Stuff

We just wanted to record the death of author Len Deighton at the age of 97.

Deighton was a man of many talents, a very capable cook and illustrator and, of course, author.

We still have our original paperback of The Ipcress File. It was a novel unlike any other at the time. The film attempts to capture some of then post-war griminess of London, but having Michael Caine in always makes it a little too glossy. Read the book.

For us, it’s Oh What A Lovely War (the film) that is his highlight.

Deighton wrote the screenplay, based on the original play, and produced it but had his name taken off the credits, something, apparently, he later regretted.

There is an all star cast, some great tunes and a wonderful end but it doesn’t have the rawness of the stage play.

As far as we know, it has never had any kind of high definition release, but there is a dvd of it.

We were taken by school to see it at the cinema. The History teacher hated it because it was “too anti-war”.

Watch it, for all its flaws, if you can.