Paul Temple Intervenes


(4.4 stars; 41 reviews)

I have great affection for this 1942 Temple: wonderful music, Carl Bernard's and Bernadette Hodgson's exquisite pronunciation, and lots of theatrical fun. “Carl Bernard stars as Paul Temple and Bernadette Hodgson as his wife Steve. From 1938 to 1969, the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his "Fleet Street" journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular series. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats - a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.” There are pitifully few British or BBC vintage radio recordings available either because the BBC didn’t have the foresight to record the vast majority of broadcasts (tantamount to cultural vandalism), or simply because the BBC is extremely possessive of copyright, demanding extortionate payment for CDs and the like.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Reviews

By Timothy, how interesting.


(4 stars)

By Timothy, it's good to hear this early BBC Paul Temple which, according my little friend Mr Wikipedia, was first broadcast from October to December 1942 (right in the middle of the War, of course). I am familiar with the later Paul Temple serials now broadcast ad infinitum on BBC Radio 4 Extra. Therefore, it's intriguing to hear the similar tacking of the role of Paul by 1941 actor Kim Peacock, as compared with the eponymous Peter Coke of later episodes. Of course, the wonderful Marjorie Westbury appears as Steve, the foil to both Kim Peacock and Peter Coke. On the other hand, the upper-crust manservant in the 1942 serial, Paul Temple Intervenes, is quite different to the cockney Charlie of later serials. Paul Temple Intervenes was obviously designed for a 20 minute time-slot and, according to Mr Wikipedia the only such in the series. Nevertheless, it appears that earlier serials were of a variety of time-frameslots. However, by Peter Coke's day, Paul Temple always strode the the microphone for 30 minutes at a time. I am old enough to recall when the Australian Broadscasting Commission transmitted Peter Coke's Temple at 10.00 at night. For me, Paul Temple was often accompanied by cries from my mother: "Turn off that radio and go to sleep!"

well acted


(3.5 stars)

Good story, well-acted, but the volume needed improvement. If I turned it up to hear dialog, I had to turn it way down not to get my ears blasted. The constant up down of volume was irritating snd lessened enjoyment of the story.

excellent


(5 stars)

I Have listened to a number of the Paul Temple OTR mysteries from the BBC radio site, but this is apparently one of the original Paul Temple dramas, from 1942. I enjoyed this recording quite a bit. thank you

Good, but dates


(3 stars)

It is good stuff, though of course very dated. I enjoy the old radio series partly because of their historical interest. I have to say that my wife hates them - mainly because Steve is portrayed for much of her appearances as a "complete doormat" (as my wife puts it). I think she is ;argyle correct, though Steve has flashes of "fire" As always with British crimes dramas of this era, the upper class villains are frequently allowed to die in an "accident" or to "do the decent thing" - a privilege rarely extended to the lower classes

great stuff


(4 stars)

as good or better than any more modern radio drama.

Ruined by noise


(1 stars)

the strident background music ruins this. Unlistenable.