What was it like seeing some of your books, especially Madame Sousatzka with Shirley Maclaine, made into films?
Look because I made films I know it’s different. A book’s a book, a film’s a film, and if it’s different I don’t get offended. I was a bit disappointed with Sousatzka though because they changed it so much, they put it in India – and the whole thing took on an Indian quality which was a long long way from Cardiff, I’ll tell you that. When I first wrote it – it’s never been out of option – I was asked who should play the role and I said Anna Magnani, who’s a superb actress. Well Shirley Maclaine’s a long way from her – but she did a good job. I thought it was OK in the end but the other film, I Sent A Letter To My Love with Simone Signoret was a beauty – that really was, not because they stuck to the book, they did, in a way, but it was so sensitive and so confined. It was a beautiful film. I was very happy with that one. Then I had a mini-series of Wakefield’s Crusades, that was an interesting one too. How big a role does Judaism play in your life? I do Seder every week – no, not every
