Back in the Sixties there were a series of books by Peter O'Donnell, featuring Modesty Blaise. At the time, these were regarded as pretty daring with a heroine who slept quite freely with her current lover, who was skilled in marshal arts, could climb a mountain, pothole, deep sea dive and all this looking immaculate. She had made her money running the Organisation, a syndicate with Robin Hood tendencies (cannot have a heroine being a real villain now could we?) with her partner Wilie Garvin, and had retired on the proceeds. She now lived in a penthouse apartment in London furnished with the finest antiques, where she fenced to keep her figure in trim and, just as a hobby you understand, installed a workshop where she cut and faceted priceless jewelry. Modesty spoke several languages, wore designer clothes, attended the opera and was, in short, a paragon. I always found her extremely annoying. However, these books portrayed a strong, independent woman who took no prisoners and at this time, despite the fact that women were burning their bras and we were in the Swinging Sixties, characters like this were pretty thin on the ground so, for that reason alone, they were worth reading.
There was also a Modesty Blaise comic strip which appeared in the daily papers and an ill fated film was produced with Terence Stamp, then at the height of his Cockney Chic persona, well cast as Willie. However, the entire project foundered on the casting of an Italian actress Monica Vitti, in the title role. To say she was pretty dire is an understatement and the film sank without trace. It is worth keeping an eye out for on the TV where it occasionally pops up, usually late at night or early in the morning. It is almost an antique now.
The Peter O'Donnell books are currently being reissued by Souvenir Press, with the same iconic sixties covers and I am deriving great pleasure from reading these stories again. They have dated somewhat but are still fun and an exercise in pure nostalgia.
Pieces of Modesty dropped through my letter box the other day and to my delight I discovered six stories inside which were unfamiliar to me. I am not a huge fan of short stories and prefer more narrative and character development that this genre usually contains, but these are complete and complex adventures in themselves and, as most readers will already know the background of Modesty and Willie Garvin, this is not so vital. Not sure how I missed them but pleased to have an unexpected treat in this regard. Modesty is still perfect, still beautiful, still iconic and, sorry to say, still extremely annoying in her inviolability but I loved them and took this book to bed with me last night, plus a cup of hot chocolate and sat up late and read them all through.
I have mentioned the ghastly movie that was made way back and I would simply love it if somebody would revive this heroine and make a film that does her justice. Difficult bit of casting though, Modesty would be hard enough to find but an actor to portray Willie Garvin her trusted sidekick and courtier would take some doing. He is pure Cockney and I tremble at the thought that we might end up with a Dick van Dyke type reading of the role from a Hoillywood actor. Mark you, one piece of casting would be easy - there is a really nasty villain who features in two of the O'Donnell books, by the name of Gabriel and I have to say that nobody but Alan Rickman could play this part....
If you have not discovered Modesty, either because she passed you by or, let's face it, because you were too young, then do get hold of these. As the quote on the back of Pieces of Modesty puts it:
"Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel there was Modesty Blaise"
