Since our spell away on holiday I've seen less and less of my good friend, Thomas Hamburger Jnr.
I'm partly to blame for this myself, of course, as my tour of Wetherspoon pubs of England has taken me to some far-flung corners of our sceptered kingdom. In the process, I have become something of an expert on the esteemed chain's beers, food and wi-fi access points. I can almost feel a guide book coming on...
But I finally find a free day or two to catch up with his griping tale, Harry McFry Investigates The Mystery of the Missing Family, which I have watched develop with interest. It's a peculiar piece, and not at all what I would have imagined Tommy coming up with.
From what I was told would be a 'minor walk-on part', I see that my own role has developed so that it might, even, become quite central to solving the mystery. I can't pretend I'm not flattered. All those years working on the Birkenhead Beagle didn't bring a lot of recognition, and the idea of being a key character in one of Tommy Hamburger's books has a certain cachet about it.
I see that some readers have even begun speculating whether a movie might someday be made of the story, and have even gone so far as to suggest possible candidates for the key roles.
Enumerator (which is a grand name for any blogger) thinks my own role should be played by Bill Nighy, whereas 70steen has plumped instead for Jack Nicholson. I must admit, the idea of Nicholson tackling an Oldham accent is a seductive one... and one which, if pulled off successfully, might even be worthy of an award of some kind.
Personally, I'm not sure. Nighy is one of my favourite actors, even when he's had a bad hair day, whereas Nicholson's role in As Good As It Gets reminds me more of Tommy Hamburger Jnr himself than me.
Robert Lindsay as Harry McFry has a definite appeal, I must say - but Alan Rickman has his strengths, too, and Mrs Blunt has always had a soft spot for his suave 'come-to-bed' voice.
Anyway, my daughter Barbara couldn't resist coming up with a possible promo poster for the yet-to-be made film of the yet-to-be-finished and yet-to-find-a-publisher novel, which I include below for your amusement. 
My best advice to you at this stage, however, is not to book your table for the awards ceremony just yet...
Saturday, 23 June 2007
Of friends and family
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4 comments:
Oh the choice is a challenging one.
I am very fond of both the Nighy and the Nicholson...
Bill, I dare say you will be integral to the solving of this most peculiar of mysteries...
No doubt in your indomitable and blunt fashion...
Thank you, domestic minx. I already have mu suspicions about whodunnit and why, but I won't spoil the plot in case Tommy has other ideas up the sleeve of his slightly-fraying corduroy jacket...
Oh, why must you keep calling him Tommy? You make him sound like he's seventeen. When all know him to be a strong, handsome gentleman.
The thing is…just look at his photo. You must be quite elderly Mr. Blunt, to keep referring to Thomas as Tommy. Oh dear. It's getting late and I must be off.
Now, Mr. Blunt please do drop by for a visit soon and tell your Mrs. I send my regards.
Tommy doesn't mind at all, theresa111 - he's not one for great formalities. But you are right to suspect that I have a year or two on him.
I like to think he's learned a thing or two from me down the decades, just as I did from the late Wally Green.
I am sure Tommy will be bemused to be described as 'strong and handsome'... personally, I always think it makes him look like a 1950's bandleader!
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