The 39 Steps On Drama

[grumpy01]

Just watching this now on Drama.A rather bad mistake by scriptwriter.
When Hannah is mistaken for Liberal candidate he is introduced as a candidate for the Dungarvan by election,as Dungarvan is in Irish Republic and the action takes place in Scotland,that’s rather a bad slip.

[grumpy01]

Sorry Hannay.

[ubasses]

Wasn't the 39 steps written prior to the partition of Ireland?

[Chinajan]

I may be wrong but I believe Buchan was writing of a fictional Dungarven in Scotland in his book. It was near another fictional place, Kirknairn, if memory serves.

[Buenchico]

Neither 'Dungarvan' nor 'Dungarven' appears in the original novel.

Quote: "Well, you see I’m Liberal Candidate for this part of the world, and I had a meeting on tonight at Brattleburn — that’s my chief town, and an infernal Tory stronghold".

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/558/558-h/558-h.htm

[grumpy01]

It’s also hard to know which of all these films and t v versions are closest to the book.

[Buenchico]

Patrick Barlow's stage version is by far the best ;-)

[jno]

39 steps but only three people. Actors are more expensive than steps, of course.

[Buenchico]

^^^ There are actually 4 actors in the play, Jno, taking on 139 roles!

[Peter Pedant]

// It was near another fictional place, Kirknairn, if memory serves.//
is that near the bacon factory at Killmahog?

at least one of those exists - (K)

[Peter Pedant]

National Theatre of Brent only had two stalwarts didnt they?

[drmorgans]

This is the version where a German U-boat surfaces in a freshwater loch?

[Chinajan]

// Neither 'Dungarvan' nor 'Dungarven' appears in the original novel. //

How one's memory plays tricks. I must be remembering that from some production I've seen or listened to. Likewise Kirknairn.

I'm a big fan of Hitchcock movies so his version is my favourite, though I'm aware of its departures from the original tale. But it's got the Flying Scotsman and the Forth Bridge, two of my favourite things, so all is forgiven.