The Old Devils
The Old Devils is a novel by
As in others of Amis's novels, the characters and parts of the plot are based on real people and experiences. A poet, Brydan, is a thinly disguised parody of Dylan Thomas, whom Amis once met. Amis had a low opinion of Thomas, calling him a "pernicious figure, one who has helped to get Wales and Welsh poetry a bad name and generally done lasting harm to both... the general picture he draws of the place and the people [in his work] is false, sentimentalising, melodramatising, sensationalising, and ingratiating".[3] The novel incorporates a theme of perceptions of Wales in history and culture. It touches on the subjects of old age, alcoholism, marital unhappiness and unrequited love.
Television adaptation
The novel was adapted for television by Andrew Davies for the BBC in 1992, starring John Stride, Bernard Hepton, James Grout and Ray Smith (it was the latter's last screen appearance before his death).[4][5]
Reception
Reviewing the book for The Guardian in 2010, Sam Jordison wrote that Amis's "comic genius relies so much upon build-up, context and impeccable timing that it can only be fully appreciated in its correct setting... get hold of the book yourself. It's that rare and precious thing—a novel that is a delight from start to finish."[1]
References
- ^ a b Jordison, Sam (16 February 2010). "Booker club: The Old Devils". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-307-49645-4.
- ^ Amis, Kingsley, Memoirs, 1991, p. 133
- ^ "The Old Devils: Love, Lust and Litre Bottles". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ The New Criterion. Foundation for Cultural Review. 2007. p. 9.
- ^ "The Old Devils".
- ^ Amis, Martin. Experience: A Memoir, 2000, p. 258