Have Your Say

Non-series Books and Characters

Other Christie books discussions

The Secret of Chimneys

Bundle_ 28 Aug 09 at 8:27 p.m. GMT

I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread to discuss not only the book but our hopes for an adaptation of it...which doesn't include Marple.

Login or register to add posts and reply

72 replies

Reverse order

GKCfan 28 Aug 09 at 8:34 p.m. GMT

Well, Christie's own stage adaptation, Chimneys, recently re-discovered, is starting to get attention.  Last year, the US premiere at the Discovering New Plays Festival in Kentucky won a bunch of awards, including Best Play and Best Supporting Actress for the actress playing Bundle.

Bundle_ 29 Aug 09 at 12:39 p.m. GMT

I think it would be hard to find the appropriate Bundle for on screen. Sometimes I wonder who will play her and I just can't picture any actresses who seem remotely like her, unfortunately. Does anyone have any suggestions?

anthony_cade 29 Aug 09 at 12:53 p.m. GMT

One of the thing that bugs me about TV adapatations of the young, fun, characters like Bundle is that they often seem to be too old. I'd want either an unknown young actress with all the right qualities, or if it's someone we know - I can't think of anyone off hand- at least make sure she's the right age!

Tommy_A_Jones 29 Aug 09 at 2:07 p.m. GMT

I think you are right anthony, I was going to suggest Julia Sawalha or Lucy Cohu but they are probably too old I think , Ruby Bentall who was in Larkrise To Candleford would be good but I think Jemima Rooper (Pronounced Roper) who played Norma Restrick in 3rd Girl would be good, Shirley Henderson might be O.K. for the Part. I love putting on my Casting Head

GKCfan 29 Aug 09 at 4:11 p.m. GMT

A couple of years ago I said that I thought Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle's War) would make a good Bundle.

Bundle_ 29 Aug 09 at 6:24 p.m. GMT

I remember you suggesting that, GKC. And it was indeed a good choice on your part. And for a long time I thought she would have made a good Bundle, but like Anthony Cade stated, I think she's a little too old for the part now.

Tommy_A_Jones

I love putting on my Casting Head

Let the casting begin!I just looked up Ruby Bentall and Jemima Rooper, Tommy. I've seen them both before - I just didn't know their names. But I think Jemima would be an excellent Bundle!!! She looks like how I pictured her. Well done, mon ami!

As for Lord Catherham I've always have pictured Bob Hoskins playing him. He has a great talent w/ accents so I think he could pull off the posh accent very well!

Tommy_A_Jones 30 Aug 09 at 1:09 p.m. GMT

I remember you saying before Bob Hoskins could play the Partr of Lord Caterham but I really don't think he could act posh enough, I think Richard Briers might be Much better.

Bundle_ 30 Aug 09 at 1:21 p.m. GMT

No I think he could, Tommy! He looks just like how I pictured Lord Catherham - and he's an actor: it's his job to change his persona :-)

Tommy_A_Jones 30 Aug 09 at 2 p.m. GMT

Yes but Bundle the Audience hav to belie the Actor is who is pretending to be (In this case an Arisocrat who talks eloquently) and I for one think that is beyond him, btw I saw an Actress last year in The 39 Steps and an Actress called Lydia Leonard was in it and she could play Bundle as could the Actress you suggested last time you and me discussed who could play the parts and there was an Actress in Cranford who could play Bundell, (Her Character lived with Judy Dench's Charcter and Eileen Atkins's Character, but I can't remember the name of the Character or nthe Actress's name)

Bundle_ 30 Aug 09 at 2:13 p.m. GMT

But he looks so much like Lord Catherham, I like he could pull it off. After all they got a tall, blond, "french accent" Poirot played by Ustinov and no one seemed to mind.

And I like Jemimia Rooper as Bundle :0).

And you know who I think they should get as Battle. But now that Geoffrey Palmer will be in The Clocks I don't see it happening anymore.

Tommy_A_Jones 30 Aug 09 at 2:26 p.m. GMT

No nor do I, we will have to agree to Dissagree about Bob Hoskins, Did you ever watch Maigret with Michael Gambon, his assistant was played by Geofrey Hutchings who I think would be great as Lord Caterham, or maybe even the guy who plays George.

Bundle_ 30 Aug 09 at 2:38 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

No nor do I, we will have to agree to Dissagree about Bob Hoskins,

Fair enough!

Did you ever watch Maigret with Michael Gambon, his assistant was played by Geoffrey Hutchings who I think would be great as Lord Caterham

I have never seen 'Maigret' nor have I heard of Geoffrey Hutchings. But I just looked him up and from what I can tell he does favor Lord Catherham a bit.

Also if  you've seen As Time Goes By (w/ Geoffrey Palmer of course) there's an actor on there named Philip Bretherton (he played Alistair) he reminds me soooo much of Codders! What do you think, Tommy?

Tommy_A_Jones 31 Aug 09 at 10:32 a.m. GMT

I love As Time Goes By, My Mum and I watched it together, I know exactly who you mean, Philip Bretherton played a Policeman in the JH version of At Bertrams Hotel but I think he is far too young to play Codders, I think Stephen Berkhoff who played a Solicitor in the GM version of BTPOMT would be better, I think Philip Bretherton could easily play another Detective in a MM Adap though, Fancy you likeing As Time Goes By.

Bundle_ 31 Aug 09 at 1:03 p.m. GMT

That's sweet that you and your Mom watch As Time Goes By, Tommy :-). My Mom likes it too, however I have never cared for the show! I just know the names of some of the actors who play in it. But I really think he could play Codders, Tommy, and I don't think he's too young to play him. It's not like Codders is ancient!

Tommy_A_Jones 31 Aug 09 at 1:16 p.m. GMT

I assume Codders is about 10 years younger than Lord Caterham, I think different people have a different idea as to what old is, Have you heard of George Layton? when I read The Secretv of Chimneys I pictured him playing Codders but then realised Stephen Berkhoff looked the right age, some people look younger than their years so some people not be old enough but might look old enough and some people might look too young but aren't, I think even if Codders isn't old he acts old.

Bundle_ 31 Aug 09 at 1:18 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

I think even if Codders isn't old he acts old.

Mmmm....Not really. I mean, in The Seven Dials Mystery he did feel spry enough to ask Bundle to marry him.

Tommy_A_Jones 31 Aug 09 at 2:26 p.m. GMT

Yes but I think that was because made him feel young and he thought it was good for his career and his standing in the Community and his Career.

Bundle_ 31 Aug 09 at 4:39 p.m. GMT

Yes, Bundle made him feel like a younger man - but I noticed that AC often portrayed several bright-young-things viewing anyone that was at least old enough to be there father as "ancient". So Codders probably felt old compared to them. I agree w/ you that he was about 10 years younger than Lord Catherham - so it would seem that Codders is in his late fifties. And I looked it up on wikipedia Philip Bretherton is 54; he could probably pull off being in his late fifties.

3rdGirl 31 Aug 09 at 9:25 p.m. GMT

Codders is a hoot. What I loved the most about The Seven Dials Mystery is that I was so swept up in all of the charachters and their romantic intrigues, that the solution of the mystery really did surprise me as I wasn't looking for the answers at all.

Bundle_ 01 Sep 09 at 11:03 a.m. GMT

I felt the same way too, 3rd Girl.

btw what did you think of when Codders asked Bundle to marry him and she became so uncomfortable that she jumped out of the first story window and ran!? LOL