BS: The Eagle of the Ninth

Subject: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 11:15 AM

Does anyone know of the wheabouts of any recordings of this magnificient serial?

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/suttonelms/articles29.html

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:12 PM

My God, I remember that - I must have been 8 or 9! It was splendid, no wonder with Marius Goring as Marcus. Wasn't there a sort of "Legionary's folk song" in it? It would be wonderful if the tapes turned up under someone's bed.

The book was read on Radio 4 around 1971, and I think they used the same song at the beginning and end. I remember because I listened to an episode one afternoon while driving up to the Lake District for one of the most hilarious weeks of my life.

I have a horrible feeling that Rosemary Sutcliff will be rotating in her grave when the new film comes out......

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:14 PM

Stirring stuff! Every now and then the Romans ran into something they couldn't handle.

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:20 PM

The "Eagle of the Ninth was re-made in 2009, and will soon be in general release.
Nothing on the 1954 original from the book.

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 10:50 PM

That sounds wonderful! What a fine education for young folks. I'd love to have a copy of it if any are to be found.

I see netflix has the recent one (it says 2010) in the line-up but no known date for release. So, it's in my wish list queue for when they get it in. Thanks for telling us about it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 03:04 AM

I remember the tune.

When I joined the legions as it might be yesterday,
I kissed a girl at Clusium before I marched away
It's a long road, a long road, and twenty years or more
From the girl i left at Clusium beside the threshing floor

Instant recall on reading this thread.
There was a good TV version around the late 1970s. Also discussion in this month's BBC History mag of the origin of the wingless Silchester eagle, and what happened to the Ninth.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Darowyn
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 05:05 AM

Another verse ends with these lines:-

It's a long road, a long road, and twenty years behind
But the girl I kissed at Clusium comes easy to my mind.

I can remember the tune too.
I love the book and I loved the radio version. It's probably the reason I studied Latin- and still remember much of it.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Anne Lister
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 07:23 PM

They're filming a new version right now ...or so my husband's agent has told him today. He's not sure if he's too long haired for a Roman or too well-fed for a wild Scotsman of the hills, so he may not be cast at all, but they're certainly filming next Saturday.

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Penny S.
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 05:29 AM

I liked the way in which Sutcliffe linked her novels through the line of the hero of this book and a ring. Even the one who turned up with William's invasion was a Breton who was descended from a Romano-Briton who had fled from the English invasion.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: EBarnacle
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 02:10 PM

Shucks, I thot this was a golfing thread. It seems to be aboot wild Scotsmen, tho.

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: CET
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 05:09 PM

Anne, does that mean there is actually a second Eagle of the Ninth movie in the making, or are they still working on the 2009 movie?

My father loved this book. He read it aloud to us, and I have read it more than once. It lead me to read everything else that Rosemary Sutcliffe wrote too.

I don't suppose the BBC Radio series is available on CD?

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 03:47 PM

It's so many years since I read Rosemary Sutcliff... and of course
there's Tim Brooks' song about the Ninth Legion, recorded by Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins, So far from home

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 07:47 AM

This is a great book for kids.   Hope the movies can capture even the flavor of the book.   The old saying--difference between radio and TV is the pictures are better on radio probably also applies here.

Main question is: are kids still reading this book?

Subject: RE: BS: The Eagle of the Ninth
From: Anne Lister
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:06 PM

CET - my guess is that it's post-production work on the 2009 film, rather than a second film or anything daft like that. My husband's agent was submitting photos as it was a selection of non-speaking roles (Roman senators and a wild Scottish hill dweller!) for a day's filming at Shepperton. We're not surprised that my husband doesn't seem to have been chosen from the photos ... too well-fed for the wild hill dweller and too long-haired for a Roman senator!