Fidelity to text: 1 spike You know it’s bad when a faithful series opens with a title card saying “based upon.” “Loosely based” or “the names match” would have been more accurate. Quality of movie on its own: 2 spikes Morocco (standing in for Syria) looks fabulous! The actors emote with the best of them. […]
Teresa reviews “The Case of the Missing Lady” (1983) and Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 kidnap The plot’s there, but hugely enhanced. Oddly, a Sherlock reference was removed, despite it being a Sherlock parody. Quality of movie on its own: 3 kidnap A bizarre tonal shift takes place near the end but then fails on […]
Teresa reviews “Appointment with Death” (1988) and finds it a disappointing adaptation. Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 poison bottles It’s reasonably close if you ignore that ridiculous chase through the souk, cardboard characters, and Agatha’s prose abandoned in favor of some hack screenwriter’s derivative imagination. Quality of movie on its own: 2 poison bottles Lethargic, […]
Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 blunt objects A vastly improved ending, a police interrogation, and a total personality makeover for Bulger are just the start. Quality of film on its own: 4 1/2 blunt objects There’s plenty going on in this atmospheric and funny episode. Read more of Teresa’s Agatha Christie movie reviews at Peschel […]
Teresa reviews “Three Act Tragedy” (2010) and finds it a theatrical take on murders most foul. Fidelity to text: 3 1/2 poisoned cocktails Be forewarned: This movie follows the British version with a different motivation than the U.S. version. Mr. Satterthwaite gets disappeared, and Poirot’s part is beefed up. Quality of movie on its own: […]
Teresa Reviews “The Ambassador’s Boots” (1983) and found it part fascinating and part dull. Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 smugglers While the basic plot remains, everything else from garden parties to bored society ladies was added. Quality of movie on its own: 3 1/2 smugglers So much happens; gorgeous eye-candy and a happening nightclub full […]
Teresa reviews “Murder in Three Acts” (1986) and wishes the movie had more than a strong performance from Tony Curtis. Fidelity to text: 3 poisoned cocktails Updating to 1986, moving from Cornwall to Acapulco, swapping Hastings for Satterthwaite, name and nationality changes, but the biggest issue is the most subtle. Quality of movie on its […]
Teresa reviews “The Sunningdale Mystery” (1983) and finds, despite some upgrades, still the same old model. Fidelity to text: 2 1/2 hatpins The short story consists solely of a conversation in a teashop overheard by Inspector Marriot. Since that makes boring TV, expect added characters, scenes, motor cars, and horses. Quality of movie on its […]
Teresa reviews Dead Man’s Folly (2013) and wishes it had speeded up the pace and lost the new ending. Fidelity to text: 4 nooses The usual compression of characters, text, timing, and date changes you expect. The tacked-on Hollywood ending implied special people are above the law. Quality of movie on its own: 3 nooses […]
Teresa reviews “The Clergyman’s Daughter” and found it a charming adventure with a treasure hunt, hostage-taking, and mysterious doings. Fidelity to text: 3 poltergeists The plot expanded, hotel guests checked in, boyfriend and fiancé made appearances, and a Hollywood ending was tacked on. Quality of movie on its own: 3 1/2 poltergeists I wanted more […]