Classic Closed Room Mystery
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I just finished reading The Three Coffins, by John Dickson Carr, an early 20th-century master of the closed-room mystery. One of the many things that charmed me about the novel was the relationship of a young married couple who were helping the detective with the case.
Nowadays the detective is always single, preferably divorced, middle-aged, semi-alcoholic, gruff, and as such available for any number of dysfunctional romantic entanglements. But in the 1930s and 1940s there was this idea of the man and woman whose marriage demonstrated the fireworks of two quick and compatible minds coming together. Marriage held the possibility of joint adventure, with the joy and freedom that accompanies a sympatico partnership. Think Nick and Nora, My Favorite Wife, and other movies with a laughing and sassy husband and wife.
It might be that, in those times, using a married couple was the only acceptable way to put a man and woman together in close friendship, much less intimacy. Still, I miss that kind of portrayal.-
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I just finished reading The Three Coffins, by John Dickson Carr, an early 20th-century master of the closed-room mystery. One of the many things that charmed me about the novel was the relationship of a young married couple who were helping the detective with the case.
Nowadays the detective is always single, preferably divorced, middle-aged, semi-alcoholic, gruff, and as such available for any number of dysfunctional romantic entanglements. But in the 1930s and 1940s there was this idea of the man and woman whose marriage demonstrated the fireworks of two quick and compatible minds coming together. Marriage held the possibility of joint adventure, with the joy and freedom that accompanies a sympatico partnership. Think Nick and Nora, My Favorite Wife, and other movies with a laughing and sassy husband and wife.
It might be that, in those times, using a married couple was the only acceptable way to put a man and woman together in close friendship, much less intimacy. Still, I miss that kind of portrayal.-
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posted by Anonymous at
3:45 PM
4 Comments:
Hi Lynn!
Long time no "hi there" - how goes the horse back riding lessons? I used to ride a LOT when I was younger, and I miss it so very much. I even did a little bit of competition. Hope you're enjoying it. My challenge now is to get my hubby up on a horse...as soon as he gets me in a kayak!
Cheers,
Marian
Hey Marian! We just had our first real lesson yesterday, and it was great. I'm so excited to be doing this all summer (13 weeks). Kayaking is fun too. :)
Great to hear from you.
i remember my mammy getting very excited about '80s-era Mystery episodes with tuppence and tommy.
Yes, Tuppence and Tommy---that's another one~
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