Doctor Syn

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The Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn is the smuggler hero of a series of novels by Russell Thorndike. The first book in this series, Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh was published in 1915.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Contents

[edit] Character Biography

Christopher Syn was a brilliant scholar who also possessed many swashbuckling skills such as riding, fencing, and seamanship. He was content to live the quiet life of a country vicar until his wife was seduced and carried away by a pirate.

Christopher Syn set out on a quest for revenge, in the process assuming the guise of the pirate Captain Clegg. With the end of his quest, Christopher Syn settled down to a more respectable life as the vicar of Dymchurch in Romney Marsh, Kent, and resumed his original name.

Christopher Syn learns that his parishioners have been smuggling goods from France to avoid the extravagant customs duties the government charges. Realizing that the townsfolk are falling into an ambush, Christopher Syn races to their rescue. A suit of clothing borrowed from a scarecrow makes an improvised disguise.

After this rescue Christopher Syn decides that he can only protect his people by becoming their leader. He makes a more elaborate scarecrow costume complete with eerie luminous paint. At night the respectable Christopher Syn became "The Scarecrow", the feared head of the smugglers. Together with the church sexton (and former pirate colleague) Mr. Mipps, he organizes the smugglers into a well-organized band of "night riders", called "The Devil Riders" with macabre disguises and code-names. Christopher Syn's cunning is so great that the smugglers outwit the government forces for many years.

[edit] Publication History

The Dr. Syn books detail his adventures and attempts to evade the Excise. There are seven novels in the series written by Thorndike:

In 1960 American author William Buchanan used the character in his novel Christopher Syn. This is essentially a reworking of Further Adventures of Doctor Syn with a different conclusion and some conflation and renaming of the supporting characters. Christopher Syn became the basis for the 1962 Disney production (see below). There was also a book adaptation of the Disney theatrical version. This was titled Doctor Syn, Alias the Scarecrow and was written by Vic Crume.

[edit] Dramatic Adaptations

Three film adaptations have been made of Dr Syn's exploits. The first, Doctor Syn, featured noted actor George Arliss in the title role. The second, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, was produced as a television miniseries by Walt Disney in 1964 and starred Patrick McGoohan of The Prisoner fame (it was re-edited and released theatrically about six years later with the title, Doctor Syn, Alias the Scarecrow). That same year Captain Clegg (released as Night Creatures in the US) was produced by Hammer Film Productions with horror movie actor Peter Cushing in the lead role. Because Disney had a stronger claim to the copyright, the main character's name was changed to Dr. Blyss.

In 2001 the first ever stage adaptation was performed at churches throughout the Romney Marsh, the final night being performed in Dymchurch itself. The cast combined professional actors such as Daniel Thorndike (the author's son), Michael Fields, Steven Povey and Ben Barton, along with various amateurs from the marshes. Although covered heavily by the press and filmed, pressure from Walt Disney (who still own all rights) has ensured that this production will never be released on video.

[edit] Cultural Legacy

The "Days of Syn" festival is held every even-numbered year (e.g. 2004) by the residents of Dymchurch for fund-raising purposes. The 2006 "Days of Syn" was on 26th-28th of August (UK August Bank Holiday weekend) and featured a talk on Dr Syn at the Anglican church at 6.30pm, on Sunday at 3pm there was a church service where Dr Syn and the cast appeared in period costume and on Monday starting at the Bowery Hall scenes were reinacted from Dr Syn and during the day along the Dymchurch shoreline and in the Ocean pub.

Dr. Syn was also mentioned in Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He was a member of an 18th century league that predated the one lead by Mina Murray. Moore has also stated he intends to create a new volume of the graphic novel, focusing on Dr. Syn and his contemporaries.

[edit] External links

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