Not so No.1 Ladies

[callmemadam]

Oh dear, I was so disappointed in last night's BBC 1 film of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Heretical opinion coming up: all Anthony Minghella's films were too long and too slow. And why was it so dark? Where was the wonderful light of Africa? What was with the semi-naked tribal dancing? Mma Makutsi went ballroom dancing. Where were the white people, like Dr Moffatt? Questions, questions, questions. The three principals were terrific: I hope they keep the same actors for the series. Verdict: not enough tea and not enough goodness.

Comments

[land-girl.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved every minute! All my photographs of Africa are dark; the contrast between outside and inside is so harsh, it is so hard to get the exposure right, and you tend to spend every minute you can in the shade, so I wasn't surprised by that at all. I do wonder about the semi-naked dancing, though.

[gghost.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry that this turned out to be a disappointment. But your mention of it reminds me that this is a series of books which I would like to try.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I'll bow to your superior knowledge!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I've read the whole lot twice, I really love them. They are quiet books about good people and great comfort reading because they have a positive attitude to life.

[land-girl.livejournal.com]

No, not superior, I have only spent a couple of weeks in Africa proper in my entire life, more's the pity ...

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed it, particularly the actress who played Precious, but then I've only read the first book in the series and that was a couple of years ago. The programme just made me smile as I watched it.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it. I certainly found the time passed quickly. I thought Precious was a little too permanently jolly: in the books she is very thoughtful.

[debodacious.livejournal.com]

I rather liked it, although it didn't move me like the books do. I thought the casting was good, and the house on Zebra Drive was just how I had pictured it.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Oh I loved the house. General opinion seems to be that Mma Ramotswe was not traditionally built enough! Agree that it lacks the touching quality of the books but that would be very hard to convey in a film like this.