Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes - Explorer, Dunhill Suit Wearer and Writer

Sir Ranulph Fiennes Can No Longer Play Recorder

A nice little interview with Sir Ranulph Fiennes from Alfred Dunhill. Fodder for The Tweed Pig, with the combination of Dunhill's history and Fienne's incredible CV of derring-do.

Dunhill, established in London in the late-Victorian era, and famed for its motoring and smoking accessories, is now owned by luxuries conglomerate Richemont. The modern Dunhill brand is associated with a broad range of men's clothes and products.

The interview is part of Dunhill's Voice campaign, which is meant to embody masculine achievement. I won't try and describe any further, as I don't want to lurch into advertising-industry twaddle. Sir Ranulph proffers stoical nuggets of wisdom. Fight against wimpish thoughts and err on the side of pessimism, says he.

Ranulph Goes to Hollywood - The Feather Men

Sir Ranulph has documented real-life adventure and adventurers in a number of books, including his own experiences in the excellent biography Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know [Amazon].

Action and adventure are the main themes in his fiction too. The Feather Men was published in 1991 and is the story of four SAS soldiers targeted by a hit squad. Fiennes was a member of the SAS, so could draw on his real life experiences.

The Feather Men was made into the action film Killer Elite in 2011, starring tough-chaps Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert de Niro.

I sense you're not a massive fan of action films, Bond and Bourne excepted. You prefer something more like the original Brideshead series with Jeremy Irons perhaps? Obviously we'll be covering that at some stage, but Killer Elite is an enjoyable romp. Spot the interesting use of a loaf.

How to play 'old Etonian': Amusing to see Fiennes portrayed in the film as a rather effete character, which I suppose is some kind of shorthand for old Etonian, but not quite an accurate vision of Fiennes.

Clothing Credits: Here we see a beige and blue Baracuta Harrington jacket put through its paces in the film by Jason's hit man character.