Poirot investigates a series of deaths, the only link seems to be the sequence of the victim's initials, Albert Aachen's death is closely followed by Betty Barnard's.
I think it's fair to say that it's perhaps not a film that's universally loved by Christie fans, and watching it just after completing the novel, I have to say I don't think it was a good translation.
As I started watching it, I kept on thinking to myself, how on Earth could they do this to an Agatha Christie novel, and not just any novel, but one of her best, then I spot the much loved Miss Marple and Mr Stringer, the glorious Dame Margaret Rutherford and her real life husband, and I think, well the humour in her four movies worked so well, why didn't that humour work here.
In the four Miss Marple films, the humour is tongue in cheek, it's far from subtle, but Rutherford's character is lovable, sadly Randall's Poirot simply wasn't, I personally didn't like the accent, and I didn't find him visually right for the part.
Maurice Denham must have wondered what he'd ventured into, he adds a degree of credibility, but sadly the central characters don't help the cause. I can't help wondering if Rutherford's appearance was more so out of desperation.
I've never been surprised to learn that Christie didn't like the film, sadly it just isn't particularly good, it doesn't work as a mystery, it certainly doesn't work as a comedy either, I'm sad to say it, but getting through it was an effort.
4/10.
I think it's fair to say that it's perhaps not a film that's universally loved by Christie fans, and watching it just after completing the novel, I have to say I don't think it was a good translation.
As I started watching it, I kept on thinking to myself, how on Earth could they do this to an Agatha Christie novel, and not just any novel, but one of her best, then I spot the much loved Miss Marple and Mr Stringer, the glorious Dame Margaret Rutherford and her real life husband, and I think, well the humour in her four movies worked so well, why didn't that humour work here.
In the four Miss Marple films, the humour is tongue in cheek, it's far from subtle, but Rutherford's character is lovable, sadly Randall's Poirot simply wasn't, I personally didn't like the accent, and I didn't find him visually right for the part.
Maurice Denham must have wondered what he'd ventured into, he adds a degree of credibility, but sadly the central characters don't help the cause. I can't help wondering if Rutherford's appearance was more so out of desperation.
I've never been surprised to learn that Christie didn't like the film, sadly it just isn't particularly good, it doesn't work as a mystery, it certainly doesn't work as a comedy either, I'm sad to say it, but getting through it was an effort.
4/10.