Fidelity to text: 4 guns It’s very close despite choosing different parts of the novel to keep as opposed to the 1978 version. Quality of movie on its own: 3 1/2 guns Very good, fast-moving, keeps one important character analysis scene which should have been kept in the 1978 version, but there were errors. Read […]
Fidelity to text: 4 thieves An eight-page story needs embellishment. Each addition deepened and enlarged the scope while remaining true to the text. Quality of movie on its own: 5 thieves Beautiful fusing of vintage newsreel footage, a locked-room mystery, and some classic misdirection Agatha would have approved of. Read more of Teresa’s Agatha Christie […]
Teresa reviews “Death on the Nile” (1978) and found it a delightful, if murderous, way to enjoy the ancient monuments of Egypt. Fidelity to text: 4 guns. It’s very close, allowing a complex novel to be simplified into a coherent movie. All the important people remain, plus an added cobra, although how the murderer found […]
Teresa reviews “How Does Your Garden Grow” (1991) and thought it blossomed thanks to the help of Miss Lemon. Fidelity to text: 4 poison bottles. Extras, surprises, and enhancements galore, all in the service of both Miss Lemon and the story. Quality of movie on its own: 5 poison bottles. A flower-laden episode from Miss […]
Fidelity to text: 2 weapons (for the novel); 2 1/2 weapons (for the stage play) Changes galore and all of them either bad, or badly handled. Quality of movie on its own: 2 weapons. This should have been good. Look at that international “A” cast and that gorgeous setting. But it dragged, it was blah, […]
Fidelity to text: 3 jewel thieves The movie star changes nationality and a suspicious diamond buyer shows up, as do Japp and Miss Lemon. There are other changes and enhancements, not all of which work. Quality of movie on its own: 2 1/2 jewel thieves They can’t all be gems. Murky, overly convoluted, and motivations […]
Fidelity to text: 4 1/2 weapons This version is truer to the novel than the stage play. However, our hero and heroine still escape, but with a backstory much closer to the novel. Quality of movie on its own: 4 weapons The quality of the film is terrible. Blurry, out of focus, poor sound so […]
Fidelity to text: 3 ransom notes. Plenty of changes, including updating motivation to match the changed date. All the changes worked, enhancing a slight story. Quality of movie on its own: 4 1/2 ransom notes. I really wanted this to be longer; it needed more detail about motivation. If you’re not up on British history, […]
Fidelity to text: 4 1/2 knives. It’s just about perfect except for Poirot. This version lets him get persuaded a little too easily. He’s normally dedicated to justice, and the film didn’t show his crisis of conscience well. Quality of movie on its own: 4 1/2 knives. So many stars! So much talent! They each […]
Fidelity to text: 4 spies The main addition is Miss Lemon, undercover agent. Every other story element is from the text; rearranged, expanded upon, or a sly reference, but it’s there. Quality of movie on its own: 4 1/2 spies Loved it. Just loved it. My only quibble is that slower, dumber viewers like me […]