Stay Close on Netflix - detective murder crime drama with James Nesbitt, alright, few twists, and a little bit of Twin Peaks weird thrown in.
Under Milk Wood I didn’t appreciate how good Clive Dunn was, at the time. I certainly never for a moment thought of Corporal Jones as in his forties, even when I knew! And all of it was tired by the time Beck died; however, watch his performance, as I do now, and its artistry. As was Arthur Lowes’. Even, I’m forced to admit, Ian Lavender’s. So having watched Dad’s Army up to James Beck’s final episode, that included the one with Philip Madoc (U-boat capt.), and which one can hardly do without being struck by how many of them are dead now, I searched on Madoc to see when he snuffed it. Then I brought up Ruth’s page to see if she was still alive. Which reminded me of the ’72 film of ‘Under Milk Wood’, which she was in. It didn’t get a great reception – despite the cast – but I enjoyed it (which might be because I didn’t know the poem, which every critic was comparing it with. Whereas for me, the film introduced me to it, and to Dylan Thomas). So, we have Richard Gone-For-a Burton. Elizabeth Taylor, still beautiful. Peter O’Toole who lasted an astonishingly-long time, considering. But... Ryan Davies! Who died of an asthma attack in ’77, at 40 – whereas his one-time partner, Ronnie Williams, topped himself in ’97. Glynis Johns, also still beautiful. I watched it in a heavy Welsh accent.
Watched that last night on the recommendation of a friend. It had a few decent moments from some of the cast but in the main it didn't impress me.
Michael Palin, around the block in eighty, watching programmes like that makes you want to drop everything in life and get back into travel mode.
