▁a ▁" mar v ell ous , ▁dark ▁novel " ▁and ▁" The ▁writing ▁is ▁so ▁perfectly ▁pitch ed ▁that ▁one ▁almost ▁res ents ▁becoming ▁aware ▁of ▁the ▁novel ' s ▁elegant ▁structure ▁unfold ing ▁itself ▁towards ▁completion ." ▁ ▁Ada pt ation ▁The ▁BBC ▁adapted ▁the ▁book ▁for ▁a ▁TV ▁production ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁st arring ▁Jo anna ▁Mc Call um , ▁Fab ia ▁Dra ke ▁and ▁Tre vor ▁E ve . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 4 9 ▁British ▁nov els ▁Category : Nov els ▁by ▁Elizabeth ▁Taylor <0x0A> </s> ▁Sir ▁Ger ard ▁Alo ys ius ▁Wall ▁( 2 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁– ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 2 ) ▁was ▁a ▁sur geon ▁and ▁a ▁politician ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁He ▁was ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁ ▁Wall ▁was ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁firm ly ▁held ▁soci ally ▁conserv ative ▁views ▁and ▁opposition ▁to ▁leg alis ing ▁abort ion ▁and ▁hom osex ual ity , ▁which ▁frequently ▁brought ▁him ▁into ▁conflict ▁with ▁his ▁contempor aries . ▁Por ir ua ▁Mayor ▁John ▁Bur ke ▁said ▁of ▁Wall ▁" He ▁was ▁a ▁man ▁who ▁had ▁the ▁courage ▁of ▁his ▁conv ict ions ▁– ▁if ▁he ▁felt ▁strongly ▁about ▁any ▁issue ▁it ▁concerned ▁him ▁little ▁who ▁or ▁how ▁many ▁disag