A hidden “holloway” footpath at Old Cleeve in west Somerset.
As a kid in the 1960s secrets were all the rage,in media terms. This was the era of James Bond and others of that ilk. The idea of being a SPY and knowing stuff was portrayed as being alluring and kind of special. I was never into that sort of mindset. I thought then as I do now,but now with more clarity,that secrets are tiresome and heavy to carry. They can be a burdensome obligation that enslaves you to someone,some cause,some lifestyle. No wonder That Man said,”the truth will set you free” and the Catholic Church instituted Confession. Not a daft idea at all.
It was an amazing revelation to me,and to many others,in COVID time,under “lockdown” how the NAZIS in the 1940s DIDNT HAVE TO WORK THAT HARD. We have been told how in the occupied countries of Europe people were encouraged by the Nazis to betray their neighbours. And we all thought,how terrible,who would do that,I wouldn't. But in “lockdown” - I'm putting it in speech marks because I wasnt locked down,I did not comply - but no one noticed,lol;well in that time the radio phone ins were jam packed with callers in gleefully telling how they had called the local police and denounced their neighbour,for being out too long,for taking their kids down to the Park,for being outside in their OWN garden all day,for having a family party in their garden,just them and the kids but HAVING FUN!,the police must have been a bit taken aback at the volume of calls. Who were the callers in,well from their voices they were sweet,nice,kind older ladies,the kind of mild grannies we used to see on tv on those good old itv Saturday afternoons on the wrestling,in the Glory Days of Mick McManus and Kendo Nagasaki,these sweet old dears sat right in the front seats by the ring and whenever the Bad Guy wrestler fell out (one was always the Good Guy and one was always The Bad Guy),this was in the days before it was TOTALLY choreographed and FAKE,but even then it worked to a narrative and the Bad Guy NEVER won; but as I say if the Bad Guy fell out,those dear old Grannies were on him in an instant belabouring him with their handbags,umbrellas and anything else they had about them. I'm sure those tough guy wrestlers feared the Grannies more than their opponent. My Dad loved watching The Wrestling every Saturday afternoon,so us kids watched it too. It was classic stuff.
The TV version of Bond ( of which I'm not a fan) was The Man From Uncle. I loved this but not for the plots but the two leading actors. Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. And not just because they were two good looking guys (in different ways) and I was a teenage girl. No,I felt at the time that there was “something more” about both of them. And later in life I discovered I was right. Both were highly intelligent men who were interested in things of the mind. I knew that David McCallum was into philosophy etc but it's only googling just now for this article that I've learned that Robert Vaughn was very politically aware and active. Good for him.
In the late 1970s (1979-1982) David McCallum along with Devine Goddess Joanna Lumley (fate is so cruel,JL gets to be Joanna Lumley on the highest plane of evolution and I get to be Jane Baker down there with the cockroaches),so they made a TV show called Sapphire and Steel. It's on YouTube I believe. It's got a huge cult following to this day. I do believe that in the supernatural sci-fi fantasy genre it's regarded as right up there,at the top. I didn't specifically watch it,but I remember it being on and in the guise of stories they actually acted out,investigated and postulated lots of deep and complex philosophical ideas,science theories,ethics etc. In the guise of a teatime action adventure show they presented the viewer with the most challenging intellectual concepts out there. How cool!
I've never been a fan of the James Bond films though I don't hate them. I've seen a few of them by chance not design. Of course Sean Connery is always going to be THE definitive James Bond. But my favourite James Bond was Roger Moore. He so well portrayed the suave,man of the world aspect of the character that I feel Sean never quite got. To me there was always that hint of brooding menace in Sean Connery even in the Casino or posh restaurant. Which of course was perfect for Bond,the man licensed to kill,but to me had shades of the Glasgow street bruiser about it. Roger Moore meanwhile could “act” fight scenes reasonably convincingly but no one would ever believe him as a cold blooded killer. The Roger Moore types,don't need to. They can achieve their object with a raised eyebrow and a withering word. Which is superior to fisticuffs actually.
The journalist Malcolm Muggeridge was recruited by M15 in wartime. But he only did one mission then resigned ( or so he tells us). I must do a Substack on MM. In his book he tells how he was instructed to go to a particular high end restaurant (this was in some Mediterranean place,can't recall where,)he was to sit down at a table where the party would be expecting him but just sit down as if he always been there. At some point in the (very nice ) meal he would hear a particular remark on which he had to say one line,something innocuous like “ I think it's going to rain” on which another of the party would say a particular line and that was it. His mission was complete. He did all this. He was intrigued to see one man at the table (he didn't know any of the people) say the confirming line then discreetly leave. He never knew what happened after or what part his few words had played in any significant action and being the sort of person who likes to Know Everything and see The Big Picture he didn't like it at all and bowed out(or so he declared in his book).
Do I have a secret. Yes,I do. But I can't tell you. It's a secret.
I loved the “Man from Uncle “. Then there was that crazy comedy show with Maxwell Smart! “Get Smart!”