Teresa reviews “The Manhood of Edward Robinson” (1982) and discovers Agatha Christie wrote screwball comedies before Hollywood. Fidelity to text: 3 thieves Greatly expanded over the slight plot, giving Edward a new best friend, Maud a character arc, and Noreen a more complex way to avoid boredom. Quality of movie on its own: 4 thieves […]
Teresa reviews “Murder with Mirrors” (1985) and finds it the best of the three versions, but not the best of all. Fidelity to text: 3 guns I expect characters in adaptations to disappear and be combined, simpler plots, and name changes. I don’t expect fiery deaths of nonentity characters who suddenly become criminal-minded zealots. Quality […]
Teresa reviews “Jane in Search of a Job” (1982) and finds its an amusing adventure that needed a bit more froth. Fidelity to text: 3 thieves The film is greatly expanded over the story. In particular, the rescuing hero gets a name and a backstory. Other characters grow, and still more appear to flesh out […]
Teresa reviews “A Caribbean Mystery” (1983) and found it a faithful, slow cruise to the islands. Fidelity to text: 4 1/2 poison bottles Some minor characters disappear and everyone turned into Americans, but it’s all here, setting the stage for subsequent adaptations. Quality of movie on its own: 3 1/2 poison bottles It’s a little […]
Teresa reviews “Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan” (1993) Fidelity to text: 3 1/2 thieves The screenwriter added plenty, but most of the additions were based on hints in the text or accurate — but weird! — period details Quality of film on its own: 4 thieves I’d have given it another half-thief but the […]
Teresa reviews “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” (2000) and found the changes too hard to swallow. Fidelity to text: 2 daggers The overall arc remains but oh, my God! Losing minor characters is understandable but adding a murder and completely rewriting the ending is not. Quality of movie on its own: 2 daggers The ending […]
Teresa reviews “Dead Man’s Mirror” (1993) and finds it a pale reflection of Agatha’s story. Fidelity to text: 2 guns The core of the story is there, but after that, the scriptwriter ran hog-wild. Quality of movie on its own: 2 guns Too many of the changes took a good story and made it slow, […]
Teresa reviews “Sparkling Cyanide” (1983) and finds it barely palatable. Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 poison bottles Colonel Race disappears, the setting changes to contemporary Los Angeles, and events get radically compressed. Quality of movie on its own: 2 1/2 poison bottles It has its moments, but overall, it’s as flat as old champagne. Read […]
Teresa reviews “The Chocolate Box” (1993) and says it’s as good as the finest Belgian chocolates. Fidelity to text: 3 1/2 poison bottles A lot was added, making this confection even sweeter. One possibility was missed, adding an off-taste. Quality of movie on its own: 5 poison bottles I loved it. Frothy, delicious, with undertones […]
Teresa reviews “The Witness for the Prosecution” (1982) and her verdict is “not proven.” Fidelity to text: 4 blunt objects This remake is sometimes closer to the stage play than Billy Wilder’s 1957 opus. Other times, it adds extraneous, unneeded material, while cutting more important stuff. Quality of movie on its own: 3 blunt objects […]