Mark
Here's what Chuck Kelly had to say:
> Thanks for your question on the two versions of The
Name of the Game
is Death.
> There are, indeed two versions, both published
as
> Fawcett Gold Medals. The original one was published
in 1962, and
the revised
> version was published in 1973. It is sometimes said
that the 1973
version is
> a "toned-down" version, but, with a couple of
exceptions, that
really isn't
> true. In fact, it's basically just a rewrite with
some different
phrasing,
> paragraph structure, etc. The significant
differences in the story
in the two
> versions, and they are rather subtle, have to do
with a couple of
passages in
> which the main character discusses his sexuality
with his new
girlfriend,
> Hazel Andrews. In the 1962 version, the character
appears to be a
bit more
> uncertain about his heterosexuality than he does in
the 1973
version. Also,
> in the 1962 version, there's the implication that
killing turns him
on, which
> is removed from the 1973 version. The change
probably was made to
make the
> character fit more closely the "secret agent" Drake
character
readers knew by
> then, one who was sexually potent and a tough guy,
but not a wanton
killer.
>
> The Black Lizard edition actually is a re-issue of
the 1962 version,
so you've
> read the story as Marlowe originally wrote
it.
--- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, DJ-Anonyme@... wrote:
>
> Steve wrote:
>
> "It certainly sounds as though the rewrite wasn't
all that extensive,
> not nearly as much as I'd been led to believe. But
that same someone
> else I mentioned above says there were some subtle
but major changes in
> the Earl Drake character. I've asked for permission
to quote him, and
> assuming that I do, I'll post what he told me in
full."
>
> I can't answer that. I'd be interested in your
correspondent's
> observations.
>
> I read the later one, which I found first. I picked
up the first
> edition when I saw it, but have never read the whole
thing, although I
> do intend to at some point. However, I did compare
the beginning and
> end and posted them here.
>
> Mark
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 09 Feb 2008 EST