Not the Gamache I imagined


I've read all of Louise Penny's books and I have to say, the TV film version just did not have the same well-developed characters or storyline. The cinematography was beautiful, but the script and the acting were just so-so. It was the difference between watching a Lifetime or Hallmark TV movie and a BBC/Masterpiece Theatre production.

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Gamache is bi-lingual but I imagine him speaking English with a mild Québécois accent. How did Parker do with this aspect? It seems several of the other cast members were natives of Québéc so I would expect them to have a handle on the intonations, accent, etc. But Parker? No idea what his French-speaking abilities might be.

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From what I recall, not a lot of French was spoken and I'm not sure Nathaniel Parker spoke English with a Québécois accent. I visit Montreal regularly as a flight attendant, but not all the locals I interact with have an accent when they speak English.

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Ack, please say he didn't have a British accent. I want to see this one day but if the characters are off that badly, I'd better steer clear.

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While I am as dubious bout this adaptation as everyone else, in his defence, the books state clearly on several occasions that Gamache speaks English with a definitne British accent he picked up while studying at Oxford.
Still no excuse for casting Parker though...

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When Gamache is first introduced, it is said that he speaks perfect King's English. No accent.

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I haven't been able to see this yet, but re-read "Still Life" a couple of days ago. Gamache is described as speaking perfect English and sounding as if he belonged in the House of Lords - by this I assume they mean someone with an inherited title and not an ennobled (for example) trade union steward.

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