What more could you want?
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This is a pretty much faultless combination of the words of P.G.Wodehouse and some terrific acting. All the cast are good, but the main plaudits must go to the two stars. Richard Briers plays Wooster not as a complete silly ass, but as a man with a sense of his own dignity even if that is the only sense that he has. And Michael Horden is masterful, managing to convey an astonishing range of emotions and information within a simple phrase such as "Indeed, sir".
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As Usual Wodehouse and Jeeves Give Satisfaction
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No doubt buoyed by the success of his previous novel `Thank you, Jeeves' Wodehouse sets about `Right Ho, Jeeves' with his typical vim and vigour.
In this, the second and in an odd occurrence for Wodehouse, second consecutive Jeeves novel sees Bertie Wooster begin to question the infallibility of Jeeves. Bertie questions Jeeves methods in his counselling of Gussie Fink-Nottle in relation to Madeline Basset and also of Tuppy Glossop and his engagement to Bertie's cousin Angela. Bertie's review of Jeeves may have unfortunately being somewhat coloured due to a disagreement about the wearing of a mess jacket. Anyway Bertie retires to his Aunt Dahlia's country pile `Brinkley Manor' (under which title it was originally published in America) in order to take charge of matters himself. Shortly Angela is engaged to Gussie while Bertie himself is engaged to Madeline while Aunt Dahlia is estranged from her cook Anatone whom has handed in his portfolio.
So can Jeeves resolve the situation uniting the parties rendered asunder by Bertie and so saving his masters blushes while also rendering the mess jacket redundant. Well the former is a given and the resolution of the second and third have to be read to behold the wonders unfolding. Wodehouse shows us how the larger canvas was crying out for Jeeves and Wooster and vice versa. Another triumph.
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Baccarat and Milady's Boudoir
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"Right Ho Jeeves" was first published in 1934 in the UK, though was first published in the US under the name "Brinkley Court". The book is set in England and features Wodehouse's best known creations : Bertie Wooster and his valet, Jeeves. Bertie is the book's wealthy, good-natured and rather dim narrator. He's a member of the "idle rich" and, rather than having to work for a living, lives off an allowance provided by his uncle. He spends much of his time in the bar-room of the Drones Club, is fond of the occasional wager and has an appalling dress sense. Luckily, Bertie has Jeeves, to look after him. Without Jeeves, Bertie's life would be a mess : he makes an excellent hangover cure, his bets usually win and is intelligent enough to rescue Bertie from nearly any situation. He disapproves of Bertie's more garish items of clothing, and will - occasionally - take it upon himself to deal with the offending item.
The book opens with Bertie's return from Cannes, having spent two months on holiday with his Aunt Dahlia, his cousin Angela and Madeline Basset - Angela's best friend. Arriving back at his flat, Bertie is surprised to learn that Gussie Fink-Nottle has been a frequent caller in his absence. Gussie, an old school-friend of Bertie's, is something of a reclusive character : he doesn't drink, looks rather like a fish, prefers country life to the city and is a noted newt-fancier. Gussie has apparently fallen in love, and has - wisely - taken to visiting Jeeves for his advice on how to win the young lady's heart. However, following a disagreement with Jeeves about a white mess jacket purchased in Cannes, Bertie decides to take over Gussie's case.
By sheer coincidence, the object of Gussie's desires is none other than Madeline Basset - who, after the trip to Cannes, has returned to Brinkley Court (Aunt Dahlia's stately home). Bertie sends Gussie off to the stately home in question - though his motives aren't entirely noble. As well as spending time with Madeline, Gussie will also be delivering a speech at the local grammar school's prizegiving day - a job Aunt Dahlia had intended for Bertie. However, when word comes through that Angela has brokern off her engagement with Tuppy Glossop, Bertie and Jeeves race off to the countryside to offer their support. Naturally, Bertie's attempts to ease smooth things over land everyone in a great deal of bother.
A very easy and enjoyable read.
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Oh, what ho!
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If there's one thing Bertie Wooster should never do, it's make elaborate plans to bring estranged lovebirds back together.
And he demonstrates just why in the second full-length Jeeves novel, a screwball disaster saga that sees Bertie confidently trying to fix people's lives. Of course, things go horribly wrong, and Wodehouse's arch, nutty look at what happens next is an absolute gem.
When Aunt Dahlia summons him to Brinkley Court for a prizegiving, Bertie sends his newt-fancying friend Gussie instead -- especially since Gussie is enamoured of a girl staying there, the soppy Madeleine Bassett. But when Bertie hears that his cousin Angela has broken off her engagement to Tuppy Glossop -- and his aunt is in need of money -- he rushes down to assist all his relatives and pals by advising them to feign such sorrow that they're unable to eat.
Unfortunately his plan falls through, and they manages to enrage the cook Anatole to the point where he storms out. Even worse, the prize-giving is a disaster and the wrong people end up engaged -- and pursued by homicidally angry exes. Only Jeeves' formidable brain can somehow save the day -- and Bertie's behind.
P.G. Wodehouse made a pretty good living off of spoofing the upper crust of England, and the subtlely intlligent servants who bail them out. "Right Ho Jeeves" is a prime example of his writing -- some small mistakes rapidly balloon out into a crazy tangled mess, which only an intelligent manservant can rescue Bertie from.
Much of the book's charm comes from its complex plot and series of disasters (such as Tuppy's homicidal rampage). And as usual, poor Bertie finds himself the object of young ladies' affections -- in this case, the appallingly goofy Madeleine thinks he's madly in love with her, when she's not rambling about fairies and bunnies. If there's a flaw, it's that Jeeves' final solution is a bit limp.
But Wodehouse's writing is what really makes the book timeless. It's arch and wry, whether he's describing basic actions ("He leaped like a lamb in springtime"), or goofy dialogue ("But if you were a male newt, Madeline Bassett wouldn't look at you. Not with the eye of love, I mean").
Jeeves and Bertie are the perfect comic team -- Bertie is proud, goofy, and not terribly bright, while the quiet Jeeves is a towering intellect with wry wit. And they're backed by a colourful, small cast of nutty aristocrats, schoolboys, sharp-tongued aunts and cousins, newt-fancying fish-faced men, and a girl who talks about how "every time a fairy sheds a tear, a wee bitty star is born." Yech.
"Right Ho Jeeves" is a hilarious, tangled farce of love, money, jealousy, dinner jackets and the mating rituals of newts. Absolutely priceless, from start to finish.
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Absolutely top hole!
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Being a great fan of P.G. Wodehouse, I am glad to see that they are finally in this format! The life of a certain Mister B. Wooster is rather how i wish my own to be! Possibly the funniest book I have read in a long time, greatly reccomended to all! Wodehouse is a literary genius!
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