I was always quite a fan of the original 1954 version and had watched it again quite recently. I was expecting this to be a slightly poorer remake but, you know what, it's at least on a par with that one if not better. And David Thewlis played the inspector brilliantly. So, how did everyone else feel it compares?
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Thanks for your frank review. I'll check it out.
share'The whole story is a bit too coincidental for plausibility - I mean every member of the family and the fiance contributed towards the downfall of this woman?'
Thats the essence of the JB Priestly play which this is adapted from.
Its that man again!!
J.B.Priestly once made it clear(in an interview) that although the family assume that this is the same girl that the Inspector is talking about,she may not be.What Priestly is saying is,that although the family think that they all know the same person,she is actual just a single girl in each case.You notice(and this is one of Priestly's stage directions) that the members of the family only ever see the photo on their own(I believe it changes for each person it is shown to).What Priestly is saying is,that it doesn't really matter if it's the same girl(as you say maybe too coincidental)or a different girl for each member of the family.The Inspector is just making them realise that a small action on their part can lead to disastrous circumstances.
Likewise the phone call at the end may be to tell them of the girl(in common) OR just another suicide caused by their actions.
I have always believed that Inspector Goole was an Angel, come to make them see the error of their ways.Did they?As Priestly(wisely) left the play where he did,we shall never know.
"There is no road that has not a star above it"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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I liked the 1954 version, but thought the new one was better. One thing I didn't like about the ending of the Alastair Sim one was the ending, where he doesn't leave the house but goes into a room and sits in a rocking chair. He simply vanishes at the end.
I also remember a version with Bernard Hepton from the early 80's, which was very like a stage play.
I thought the Alistair Sim ending with him sitting on the rocking chair was great and really brought out the wordplay in Inspector Goole.
Its that man again!!
I saw the Hepton I think. Really didn't enjoy it although I love the story.
shareCertainly not. I tend to agree with previous reviewers that this production was spoiled by too much added stuff at the end which almost negates the whole concept of the work. This adaption completely alters what Priestley was trying to say and not for the better. I thought the cast were brilliant and did full justice to the work but Priestley clearly wanted his audience to make up their own minds about what they had just witnessed.
shareThe problem with this - and the Alistair Sim version - is that it is supposed to be a play - for the live theatre and the restrictions it imposes. Nowhere in the play do the audience see the photo and not only do we see it in this we see the story with the girl - which could have been girls.
shareYou would probably like the Bernard Hepton version from 1982 then, which is very like a stage play, with no flashbacks showing the girl.
shareI was very impressed with it, I thought it was brilliant. Of the previous versions made my favourite is the Bernard Hepton adaptation from 1982.
I thought David Thewlis was excellent as was Ken Stott.
Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .
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