Why are some myths so persistent? An idea takes hold and even though it’s false it can live on in people’s minds for years. Somebody once said that Georgette Heyer never wanted her books made into films. People cite the awful 1949 film of her novel, The Reluctant Widow, as the reason. They also believe she left instructions in her will forbidding her descendants from selling film rights to her books. BUT IT’S NOT TRUE. As Georgette herself would say, it’s a bag of moonshine, a bouncer, a hum.
DREAMING OF A FILM
In 1925, Georgette pressed her agent to sell the film rights to her Medieval novel, Simon the Coldheart. In 1935, she told him she thought Regency Buck would make a ‘Super film’ and in 1936 Fox considered filming The Talisman Ring. Georgette indulged in ‘pipe-dreams of film-rights’ and in 1944 sold a film option for Friday’s Child. Nothing came of it, so in 1946 she was thrilled The Reluctant Widow was actually being filmed. Unfortunately, the movie was so unlike her original story, Heyer was horrified. Yet, even after that awful version of her witty novel she still went on selling film rights to her books. In the 1950s alone she sold film options for These Old Shades, The Conqueror, Arabella and at least four other novels.
HEYER FILMS?
Of course, selling a film right doesn’t guarantee a film will be made. As her fans know only too well, we’re still waiting for a fabulous Heyer movie or TV series to hit the screen. Since Heyer’s death, many film options for her novels have been sold but so far none has got to ‘green light’. Now there’s news that a film of The Grand Sophy is in the works. While Heyer fans everywhere wait for a brilliant, witty, superbly acted film of one of her novels, Sara-Mae Tuson and Beth Keehn have set the ball rolling with an entertaining Georgette Heyer trailer as part of their Indiegogo fundraiser for a Heyer podcast series.
42 thoughts on “Heyer Films: Mythconceptions – All Things Georgette”
So where is it? 2018 asnd can find notyhing about the grand sophy having been released.
Hi Brenda well I’ve been asking around and it seems that things have ground to a halt with the Grand Sophy film. At least for now. Not sure why it’s proving so hard to get a film or TV series up of a Heyer novel. They’d make such great movies and there’s the Downton Abbey audience would love them I’m sure.
Are jullian fellowes or Carl Davies just tired or bored… heyers novels would be perfect vehicles for them to script….jeez, or are they just blind?
Yes they would, so long as they don’t muck about with them, which is what usually happens.
It’s tricky, because filmmakers in general always want their story to be a bit different from the original book and this is an attitude strongly held by most people in the industry. I do think, however, that an intelligent director could make a fabulous version of a Heyer novel that would please both fans and the general movie-goer. Thanks for posting. Happy New Year!
Really really wish they would do a series of her books, much like the British George Gently or Death in Paradise or other detective shows they run. It would not matter that each one was a totally different story. They did several Jane Austen books. Why not Heyer. Her tales are soooooooooo captivating.
Hi Charlotte, I totally agree with you and I’m ever hopeful of a film or even better a TV series of one or more of Heyer’s novels. With the right script they’d make fabulous viewing and given the success of Austen and Downton Abbey you’d think it would be on the cards. Here’s hoping.
Quite agree – extraordinary that there are no films when there could be so many…
The Grand Sophy would make a fantastic movie. So would Sylvester, or the WIcked Uncle.
So, who owns the rights to The Grand Sophy? And Sylvester, for that matter.
The Heyer Estate owns the rights to all of her novels and short stories and is managed by the Ampersand Agency in the UK. Hope that helps.
So, who owns the rights to The Grand Sophy? And Sylvester, for that matter.
The rights to all Heyer novels and short stories are owned by the Heyer Estate which is managed by the Ampersand Agency in the UK.
Are jullian fellowes or Carl Davies just tired or bored… heyers novels would be perfect vehicles for them to script….jeez, or are they just blind?
Could we not petition a tv studio about doing her novels? Probably a daft idea but maybe they don’t realise how many fans she actually has.
It’s a lovely idea, Teresa, but I’m not sure if it would work. Things are beginning to happen though with a new serial podcast of The Grand Sophy coming soon http://www.thegrandsophy.co.uk/
and Sara-Mae Tuson’s wonderful Fablegazers Georgette Heyer podcast also in the works (scoll down for the announcement) https://fablegazers.wordpress.com/about/
Oh, wouldn’t it be lovely! I am an octogenarian but remember how I loved all of G. Heyers books that I read, and that means most of the regency romances.I started in early teens, and later on re – read a number of them. They would make wonderful movies, especially with the modern day technology and costume finesse that is available. Jane Austen’s movies have been a treat, for the story and for all the glamor of surroundings and fashions. Let us all clammer for some of Ms Heyer’s movies, and maybe we will be able to enjoy a little of the past, and ignore some of the horrific vulgar pictures of the modern day. Do we really need to have horror and violence flashed at us from the screen. Is our modern day violence, vulgarity and horror not enough? We are confronted with it on a daily basis, let us enjoy a little reprieve from it. Surely there is at least one brave director, producer, who could bring the regency era to the modern world.?
Thanks for posting, Rosemary. I’m so pleased that Georgette Heyer has given you so much pleasure over so many years. Here’s hoping we will see her on screen before too much longer!
I’ve never been able to understand why the BBC TV does goodness knows how many Austen revivals (much as I like P&P and can remember possibly the first, with Alan Badel as a truly sexy Mr Darcy), yet ignores the best of GH.
I can recall pouncing on the one and only showing I recall on TV of The Reluctant Widow movie (one of my favourite books) and being so horrified by the travesty apparent in the first scene alone that I switched it off. The story lines are straight-forward in TV terms, there’s always some humour and of course romance – how I’d love to see a faithful adaptation of Cotillion for instance, and a seriously faithful one of A Civil Contract, which always brings a quiet tear to my eye at the end.
Remembering what a ghastly mess was made of the film of one of my favourite teen books The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge quite recently, I fear that any Heyer adaptation would coarsen wonderful characterisations and intricate story lines and ignore her historical accuracy.
Such a perceptive post – thank you so much Sonia. I 100% agree with you about Cotillion and A Civil Contract – if only SOMEONE would see the brilliant potential of these two books among so many other good ones! Actually, I do know that a famous screenwriter was planning to write a script for one of the Heyer novels but these things take ages and the challenge is for a good producer to get one over the line. This is not an easy thing to do and of course, once you get green light then you have to hope and pray that they get it right! Thanks again for posting.
jk – a year later, I hope this finds you well. I am now even more amazed by the lack of interest in GH’s novels after recently seeing a couple of trailers of the appalling Bridgerton (and attempting to read one page of the first novel – made Barbara Cartland look like Hilary Mantel). The entertainment media have a goldmine in Heyer, and they go for a bit of rusty old tin?
Hi Sonia, well, it’s interesting to see what takes people’s fancy these days and it is a huge oversight on the part of movie makers, TV producers and streaming services that – to date – they continue to overlook Miss Heyer. There are so many of her novels that would make great screen stories. I have dreams myself of one day producing a documentary and writing a screenplay of more than one of her novels. I continue to hope and there are some signs of movement on the horizon so fingers are firmly crossed!
dear Heyer-addicts,
of course we’d all love to see a Heyer-novel made into a film, or, even better, into a TV-series. But isn’t it precisely her quality as a superb writer of (witty) dialogue and equally witty observations that will daunt any script-writer to even consider the task of turning those into something which would still captivate us?
It’s a very good point, but if you look at various Austen productions, there are some excellent ones out there so with the right screenwriter I do think there could be a terrific version of a Heyer novel brought to life on the screen. You just need the right people – those who “get” Heyer and who wouldn’t try to turn her into farce. Thanks for posting. Happy New Year.
Peter, I thought the superb Wolf Hall could never be translated to the screen, but it worked (helped by brilliant actors, set designer and director).
Exactly what Heyer’s novels need. A successful production is definitely possible with a great script and the right team in place.
Has there been any update on this thread? I, too, am a devoted fan and agree with all the previous posts. Is there something we can do on social media to get interest? If they see how many people would be eager to view a screen adaptation, we might get some movement.
AND…the Jane Austen fan club has also been pushing for this.
With translations into more than 10 languages, ‘over thirty million books sold and most of her 56 novels still in print’, this should surely be a safe bet for any film studio – whether itv, BBC, or Netflix.
Jennifer has made plain that this is not about a ban made by Heyer or something in her will/an estate matter. If anything, it sounds as if Heyer WANTED screen adaptations to be made.
I think we should get serious about lobbying for this. Connect with the JAFC, then there’s push in multiple countries, and between all of us, we must know someone who knows someone to at least get this properly looked at. If the BBC is prepared to do audio, next is film, right?
You’re so right, Melinda – Heyer definitely wanted her books made into films. From as early as 1925, in fact! There is not now and has never ever been a ban from Heyer or the family or the Estate on films being made from her novels. It’s a tricky business though and not easy to get all the way from concept to creation (unless you’re writing a Marvel movie maybe!). I still hope and believe that we will eventually see a well-produced film or TV series of a Heyer book. Have you listened to the Heyer Today podcast? Sara-Mae Tuson interviews several people about why Heyer’s books haven’t yet made it to the screen. Very interesting. Thanks for posting, Melinda,
Lets get moving film makers. I cut my teeth on Georgett Heyer’s Regency romances and loved them. (Mother encouraged me to read them to steer me away from less appropriate romance novels as a teenager). I became an avid reader due to the introduction. Looking back into the era of Heyer, and Austin and other such authors, it gave pleasure, relaxation and a lasting impression of an era which we perhaps would not have liked to live, but enjoy reading and living through films. How about some brave film maker grabbing a book, making a film with all the artistic flair that is available today. There is plenty of material to choose from, and to have ready for follow ups. There is a a huge audience out there, even among the young generations of today (The following of Bridgerton alone should give an inkling). As an octogenarian, I am waiting with great anticipation that there are some skilled film-makers who will grab a golden chance. Let some of us have a little fun and beauty instead of the many horror and modern day true to life films of crime and killing.
Hear Hear….I think Georgette Heyer novels would be great in film. I don’t understand why it’s only been done the once..( and not very well). Let’s Hear it for Georgette Heyer on the big screen..😍
I totally agree, Sarah! It will happen one day I’m sure of it!
Let’s Hear it for Georgette Heyer on the big screen..😍
Oh, how much I agree with you, Rosemary! I love your post – thank you – and agree with all your sentiments! Heyer could bebrilliant on the screen and it’s clear from the success of Bridgerton and Austen that people love the era. Heyer would be so clever and witty and different from those but every bit as loveable!
A Marriage of Convenience would make the best Heyer movie. It has a mature plot and great characters. A movie version would allow the writers to develop the characters a little more fully and would give some of the secondary characters room to expand (more Aunt Nassington, anyone?) with no need to substantially change the plot to suit today’s audiences.
I do think A Civil Contract would be a terrific film or even better – a TV series! Aunt Nassington and Jonathan Chawleigh would steal the show perhaps. I think you’re right on the money!
Hello.
Thanks for this website. It’s a great resource and I love to read about the writing of her books.
Perhaps you can help me by explaining this mystery (to me, at last):
Why have all audiobook versions of Georgette Heyer’s books vanished from ALL outlets?
–Penguin Audio UK released her entire catalog in audiobook for in 2021. Now, in mid-2022, they’re all gone, both in CD and mp3 / m4a / and m4b formats.
–Ditto Naxos–which had been out since 2006-ish.
–Ditto Audible’s productions–out a bit longer, but surely still a money maker.
I am confounded and really, really frustrated by this.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In frustration, a great fan of Heyer,
Rivah
Hi Rivah
Thanks for your lovely comments and I wish I could answer your question about the audio books. Is it possible that they’re no longer publishing them in those formats but only through platforms such as Audible? I can email the publisher and ask and will let you know. Thanks for posting. Jen
I am dying to know the answer to this frustrating mystery as well.
It is frustrating, especially as all Heyer fans would love to see her timeless novels brought to the screen – large or small. I still have faith that it will happen and we are working on getting a Heyer documentary made so perhaps that will help. Thanks for posting, Cody. Jen
It is mid July 2023 and I am enjoying The Grand Sophy and, having enjoyed all Jane Austen writings and some movies based on them, wonder why no BBC or Acorn or studio film has yet been made of The Grand Sophy
I’ve always thought An Unknown Ajax would make a marvelous movie. I read and reread all of Heyer’s regency books and they never fail to entertain. What a wonderful talent she was.