There are some very good moments in this adaptation: Lucy tidying the kitchen, the sinister barn full of "Egyptian" sculpture and sarcophagi, wonderful performances from Joan Hickson, Jean Boht (as a northern ballet impresario) and David Horowitz. It follows the story through from beginning to end, sticking fairly faithfully to the book, with excellent costumes and a fabulous setting in a Victorian country house. (The garden has some fairly sinister statuary, too.)
Some reviewers have called this version "stiff" and "plodding". It does seem a bit slow, looking back from 2020. Some of acting is /literally/ stiff. Does Lucy have to be so literally unbending? (Likewise Joanna David.) Perhaps they were trying to be convincingly "ladylike" in a 50s mould.
There is no dramatic underscoring, there are no flashbacks, no close-ups of dripping blood or spiderwebs. And tho it takes us through the plot, the story is a little hard to follow and must be a bit baffling for those who haven't read the book. Miss M could have used Lucy as a Watson, with updates and recaps! (Christie often includes these.)
Christie thought that Lucy would run away with Cedric - John Hallam is convincingly horrible in the role! Her other suitor, Brian the ex-RAF man, is far preferable and nearer her age. There is a little confected "drama" over her choice, which doesn't quite come off. The strong woman who "moulds" a weaker husband is a Christie trope. (Neither of her husbands fit the description.)
Have I just watched an abridged version on cable, though? Wasn't there a poisoning episode in which we lost the affable Alfred and the "tontine" plot becomes more obvious? And they all seem rather unconcerned by the disappearance of Harold.
Some reviewers have called this version "stiff" and "plodding". It does seem a bit slow, looking back from 2020. Some of acting is /literally/ stiff. Does Lucy have to be so literally unbending? (Likewise Joanna David.) Perhaps they were trying to be convincingly "ladylike" in a 50s mould.
There is no dramatic underscoring, there are no flashbacks, no close-ups of dripping blood or spiderwebs. And tho it takes us through the plot, the story is a little hard to follow and must be a bit baffling for those who haven't read the book. Miss M could have used Lucy as a Watson, with updates and recaps! (Christie often includes these.)
Christie thought that Lucy would run away with Cedric - John Hallam is convincingly horrible in the role! Her other suitor, Brian the ex-RAF man, is far preferable and nearer her age. There is a little confected "drama" over her choice, which doesn't quite come off. The strong woman who "moulds" a weaker husband is a Christie trope. (Neither of her husbands fit the description.)
Have I just watched an abridged version on cable, though? Wasn't there a poisoning episode in which we lost the affable Alfred and the "tontine" plot becomes more obvious? And they all seem rather unconcerned by the disappearance of Harold.