A Daphne day

As we have been posting on the past days, Daphne du Maurier's centenary is triggering the appearance of several articles, events, books... and movies. Tonight on BBC2, Daphne will be aired:

In celebration of the centenary of Daphne du Maurier's birth, a new drama starring Geraldine Somerville, Elizabeth McGovern and Janet McTeer brings the secret love life of this renowned writer to BBC Two.
Based on personal letters and biographies, the film charts the story of Daphne's unrequited passion for the beautiful and glamorous American heiress, Ellen Doubleday, and how the play she wrote about this forbidden desire led her to a life-changing love affair with the irreverent, fun-loving actress Gertrude Lawrence.
Daphne called herself "a boy in a box" and this revealing drama shows how Daphne's incendiary love life informed the writing of her compelling stories.
Directed by Clare Beavan and written by Amy Jenkins (creator of This Life), this period drama being shown on the eve of du Maurier's centenary reveals the untold story of this fascinating writer's life.
Says Amy: "Daphne du Maurier was not what you would expect. She was irreverent, reclusive, funny and tortured during this period of her life. I always want to write about strong, interesting women and Daphne's story is both tragic and illuminating. You'll never read Rebecca in the same way again."
Geraldine Somerville plays Daphne, Elizabeth McGovern plays Ellen and Janet McTeer plays Gertrude. (BBC Press Office)

Previously, a documentary will be aired:

Rick Stein in Du Maurier Country
Sat 12 May, 8:10 pm - 9:00 pm 50mins
Rick Stein visits some of the timeless places in Cornwall that fired Daphne Du Maurier's imagination.

But that's not all. BBC Radio 4, from Monday 14 until Friday 18 May, broadcasts Last Night I Dreamed:

The Afternoon Reading. Weekdays 3.30pm-3.45pm

"Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again”, the opening line from Rebecca

In celebration of the centenary of the birth of Daphne du Maurier, Radio 4 has asked five contemporary writers to take her best-remembered line as inspiration for a new story.
“one of the best-known opening lines in modern fiction, drawing the reader into the highly-charged, dark world of Daphne du Maurier’s novel Rebecca. To mark the centenary of du Maurier’s birth, Radio 4 has asked five contemporary writers to create new stories from the phrase “Last night I dreamed of …”.

Friday's story is written by Justine Picardie, a familiar author to the readers of BrontëBlog.

Menabilly by Justine Picardie, read by Anna Massey
A beautiful house, hidden from the outside world, seems to beckon in dreams.
Producer Christine Hall.

Tom O'Neil posts on The Envelope confirming that 2006 Jane Eyre is one of the PBS productions that they will send to the Emmy Awards for possible nominations.

They did send me a list of what they're entering into competition:

(MASTERPIECE THEATRE) JANE EYRE
-Outstanding Miniseries
-Outstanding Lead Actress : Ruth Wilson
-Outstanding Lead Actor : Toby Stephens
-Outstanding Supporting Actress : Francesca Annis
-Outstanding Supporting Actor : Andrew Buchan

Nominations will be known next July 19.

This academic blog offers several scholar articles published since the 1950's about Wuthering Heights.

And also on the net today: A "Brontë writing desk" (from Century Furniture’s Matilde Bay Collection) illustrates in The Providence Journal an article about desks. Another appearance of Godard's Emily Brontë in Weekend. And finally a new invention by the Brontë sisters. Joe Hildebrand writes in The Daily Telegraph (Australia) a rather funny article with this... well... with this:

Secondly, who gets scented love letters? Nobody. They never did. It was a trick invented by Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters to make blokes do it and it never worked because blokes don't read Jane Austen unless - and I repeat unless - they are Darrin.

Can you imagine Emily (or Charlotte) writing about scented love letters?

Categories: Jane Eyre,Movies-DVD-TV,Scholar,Wuthering Heights