Films & TV

FILMS AND TV - OTHER THAN POLDARK

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A number of Winston Graham’s suspense novels were filmed, the most famous being Marnie a psychological thriller, directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1964. Hitchcock had wanted Grace Kelly, by then married to Prince Ranier of Monaco, for the lead. She agreed in principle, but the plan failed when the principality of Monaco realised that the heroine was a thief, a liar and didn’t like men – not the image they wanted for a Princess of the realm. The leads were eventually taken by Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery.

 

Of his other suspense stories four were filmed for the large screen. Take My Life (screened in 1947) featured Marius Goring, Night without Stars (screened in1951) had David Farrar and Nadia Gray in the lead roles, Fortune is a Woman (screened in 1957) starred Jack Hawkins and Arlene Dahl and The Walking Stick (screened in 1970) had David Hemmings and Samantha Eggar. Angel, Pearl and Little God was also sold as a film, with Dustin Hoffman due to take the lead, but in the event was never made.

 

Two novels were made for TV – The Sleeping Partner (adapted by ITV for screening in 1967) and The Forgotten Story an historical novel of the nineteenth century which was screened in 1983. The latter included Angharad Rees as one of the stars. And it was Angharad who later took on the lead role of Demelza in the first TV serialisation of Poldark in the 1970s.