Mortdecai

For the film based on the novels, see Mortdecai (film)

Mortdecai is a series of comic thriller novels written by English author Kyril Bonfiglioli. The book series deals with the picaresque adventures of a dissolute aristocratic art dealer named Charlie Mortdecai, accompanied on his adventures by his manservant Jock. The books consisted of Don't Point That Thing at Me, Something Nasty in the Woodshed, After You with a Pistol and The Great Moustache Mystery.[1] The books have been translated into several languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese. First published in the 1970s, the novels have since attained cult status.[2][3]

Bonfiglioli's style and novel structure have often been favourably compared to that of P. G. Wodehouse, Mortdecai and his manservant Jock Strapp being described as bearing a fun-house mirror relation to Wodehouse's Wooster and Jeeves. The author makes a nod to this comparison by having Mortdecai reference Wodehouse in the novels.

Synopsis

The Mortdecai Trilogy

Don't Point that Thing at Me (1973)

Mortdecai is pursued by police, charged with the theft of a priceless Goya painting.

Something Nasty in the Woodshed (1976)

Mortdecai travels to the isle of Jersey amidst his increasing unpopularity, and becomes embroiled in the manhunt for a rapist.

After You with the Pistol (1979)

A Viennese heiress coerces Mortdecai into marriage and a plot to assassinate the Queen of England.

All the Tea in China (1978)

A historical prequel about one of Charlie's Dutch ancestors.

The Great Moustache Mystery (1999)

Unfinished due to Bonfiglioli's death, the book was completed by Craig Brown. Another international chase climaxes in a showdown in Buckinghamshire.[4]

Publication

The first three novels were collected as The Mortdecai Trilogy. The book was published by Black Spring Press in 1991. Bonfiglioli's second wife, Margaret Bonfiglioli wrote and compiled a posthumous anthology of works and anecdotes, called The Mortdecai ABC (ISBN 0-670-91084-8 UK: Penguin / Viking, 2001). Three of the Mortdecai titles are also featured in Fish Who Answer the Telephone, a compendium of bizarre books & titles.

Film adaptation

Main article: Mortdecai (film)

The book was adapted into a feature film by Lionsgate, with Johnny Depp in the title role. David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Secret Window) directed the film on a script by Eric Aronson.[5][6][7] The film was released on 23 January 2015.

References

  1. ↑ "The Mortdecai Trilogy (Charlie Mortdecai #1-3 omnibus)". Good reads.
  2. ↑ "Don’t Point That Thing at Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 October 2014
  3. ↑ "Forgotten authors No 56: Kyril Bonfiglioli". The independent. Retrieved 17 October 2014
  4. ↑ "The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery"
  5. ↑ "Johnny Depp Circles Lead Role In David Koepp’s ‘Mortdecai’". deadline.com. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Johnny Depp begins filming Mortdecai with Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrow". Radio Times.
  7. ↑ "Jeff Goldblum Joins Johnny Depp's Mortdecai". Empire.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Kyril Bonfiglioli