French version of Swallows and Amazons

Michel Drouilly writes from France to say:

The 7 titles:
I read “Hirondelles et Amazones” when I was under 9 years old, and the following books shortly time after I was 10. Now I am an 82 year old man, and I still love them very much! But unfortunately, these French titles have been almost impossible to find for many, many years, as you certainly know.
For a long time I was looking for ways to help prevent their total disappearance. I had made digital versions of them, and also paperbacks in print-on-demand, but could not in any way make them known, their public distribution being illegal.

But, since 1st January 2021 things have changed, as they are in the public domain in Canada and in countries with the same copyright protection rules.
So I created a small website dedicated to them and if, as I hope, the question interests you, here is its address: => https://livres-ransome.net
It is hosted in Canada and offers (with the geographical restrictions of copyright) e-books and paperbacks.

The 8th title:
You will also see that I have added a “home-made” translation of “Secret Water” done voluntarily by a friend, under the title “L’Archipel Secret“. He authorized this diffusion on livres-ransome.net on condition of respecting the “Creative Commons” license under which he registered it: free distribution, no modifications, no commercial use. It was easy for me to respect these conditions, because it corresponds to the choices I made for the distribution of the seven previous books: the e-books are free, and the paperbacks are offered at the printer’s price, without any profit.
To respect the continuity with the seven previous books, the changes of first names made by the translator Germaine Guillemot-Magitot had to be also adopted in this eighth title. Sorry for Titty, renamed Micky like in other French titles!

(mchl.drll@orange.fr or michel@drouilly.info)

P-S: I have also created an internet page which briefly presents the French situation and leads to the livres-ransome.net site.
The address of this page: => https://hirondelles-et-amazones.net

The 1974 film “Swallows and Amazons”
I bought the DVD as soon as it was available in France, saw it several times (with English dialogue and French subtitles!). It respects the spirit of the book well (unlike the 2016 film) and I was, like many, impressed with the way Sophie Neville “got into” the character of Titty. All her action since then shows how much she loves the universe of Arthur Ransome, which I understand, being a “fan” myself.

The original film ‘Swallows & Amazons’ was first screened at a preview in London on 31st March 1974.

Brian Doyle, the film publicist, noted it in his diary. This was sent to me by his daughter, Pandora Doyle, who was taken along with her mother Jo and friend Alison.

Brian Doyle, the publicity manager on 'Swallows and Amazons' — Brian Doyle, the film publicist on ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974)

The cast of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ either joined them there or at an afternoon press screening on 2nd April. We certainly went to one preview. It utterly amazed us. I had not remembered the Lake District being so sunny.

The premiere was also held at the ABC cinema in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, at a Royal Gala Premier on 4th April 1974.

The film has since been dubbed into at least eight different languages and screened all over the world. A number of different titles have been used from ‘Svaler og Amasoner’ to ‘El Capitan Pirata’.

They do not provide a release date for the Czech Republic, but it has been dubbed into Czech twice and is popular there. You can easily buy copies of the French version

the cover of the French DVD of 'Swallows and Amazons'(1974) — Caught shrieking on the cover of the French DVD of ‘Swallows and Amazons'(1974)

It is now screening on Netflix Europe and Amazon Prime.

There was a big splash when ‘Swallows & Amazons’ was first screened in Gloucester. Sten Grendon, who appeared as the Boy Roger, and I were taught to swim at the leisure centre there. Chris Maloney, who was awarded an MBE for his part in founding the Special Olympics, began to coach me when I was ten. I’ve been told that he also taught Sophia Loren to swim for ‘The “Goodness Gracious Me” Heiress’.

As we lived locally, Sten and I were asked to attend the first screening at the newly converted triple screen ABC in Gloucester, which was daunting. They were also screening ‘The Sting’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’ that both starred Robert Redford.