The name’s Rain. John Rain.

Welcome back for another lockdown episode of WE’D LIKE A WORD. And, before we start, may we ask a favour? This podcast has been nominated in the ‘People’s Choice’ category of the British Podcast Awards. Yay! So, if you think we’re worthy of a vote, pop along to this webpage and sling our name in the ballot box. Thank you. You’re lovely.

Now, on with this week’s pod. And this episode we’re lucky to have James Bond aficionado and host of SMERSHPOD, Mister John Rain.

John loves films. And, in particular, he loves the James Bond films. So he started a podcast called SMERSHPOD where he discusses the films, one per episode, with such people as Mark Gatiss, Rufus Wright, Samira Ahmed, Joel Morris, Dan Tetsell. Al Murray and more. He also does ‘side projects’ with episodes looking at films starring Bond actors. Or just action films that he likes.

And last year, he put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and wrote a love paean to Bond in the form of THUNDERBOOK, a series of very funny essays in which he pulls each film apart in turn and fills the reader with fun trivia, fascinating facts and unexpected insights. It’s a great book.

We’re beginning to hate Zoom. Roll on the days when we can record properly again and not have to cope with Steve’s bad wifi, barking dogs and children asking what’s for dinner.

We also talk about the problems of translating books to film (and vice-versa), John’s second love (H G Wells’s War of the Worlds) and who might, or might not, be suitable to be the next Bond.

We’d Like A Word is available on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Google Podcasts or wherever else good podcasts lurk. or you can click here and hear us on our host site at Anchor.

Oh, and VOTE FOR US!

Mentioned in this episode:

The Empire Strikes Door – a film by Jamie Stangroom (it’s great!)

Judith O’Reilly – A great thriller writer

A Question of Us – Mary Jayne Baker’ award-winning comedy novel