Sometimes it’s a very fine line between ordinary, “not quite there” and magnifique … it can be anything in the direction, casting, script … well you know. I’d not seen this version, being a bit too young at the time but I did see the Gambon version, which was magnifique in its own way, the mother a sympathetic character … the important role of Ernestine so well cast, so well played, the right age.
Playing this Davies episode now is a bit like playing the ace early. Let me say that Ernestine is not quite right, way too young, but oh my goodness is she a honey. If just for that alone …
Rupert Davies was required watching back then! He really was a TV star in those days!
ReplyDeleteMy Uncle Jack always referred to the series as 'Maygrette' for some reason...
But there again, he always changed the name of another popular series to 'Dr Finlay's Bookcase'...
JH: Yes, my parents watched, I do remember Lucas and the theme. Interesting that the girl in this playing Ernestine, Andree Melly, was George Melly’s sister.
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