Posted by Peter H on January 02, 2002 at 19:55:40 from 213.122.31.19:
A few weeks ago, there was an interesting exchange of views on the the best lines from AR's books. I would now like to open a new category - best lines said by Ransome characters which AR didn't write. Having watched the S&A film today (UK Channel 4), I nominate Roger asking (during the argument as to what the 'Duffers' telegram meant): 'Why doesn't he just say yes?'
I have been wondering that all my life! Perhaps the screenplay writers had trouble understanding the telegram too.
The film itself has generated much discussion over the years, and I don't want to add to it, except to say that some of the 'incidentals' are brilliant, e.g. the brief shot of the cows grazing by the lakeside at dawn just before the Amazon capitulation. And the music - it's so easy to ruin a film with intrusive music. I think the music for 'S&A' is absolutely right, never over-boisterous, and at times quite subtle.