... the closest film to the book is the Robert Powell version. I haven't watched last night's so I cannot pass comment as yet. The VHS is primed for tonight.

Jingle bells Batman smells ... I heard that at school Daddy.

BAT QUIZ 16 HAS JUST BEEN POSTED IN THE COMPETITION THREAD - 06/01/09

johng

Re the ralway scene - the usual mess made by film producers. We were supposed to be travelling up the East coast main line through York, yet we managed to find ourselves in some Caledonian railway coaches which would never have been south of the border. To confuse the issue further the train was pulled by an LNER locomotive which had not even been built when the action took place!

To clarify, much of the filming was done in Scotland and the locomotive LNER No 246 Morayshire and the Caledonian coaches are based at the Scottish Railway Preservation Society at Boness in Scotland hence the single track line. The station was Birkhill.

Re the submarine we never got close ups of this. Is there not a way now whereby we can film and then insert a background using computer technology? As far as I know whilst there are quite a few submarines preserved none are seaworthy at least not to the extent of submersing.

Jolly good drama nevertheless even if it strayed somewhat from previous versions.

LukeAFB

johng,

Thanks for the clarification on the railway scenes.

As far as the submarine is concerned, I couldn't see and 'joins'. But you're right, I'm sure there is no preserved submarine in the UK of that age which is capable of submerging.

GRAEME

Not really. Steps down to the sea from a cliff on the coast, actually. And not in Scotland.

The worse excess is the usual girl character - this time who turns out to be Wonder Woman with built-in aqua lung and immunity from gunshot!

All men leak.

batman

That's pretty pedantic ..... they were steps on the coast.

Jingle bells Batman smells ... I heard that at school Daddy.

BAT QUIZ 16 HAS JUST BEEN POSTED IN THE COMPETITION THREAD - 06/01/09

GRAEME

Maybe - but very different to a jetty by a loch in Scotland nonetheless.

All men leak.

batman

I haven't watched the new version yet, I was trying to ascertain that the ending appears to be closer to the book than the other versions, although I haven't watched it yet.

Jingle bells Batman smells ... I heard that at school Daddy.

BAT QUIZ 16 HAS JUST BEEN POSTED IN THE COMPETITION THREAD - 06/01/09

GRAEME

I'll be very interested in what you make of it!

All men leak.

Mark O

I think my fave version is the Kenneth More 50's film version (Thank you Bats!) in colour with all the glorious highland scenery and plenty of twists and turns, loved the scenes in the Girls School!

Didn't reckon much on Rupert Penry-Jones version, re: the Railway scenes with the marble tiles at the London terminus, it definitely wasn't Kings Cross!

Mark