Vintage video

The NZ on Screen website is proving to be a gold mine of video treasures, and thanks to Pamela Gordon for pointing out this one for me.

Dame Ngaio Marsh documentary

A documentary about internationally acclaimed crime-writer and Shakespearean director, Dame Ngaio Marsh. It contains an interview with Marsh in her later years interspersed with comments from former students and friends, and re-enactments from some of her novels. It is one of three documentaries made to mark International Women's Year (1975) - the second is about Sylvia Ashton-Warner, and the third Janet Frame.

Watching it this afternoon gave me a great feel for this woman, and what an amazing sense of drama she had. And then there was her voice, deep and rich and listening to her speak, and laugh, I could easily imagine the fun she had writing her murder mysteries. It quite gave me the chills to see her in the flesh - the good chills, that is.

The video concentrates more on her life in the theatre than her life of crime, but it still gives some insight into Ngaio the writer. The timing of finding this treasure is perfect, with me being at the beginning of my Ngaio Marsh Challenge.

I hope there are other video gems out there that will come to light.