Category: Radio, TV, Film, Video, Internet

Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth was on BBC TV in 1977 | Getting DvD or download

Anthony Lawton100 Comments

TV ProgrammeRosemary Sutcliff‘s historical novel The Eagle of the Ninth, which by 2011 had sold more than a million copies since its appearance in 1954 (according to publisher OUP), was made into a BBC TV series shot in Aberdeenshire in the 1970s.

Rosemary  Sutcliff adored the portrayal of Marcus, the hero. As I have posted before, I thought ” I probably had” old old video tapes of hers in the attic. I do not, I find now on moving house.

Some readers here and ‘likers’ of the Facebook page have lobbied for a re-release or at least DVD.  I have tried.  Meanwhile John has been doing sterling work respondng to requests for DvDs (see below). And now there is some action about downloading  with torrents (and I have managed to dowlaod the whole series and am loving it – I last watched it I think with Rosemary).

The TV series was broadcast in six episodes.

  1. Frontier Fort (4 September 1977)
  2. Esca (11 September 1977)
  3. Across the Frontier (18 September 1977)
  4. The Lost Legion (25 September 1977)
  5. The Wild Hunt (2 October 1977)
  6. Valedictory (9 October 1977)

Very tiny excerpts here.

(Revised 3/2/14)

The Eagle or The Eagle of the Ninth? | International titles of 2011 film of Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth

Anthony Lawton4 Comments

Recent showings on Film 4 in the UK of ‘The Eagle’ film, based on Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical novel The Eagle of the Ninth, have reminded me of my frustration and disappointment that the film was not itself called The Eagle of the Ninth. For many months during filming and productionthe it had the full title, but after test-marketing in the USA, the US film studio Focus Features insisted on shortening the title – because US audiences seemed to think The Eagle of the Ninth might be about golf! (I am not joking).

At the time I wrote that I chose to believe that the studio knew its business and its market, although the subsequent  failure of their marketing in the US  lead me to wonder a little more. The (standard) contract for the book rights gave those of us responsible for Rosemary Sutcliff’s book no veto or locus in the decision.

In many, but not all, countries the title was a full translation of the original title. In others, of ‘The Eagle’. So far I think I have found:

Brazil: A Aguia da Nova

Bulgaria: Орелът 

Croatia: Orao

Finland: Kotka

France: L’ Aigle de la Neuvième Légion

Germany: Der Adler der Neunten Legion

Greece: O aetos tis aftokratorias

Hungary: A sas

Iceland: Örninn

Japan: 第九軍団のワシ /

Lithuania: Devintojo legiono erelis

Poland: Dziewiaty legion

Portugal: A Águia da Nona Legião

Romania: Acvila legiunii a IX-a

Russia: Орел Девятого легиона

Spain: El águila de la novena legión

Japanese Film poster for The Eagle of the Ninth 第九軍団のワシ :

BBC Radio 4 – With Great Pleasure at Christmas 2013 | Includes reding from The Eagle of the Ninth

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With Great Pleasure at Christmas 2013 on BBC Radio 4, first broadcast on Wednesday 25 December 2013, includes a reading from The Eagle of the Ninth. From the BBC 4 website: 

John Lloyd is joined by Hugh Laurie, Miriam Margolyes, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Howard Goodall to perform his favourite pieces of writing, comedy and music. A special Christmas edition of With Great Pleasure recorded in front of an audience at the BBC Radio Theatre.

John Lloyd is a comedy guru, the brains behind QI and the producer of Blackadder – and Hugh Laurie revisits his sublime portrayal of the Prince Regent from Blackadder the Third in a couple of previously unperformed pieces written by John. His other choices include a performance by all the cast of a scene from Hay Fever by Noel Coward, in which John made his stage debut while at school.

Taking us through John\’s life in comedy are sound archive extracts from Julian and Sandy from Round The Horne and Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe.

Books that have been important in John\’s life include The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, How The Mind Works by Steven Pinker and poetry collections ranging from Auden to ee cummings. Words of wisdom from Douglas Adams and Viz Top Tips are also quoted.

via BBC Radio 4 – With Great Pleasure, With Great Pleasure at Christmas 2013.

Rosemary Sutcliff’s Carnegie-medal-winning The Lantern Bearers adapted for radio by Felix Fenton (1961)

Anthony Lawton5 Comments

I recently discovered  Felix Felton (1911 – 72) who was a British actor, and a radio director and author. In 1961 he adapted Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Lantern Bearers (published in 1959) for a six-part series for Children’s Hour for BBC Radio. In 1962 he also adapted  Dawn Wind (1961) for radio, playing the role of Einon Hen himself.

Rosemary Sutcliff Facebook-likers vigorously criticise Booktrust so-called ‘Best 100 children’s books of last 100 years’ | No Rosemary Sutcliff on it!

Anthony Lawton2 Comments

Over at the Facebook page for Rosemary Sutcliff  readers have been robust about  the error of The Booktrust’s ways in excluding Rosemary Sutcliff from their attempt to list the 100 best children’s books of the last 100 years. I asked for help in compiling a broadside.

I’m not sure this will help, but the books I enjoyed when I was 11 still engage me at 63! I’ve never felt that Rosemary Sutcliff writes for children alone. There’s probably no more poignant tale than The Lantern Bearers. Also, she has a talent for dialogue in an historical context which is unsurpassed. Most children’s authors have nothing remotely like it. (Roy Marshall)

Rosemary Sutcliff’s books last in the mind and heart. I am 63 now and they stand out as Beacons from my childhood. I have reread many in mid and later life and they are even better. I am with Roy, The Lantern Bearers is my favourite – so evocative and of our own end times too. (Rob Patterson)

Rosemary Sutcliff’s Roman books, starting with the Eagle of the Ninth (but I read all the others – The Mark of the Horse Lord was probably the one that really inspired me), were one of the influences that led me to study archaeology.

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