I read CLAYHANGER during the summer of 1972; I was sixteen. It was absolutely gripping--and I also thought it was the most THOROUGH statement of the sadness and hopelessness of life imaginable. Still, I enjoyed the book!
Why are there no comments about Aunty Hamps' ACCENT?? She sounds like she's from Outer Space! That aside, this is such an excellent series and very faithful to the books. Arnold Bennett is so under-rated.
There’s bad casting and bad casting, but the choice of Janet Suzman playing Hilda reached a new level. I was confused watching the first few episodes as I thought Ms Suzman was about 50 and pretty much the same age as her mother, perhaps sisters living in the old family home. Turned out she was playing a 20 year old whilst looking thirty years older. If I was told she was 60 I would have believed it. Her lack of any semblance to physical youth was all the more ridiculous with, whether poor acting or having to convey the innocence of a twenty year old became harder to watch. Dreadful and destroyed what might have been a good series.
The pointing pencil, the pale blue background, the calming voiceover and the beakers with Dymo tape lettering. You can see where the "look around you" chaps got their inspiration...
The explanation for the One O'Clock gun is incorrect or incomplete because the ships in the harbours couldnt hear it. The Nelson Monument on Calton Hill has a black ball atop it which rises up a pole just before the gun goes off; when the gun fires the ball drops and ships in the harbours having their spyglasses trained on it know the exact time is 1pm.
I absolutely loved Clayhanger and watched it avidly when I was about 12. My Father was from Stoke on Trent and obviously said that they didn’t get the accent right at all! What is noticeable is how acting styles have changed since then!
I prefer the quiet, intense British programs much more than the loud, violent vacant characters and plots found in American TV. Seems as if every show is a *study* of complicated humans and their relationships , whereas much of our programming is focused on sex and gratuitous violence. I much prefer the character studies than the ridiculous plots. I watch as many British dramas as I can find !
incidentally i will defend this show to my dying day, yes i know it is silly.and kind of old fashioned and naff, but despite myself i really liked its silly sense of humour
