This is last of the three made for TV movies with Hercules Poirot. The movie follows the plot of the novel quite faithfully. The novel is really good. Unfortunately , this movie isn't.
The setting has been transferred to Acapulco and the character of Mr Satterthwaite was replaced by Poirot regular Hastings. The characters have been Americanized. I think it hurt the production. It doesn't feel like Agatha Cristie movie at all. The original story is set in England and on the Riviera. It doesn't feel right to put Poirot in Acapulco at all.
The story is good , however the completely bland direction destroys it. It was rather easy to spot the murderer (not like in the book !) The suspects in "Murder In Three Acts" seem bland and undifferentiated .There are no really interesting characters. None of the supporting cast have characters worth remembering or caring about and that is the fatal flaw of this version The characters are very poorly defined. Poirot is reduced here to an old man, without any real elegance left. Charles Cartwright here is just an aging playboy instead of intelligent and noble actor.
When it comes to acting only Ustinov deserves some praise, even if is hamming it up in certain scenes. The rest is mediocre with two exceptions : Jonathan Cecil as Hastings and Tony Curtis as Charles Cartwright. Cecil is annoying and unlikable. The bigger problem is with Curtis. His role is so important for the movie and Curtis is simply terrible. His character was so complex and likable in the book. Here ? It's a tragedy. REALLY , REALLY bad acting from Curtis.
I can't find anything good in this movie. Better watch Poirot TV series or "Death on the Nile" or "Evil under the sun" with Ustinov if you want a good Agatha Christie movie. I give it 1/10.
The setting has been transferred to Acapulco and the character of Mr Satterthwaite was replaced by Poirot regular Hastings. The characters have been Americanized. I think it hurt the production. It doesn't feel like Agatha Cristie movie at all. The original story is set in England and on the Riviera. It doesn't feel right to put Poirot in Acapulco at all.
The story is good , however the completely bland direction destroys it. It was rather easy to spot the murderer (not like in the book !) The suspects in "Murder In Three Acts" seem bland and undifferentiated .There are no really interesting characters. None of the supporting cast have characters worth remembering or caring about and that is the fatal flaw of this version The characters are very poorly defined. Poirot is reduced here to an old man, without any real elegance left. Charles Cartwright here is just an aging playboy instead of intelligent and noble actor.
When it comes to acting only Ustinov deserves some praise, even if is hamming it up in certain scenes. The rest is mediocre with two exceptions : Jonathan Cecil as Hastings and Tony Curtis as Charles Cartwright. Cecil is annoying and unlikable. The bigger problem is with Curtis. His role is so important for the movie and Curtis is simply terrible. His character was so complex and likable in the book. Here ? It's a tragedy. REALLY , REALLY bad acting from Curtis.
I can't find anything good in this movie. Better watch Poirot TV series or "Death on the Nile" or "Evil under the sun" with Ustinov if you want a good Agatha Christie movie. I give it 1/10.