Fidelity to text: 3 guns. The overall storyline is there. However, the scriptwriters chose to insert an unnecessary, even egregious backstory for Miss Marple. Um, no. Just no. There were other issues as well, some relating to changing the date from 1930 (when the novel was published) to 1951. Quality of movie on its own: […]
Fidelity to text 3 and 1/2 garrots (the murderer was radically altered although crimes and motivation still fit perfectly within Agatha’s own text). There were some other minor modifications. The other most important change is the date. The novel took place in 1942. This filmed version was set around 1950. Quality of movie 4 garrots. […]
The island of Juan Fernández lost its only citizen on this day when Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk waved goodbye to it from the deck of the British privateering vessel Duke. Selkirk’s account of his four years on the island, 400 miles off the coast of Chile, would provide the inspiration a decade later for Daniel […]
Fidelity to text: one gun. The names match. Jane Finn remains a woman of mystery. The secret adversary of the title remains. Virtually everything else was altered from a little to a lot. Quality of movie on its own: one & 1/2 guns but only because it started off well and I like ’50s clothes […]
Fidelity to text: The original story is there but it’s been expanded far beyond what Agatha sketched out, especially considering how minimalist the source material is. Quality of movie: It’s good on its own merits and it’s a more interesting story than the original short story. Only purists will carp. This was our third watched […]
The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970’s Paris by Alicia Drake I picked up this book because I read André Leon Talley’s memoir, The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir. That was a terrific tell-all that really did peel back the heavy silk draperies and multiple layers of gauze concealing how petty and […]
Fidelity to text Four poison bottles (it’s pretty close, with most of the major changes being made to minor characters along with one added major character, replacing someone else) Quality of movie four poison bottles (pretty good on its own merits) This was our second episode of the ITV’s Agatha Christie’s Marple television adaptation of […]
The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir by André Leon Talley Four and 1/2 stars; nonfiction, memoir, the fashion business, tell-all Although I am not and never have been a snappy dresser, I can appreciate those who make the effort. It is work to look good at all times, rather than going out in public looking like […]
Fidelity to text: One gun (some names match and the house is terrific) Quality of movie: One gun (plot holes you could sail battleships through) My goodness, but those are low rankings. Remember, this is on a scale of one to five, with one being the lowest and five the highest. Officially, this is the […]
Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief from the Ringing in My Ears by Glenn Schweitzer. A note from Bill: This book review appears here because it fits in with Teresa’s philosophy behind “Fed, Safe and Sheltered,” which is to discover low-cost ways to make your life better. This applies to your health, and the […]