Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie  (Read 76090 times)

Frybabe

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #80 on: June 26, 2009, 07:56:57 PM »
 
     

Six 90-minute mysteries — Sundays, June 21-July 26, 2009
"With grey cells firing and knitting needles clicking, Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) and Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie) star in Six by Agatha, a half-dozen whodunits by the greatest mystery author of all time, Agatha Christie." (PBS Masterpiece Mystery!)

Would you enjoy discussing these new PBS mysteries?  Reading the books adds a whole new dimension, as we learned reading Henning Mankell's novels.
 Thank you for promoting reading, Masterpiece! Are you interested?


June 21, 2009 at 9pm
Hercule Poirot: Cat Among the Pigeons
Something is amiss at Meadowbank School for Girls, where hidden rubies, kidnapping, and murder disrupt the term. View the episode online through July 5 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/poirot/watch.html
June 28, 2009 at 9pm
Hercule Poirot: Mrs. McGinty's Dead
A man is about to hang for a brutal murder. But did he do it? After learning about 30-year-old homicides, Poirot concludes a ghost from the past has returned. View the episode online through July 12 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/poirot/watch.html
July 5, 2009 at 9pm
Miss Marple: A Pocket Full of Rye
A killer who seems obsessed with a nursery rhyme commits a string of murders. Miss Marple and a local detective (Matthew Macfadyen) join forces to investigate.
July 12, 2009 at 9pm
Miss Marple: Murder is Easy
Miss Marple investigates a string of "accidents" after a woman on a train tells her about murders in a local village. Benedict Cumberbatch co-stars.
July 19, 2009 at 9pm
Miss Marple: They Do it With Mirrors
During rehearsal for an amateur show a murder occurs, and Miss Marple must decipher the elaborate conjuring trick played by the killer. Joan Collins co-stars.
July 26, 2009 at 9pm
Miss Marple: Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
The last words of a dying man lead the sole witness and a socialite to investigate. Miss Marple joins them as they land in a hotbed of homicide and intrigue.

  
Discussion Leader:  Babi



Gosh, I am almost half way through Cat Among the Pigeons and no Poirot yet. Lots of differences between the book and the TV production.

Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #81 on: June 27, 2009, 08:57:20 AM »
 "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" is quite different, FRYBABE.  "Hercule Poirot" are the first two words on the the first line of the first page.   ;D
  In his reminiscing on this occasion, HP gives a perfect picture of himself.
He is missing his old friend Hastings, who was always awed, baffled and astonished by Poirot's superior intellect and talents. "It is my weakness, it has always been my weakness, my desire to show off."....."But indeed it is very necessary for a man of my abilities to admire himself--and for that one needs stimulation from outside. I cannot, truly I cannot, sit in a chair all day reflecting how truly admirable I am."
  I suspect that had Poirot not been unfailingly courteous, his smug pomposity would have alienated nearly everyone who came to know him.
"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #82 on: June 27, 2009, 02:38:51 PM »
Cat Among the Pidgeons " .
I will look forward to the Sunday episode . After which I hope to jointhe group discussion much earlier in time.

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #83 on: June 27, 2009, 02:52:38 PM »
ats.

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #84 on: June 27, 2009, 03:01:51 PM »
Well, two of my posts were lost in Cyberspace . Maybe my post was toolong for the Quick Reply post .
I liked Cats Among the Pidgeons and David Suchet's portrayal of Poirot .
I agree the beginning scene was confusing .
On thursday evening PBS here in California broadcasted another episode of Christie's work " Four and Twenty Blackbirds " Again Poirot at work. This was only an hour and I liked this episode more than Cats .
Did any one else happen to view this second episode ?

JoanK

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #85 on: June 27, 2009, 03:05:39 PM »
JOANR: it's not your hearing. If it were, I'd have to admit that I have miserable hearing, too. Horrors!

It's a mixture of the different accents and sound quality. I often have trouble in British productions: never in American.productions.

My PBS station showed the last Foyles War last night. I'd seen it before, but worth watching again. I will miss them.

isak

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #86 on: June 27, 2009, 07:14:00 PM »
There is a book and gift co called "Bas Bleu" (I guess French for bluestocking) and they had a
set of Agatha mysteries (none of the 4 we were wanting) but I still got them, since they are
hardback, and one is "Murder on the Orient Express".  What a treat to have  4 bran-fresh  Agathas to enjoy.

Re DL Sayers - I have been reading her books, listening to audio books, and now getting DVDs
and reading all the books I can find at UT about all of her stuff for going on 40 years.  She really is a prodigy - going from  "Gaudy Night" to translating "The Divine Comedy" No one
else would ever get me to READ  that!!   - but she did!


In about '63 or so, I attended a retreat where we heard audio tapes of her "Man Born to be
King"  plays - and ever since I have been addicted to anything of hers.  We had a quiet weekend
with times of silence and quiet meals - and it really made us all LISTEN to what was going on.
 isak

Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #87 on: June 28, 2009, 08:24:08 AM »
 If PBS featured "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" here, RETIRED, I totally missed it. I'm
surprised they were able to do a good job with a one-hour show. The 90-minute
feature we show last Sunday required quite a bit of chopping. I'm looking foward
to seeing what they've done with "Mrs. McGinty" tonight.

Strange, JoanK. I find the British preciseness in diction much more understandable
than some of our American slurring and mumbling. Other accents, though, often
present a problem.  Don't worry about missing any favorite PBS shows; they are
bound to be repeated.


ISAK, I've always found such retreats into time of silence very peaceful and
soothing. Then, truly listening is an art that is quite rare.
"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

Frybabe

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #88 on: June 28, 2009, 09:00:58 AM »
I was surprised to see Mrs. McGinty's Dead last night on Comcast's ON Demand. PBS has it scheduled for tonight. Odd, they've never before, that I noticed, put up a program on ON Demand before it airs on regular channels.

At the program beginning the host had an interesting comment about one of the characters in the production and how Christie felt about Poirot, so listen for it.

I was looking at the list of book titles in the front of Cat Among the Pigeons and was very much surprised to see a giant list for Poirot. There weren't near as many Miss Marple titles listed.

After reading "...Pigeons",  I still prefer the productions of Poirot over the books.

PatH

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #89 on: June 28, 2009, 11:39:03 AM »
Yes, Isak and Babi, it's odd how liberating keeping silence can be.

isak

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #90 on: June 28, 2009, 03:27:00 PM »
None of us had ever attended such a retreat, where there were designated periods of silence and
then discussions of the texts.  Spread over three days, and in a pastoral camp setting away from
everything else, it was meaningful in a whole new way.  We could not get  enough of the silence
or beauty of the setting, and of the experience of sharing with our fellow students and leaders.
This was close enough to the end of WWII so that we were able to add in some of the thought
of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as well, due to the expertise of the leaders.  There were two ELCA
(then ALC)  seminary professors who added a huge amount to the whole experience.
isak

EvelynMC

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #91 on: June 28, 2009, 04:33:12 PM »
When I watch the PBS Masterpiece productions on my computer after they have been shown on TV, I can always hear everything quite clearly.  So if I have time, I usually watch those shows a second time and then I can usually figure out what was said and what's going on.

I'm going to watch "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" on TV tonight and will discuss from that. My library had a copy of the book with print so small, I simply put it back on the shelf. They also have an audio book, but it was checked out. 

JoanP

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #92 on: June 28, 2009, 05:48:02 PM »
Ah, silence!  I agree, silence is liberating, I do agree.  Have you been to DisneyWorld - or even Disneyland?  I just posted this over in the People of the Book discussion - (By the way, I hope you will all be able to participate in this discussion starting July 15 - it is a wonderful book.)

We survived a whole week in  DisneyWorld with 7 grandchildren - the oldest seven - in 98 degree heat! All I can say is - never attempt this yourselves - and if you must, make sure you have a cell phone on you - charged!  (With the phone numbers in each kid's pocket.) And probably a hearing aid  turned all the way up or you'll never hear the person on the other end of the line.

Needless to say, I didn't get to watch Cat Among Pigeons last Sunday - but did watch it on the computer just now. (Nor did I see Four and Twenty Blackbirds on Thursday, Retired.  I don't think I ever saw any television the whole week - with the exception of a few news programs.)

Christie liked those titles from nursery rhymes and Children's Games, didn't she?  I wasn't familiar with  the "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" game until now and my understanding is still rather sketchy.  Have you ever heard of it?

 I read both episodes - one and two, so am ready for Mrs. McGinty's  tonight.
For those who haven't read the book before viewing the TV episode tonight - be sure to listen to the author, Mrs. Oliver and see if you don't agree that Christie is having fun with this character, describing her own reaction to  the adaptations of her books to film and plays.

Indeed, you have to wonder what Christie would think of Poirot advising Miss Bulstrode on her successor - because he was such a judge of human nature!  Better than Bulstrode?  I think not.   Didn't you think Agatha Christie's Bulstrode was more formidable and stronger a character?
Of course Poirot had to be written in earlier in the first episode - David Suchet needed more of a role than he had in the book.

Do you remember the effigy of straw  Miss Spitzer had made of Miss Springer?  I didn't remember that at all in the book - but maybe I just forgot.  And do you remember why poor Chaddy, Miss Chadwick was shot?  I forgot that too!

I'm really looking forward to Mrs. McGinty  tonight.  I think Agatha Christie provided more of a role for David Suchet's Poirot in this episode.  Back tomorrow - and it's good to be "home."


JoanK

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #93 on: June 28, 2009, 09:18:09 PM »
Isak, JoanP: there was a wonderful retreat center near where I used to live in Gaithersburg, Maryland. They held weekend retreats, but once a month on a weekday they wuld hold a four-hour silent retreat. I used to go almost every month. If you have never experienced a silent retreat, it's really hard to describe: being silent with others in a beautiful setting in the woods which has been dedicated to silence for years is nothing like being silent at home; especially when you do it over and over.

The retreat center was called "Dayspring". I hope it's still there -- it was being threatened by road-building. People came from all Christian denominations, and other religions as well. The retreat went from 10 to 2. A brief greeting at the beginning, and at the end, those who want can share their thoughts. The rest is silence,  People bring a bag lunch and eat in silence (the first time I went, I brought raw carrots, and the CHOMP of biting them sounded like  gunshot in the silence).

PatH

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #94 on: June 28, 2009, 09:32:50 PM »
Yes, JoanK, Dayspring is still there, though they are having infrastructure problems and need contributions.  I haven't been for a while, but urge anyone who gets a chance to try a silent retreat.  You can't imagine what it's like until you try it.

joangrimes

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #95 on: June 28, 2009, 09:51:23 PM »
Welcome back Joan P.  Glaqd to see that you survived the horrible heat.

I am waiting, not very patiently for tonights production of  "Mrs. Mc Ginty's Dead"

Joan Grimes
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joangrimes

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #96 on: June 28, 2009, 10:04:35 PM »
My wait is over!! It has just begun.

Joan G
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Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #97 on: June 29, 2009, 09:48:21 AM »
All right, folks, I ask you.... What do you really think of Hercule Poirot?
 Do you find him admirable?  Amusing? Annoying?  Is he orderly, or is he
obsessive
.  Vain, certainly!
   I can understand how Christie could have
become annoyed with her character.  As Mrs. Oliver said, more or less,
you have the character do something and it is very popular, so you are stuck with it. 
  Once again, it has been necessary to cut-and-chop to fit the time constraints.
I thought reducing the old crime photos to two was sensible.  I did think it
a shame that the Weatherly's were dropped entirely.  They were an
interesting trio of characters. 
  What changes did you approve of?   Which ones did you regret?
  You know, I rather liked more 'human' aspects of Poirot here. His feet hurt,
and he suffers the loss of that which gives him the most enjoyment...good food
and good coffee.  But he endures these things because a man, and not a very
likeable man,  may be innocent. 
  I find I am liking Poirot now more than I did on first reading these books a
lifetime ago.  Perhaps I am now at an age where I can relate.   :)
"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

nlhome

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #98 on: June 29, 2009, 10:03:13 AM »
The good weather kept me outside, so I missed the beginning of last night's program. I will need to watch the beginning, and maybe most of the rest. I vaguely remember reading this book, as you say, Babi, "a lifetime ago." I think I'll skip rereading it. I didn't much like most of the characters in the book or in the movie. I think the performance gave them more depth than I remember from the book, though.


joangrimes

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #99 on: June 29, 2009, 10:26:30 AM »
It has been many, many years since I read the book.  I will read it again though.


When I was young reading Agatha Christie, I did not like the books featuring Poirot but now I do enjoy them.  I really was a Miss Marple fan.  I think seeing David Suchet as Poirot is what has made me become a Poirot fan.  I really enjoyed the production.  I did not remember any of the book. So I will not comment on the changes.

Joan Grimes
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JoanP

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #100 on: June 29, 2009, 12:54:12 PM »
At first Poirot's enormous ego turned me off - but the more I see of him - the "world's most admired detective" as he bills himself, I am amused when people (most people) have never heard of him.  You can just feel him cringe at this.  It's funny.

I liked the author, Mrs. Oliver - she was true to the book - I think she was supposed to be Agatha Christie, don't you?

Yes, there were changes from the book.  But this time, they were not as drastic as those made to Cat Among Pigeons, did you think?  I'll wait for others to comment on the differences.

I will say what really struck me - the fact that there were a number of attempted murders - not by the actual murderer - and those Poirot let go - scott free!  Especially the guy who almost killed Poirot by shoving him off the train platform. 

Frybabe

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #101 on: June 29, 2009, 01:01:39 PM »
nlhome wrote:
Quote
You know, I rather liked more 'human' aspects of Poirot here. His feet hurt,
and he suffers the loss of that which gives him the most enjoyment...good food
and good coffee.  But he endures these things because a man, and not a very
likeable man,  may be innocent.
  I find I am liking Poirot now more than I did on first reading these books a
lifetime ago.  Perhaps I am now at an age where I can relate

It was interesting to note that Poirot put up with these discomforts without the usual fussing. Could it be because Ms. Lemon and Captain Hastings are no longer there to complain to? Wasn't he more verbally fussy in his younger days, or am I remembering wrong?

I agree wholeheartedly that the productions provide a lot more depth to the characters than you see in the books.

Speaking of Ms. Lemon and Captain Hastings, how did Christie manage to remove them from the scene? Which book(s) address their departure?


Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #102 on: June 30, 2009, 08:50:34 AM »
 Iliked the author, Mrs. Oliver - she was true to the book - I think she was
supposed to be Agatha Christie, don't you?

 Definitely, JoanP.  In the introduction, the host told a story of how Christie
complained about her character Poirot, how tired she was of him and his quirks.
Sounded just like Oliver and her complaints about Sven.
  Poirot could not be certain about who pushed him,..and he certainly could not
prove it. Triumphant once again, I imagine he was smug and satisfied enough to shrug it off.

  FRYBABE, in the book Poirot does complain, but mostly in his own thoughts. He is greatly pleased to see Ms. Oliver, partly because he can now seek her sympathy for
his complaints.  He also bemoans, right at the beginning of the book, the loss of
his friend Hastings. He greatly misses having someone to astound with his brilliance.   :-\
 
  I think the film has made Bentley a slightly more sympathetic character.  He isn't quite such a prissy, self-centered wimp.  (Not to be critical, mind you.)
I also thought it was a good idea to reduce the number of  photo clues to two; much more manageable than the original four.


"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

ANNIE

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #103 on: June 30, 2009, 08:59:19 AM »
While we are waiting for the next mystery and were discussing different titles for the same movie or book, I must tell you what happened to me last night. 
I sometimes listen to audio books to help me go to sleep and last night I tried a new mystery.  From the first paragraph, I knew I had already either read it or listened to it.  Now, here's rub!  The book has a different title and a different author!  Well, I am going to play Ms Marple and take myself to the library today to look up both books and see whats up. hehehe!
"No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth." Robert Southey

mrssherlock

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #104 on: June 30, 2009, 11:34:54 AM »
Agatha Christie had a great sense of humor.  Put Poirot into his proper milieu:  detectives such as Ellery Queen, Nero Wolf, Lord Peter, Sherlock Holmes, all insufferably smug about their vaunted powers of observation and deduction.  Here comes HP, unaswhamedly vain, always right, and, worst of all, if not quite French as close as flame to smoke.  David Suchet shapes Poirot into the near parody that I'm sure Christie intended. Here is a quote about Mark Twain:  "Exaggeration works as humor for Clemens because the process of identifying the distortion engages his reader's intellectual vanity." The Mark Twain Encyclopedia:  http://books.google.com/books?id=zW1k-XS6XLEC&pg=PA268&lpg=PA268&dq=exaggeration+humor&source=bl&ots=9t1LeKVgkC&sig=onRdrLigEdLIis2MLHYCeJI3460&hl=en&ei=QC9KSpPWIIrQM7aE9acB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9
Jackie
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

ANNIE

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #105 on: June 30, 2009, 01:27:06 PM »
Oh yes, I loved his line on Sunday night's show:  " Madame, did you not know that I, Hercule Poirot, am the greatest detective in the whole world?"  He's a hoot!   :D
"No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth." Robert Southey

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #106 on: June 30, 2009, 02:30:25 PM »
Much to my dismay, after taping Sundays' second episode of Mrs. Maginty Is Dead " I proceeded to play it back the following morning.  The tape would NOT playback . I jumped , jumped . No matter what I did to correct the situation the tape continued to jump. I called Walmart . They told me it was probaby a defective tape.
The problem is not my VCR as I then tried the system with a professionally produced tape and it operated fine . I always clean my tape heads before inserting a new tape.
So, I shall lurk and read the group's offerings and I hope I have more luck for the third episode .

marcie

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #107 on: June 30, 2009, 02:39:00 PM »
What a shame, retired. I think that VCRs can be more complicated/problematic than computers! You can watch the episode online if you like..at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/poirot/watch.html

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #108 on: June 30, 2009, 02:41:48 PM »
Discussion Host :
Do you have any more books left of Agatha Christie mysteries to send to me . If so what is presently avasilable ?
I would send you my mailing address in response to your answer and return postage when books are received.
I will check back when you respond .

JoanP

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #109 on: June 30, 2009, 03:00:26 PM »
Thanks for that link, Marcie.  I think it's just what retired needs at this time.  It is quite satisfying to watch the episode by the chapter - you can tend to the laundry or other chores t'ween episodes that way!


I'm not sure whether we have another set of the books left or not - they flew out of here like, what, like flapjacks, like frisbies.  I'll get back to you as soon as I do some research on this last set.   Jackie, did you request the Christie books?  I know you've paid for two sets, but have no record of your requesting the Christies...

Sunday's show will introduce the new Miss Marple.  I can't wait.  The book Pocket Full of Rye,  is great - I'm really enjoying it...though barely started.
  Tell me, those of you who have read so many of A. Christie's books - are the murders always multiples?  Or sometimes is there just one?  After the two Poirot's, I'm expecting more than one...

Babi
- not only did Miss Oliver complain about her characters' requiring the same mannerisms, she had much to say about the way they were dramatized on stage and in film.

  "I think the film has made Bentley a slightly more sympathetic character."  I agree with you, Babi - he was too good looking too - and likeable.  I thought that was Christie's point - that he didn't stand a chance before the jury because he simply wasn't likeable.  And that young woman from work  who claimed to be his friend - I was suspicious of her from the very beginning.  Bentley had NO friends.

Yes, it was more understandable - condensing the suspects to two women instead of four.  It was a bit confusing trying to keep them straight in the book, wasn't it?

So who identified the murderer - Robin Upward?  Did any of you catch him?  If not, who did you suspect?  To be honest, I was expecting more than one killer...







mrssherlock

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #110 on: June 30, 2009, 04:35:06 PM »
I paid for two sets? First I forgot to pay then I paid twice?  I'm sure that I paid only for one set, the Mankell books.  If there are Christie books left I'd like some, too. 
Jackie
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #111 on: July 01, 2009, 08:52:36 AM »
Quote
"Exaggeration works as humor for Clemens because the process of identifying the distortion engages his reader's intellectual vanity." The Mark Twain Encyclopedia
:
  Aha! JACKIE, you have exposed us all.  Poirot, (the Belgian, as he will quickly
tell you) is not the only one displaying vanity.  We readers are enjoying a bit
of it as well.

MARCIE, thank you so much for finding that link for Retired. I know the show had a repeat showing at 1a.m. Monday, but I don't know if there will be any others.  It's fortunate that the episode can be viewed online.

Bentley did have one friendly sympathizer in the book, as you will recall, JOANP.
Deirdre Henderson (Mrs. Weatherly's daughter) found common ground with him, but of course the Weatherly family was dropped from the film version entirely.
  
"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

JoanK

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #112 on: July 01, 2009, 02:32:20 PM »
I don't agree with those who liked the portrayal of Mrs. Oliver. To me, she was too upper-class and snooty. I think of Oliver as rumpled, disordered, and distracted.

But other than that, I liked the film. I didn't reread the book first, and I think i enjoyed it more. It flowed better than the first one, less chopping and changing from one character to another.

I couldn't tell any of the men apart: they all looked alike. But it didn't matter -- I remembered who the killer was.

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #113 on: July 01, 2009, 04:00:55 PM »
Marcie:
Thank you for the online link to view the second episode of Agatha Christie's Mysteries .
Much to my pleasure and surprise it functioned well and I was able to view the entire episode .
My system usually shuts off after ten minutes of viewing any MSN news video.

marcie

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #114 on: July 02, 2009, 11:17:25 AM »
Great, retired. I'm glad you were able to view the episode.

JoanP

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #115 on: July 02, 2009, 03:27:54 PM »
I have to agree, theTV version of Mrs. McGinty's Dead was much easier to follow than the original story.  It's a good thing.  At least with the book you could  keep thumbing back to see who's who - which I did, frequently.

The Masterpiece episode  provided a number of graphic scenes - especially of the meal preparations at the boarding house - remember them?  How many meals did Poirot actually consume there as he watched the ingredients go in.  I don't really remember much of this from the book.

Babi - I forgot that Bentley did have one admirer in the book - Deirdre - Mrs. Weatherly's daughter. This, despite the fact that he was quite a drab uninteresting, unlikable character - in the book.  I still wonder why he was such a  good-looking and sympathetic character in the film. The whole point was lost.

Retired, I'm sorry to say we are out of books - but remember that after the Wallander series, Mippy sent her set of Mankell's books to someone who wanted to read them.  Would you like a set of the "used" books at the conclusion of the series?  I'm certain someone would send them on to you - if you do.  (I would.)


retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #116 on: July 02, 2009, 07:52:04 PM »
Joan:
I would only be interested in the Agatha Christie series of used books if some one wanted to pass them on to me .
I would then provide my name and mailing address and pay the postage to the sender .
Any one interested in passing them on?

As I recall the vido Piorot refused the meal when he observed the hostess cut her finger during the preparation of the string beans and bleed directly into the food.
As an experienced Homocide Detective who has viewed many bloody scenes the look of dismay on his face was amusing in contrast .
I thought that this scene was included entirely for the readers ' amuement .

Babi

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #117 on: July 03, 2009, 08:18:55 AM »
  Joan, I think Bentley still came across as selfish and self-centered, but still
a great improvement over his book persona.  Apparently the bond between him and Deirdre is that they were both so devoted to their mothers. One of the keynotes of the book seemed to be mothers who 'devoured' their children.
  There were a number of instances in the book of Maureen Summerhaye's
madcap housekeeping and cooking, RETIRED.  I agree, it was all very amusing
for the reader.
  What I did not find amusing was what the writers did to the Summerhaye's and Miss Sweetimin(?).   I don't recall any big argument between the Summerhaye's, and Major Summerhaye and Miss Sweetimin suffer a major
change in their characters.  Miss Sweetimin is changed from an efficient,
observant lady of great common sense. She is put in the position
of carrying on an affair in the hedgerows, so that she can be present to
witness a change the film writers made in the story.  I was greatly displeased!
 >:(
"I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey."  John Burroughs

JoanP

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #118 on: July 03, 2009, 10:25:07 AM »
Babi -  I agree, it's the changes that seem pointless that irritate the most - as if the adapter has a better understanding of the characters and story than Christie did.

What I find I miss in the filmed versions is Christie's writing, her expression.  I've just finished A Pocketful of Rye - is this, it must be "Four and Twenty Blackbirds) - and I had to smile at this line in the opening paragraph -
Quote
"...she had a mild worried face like a sheep."
We'll never hear that line - or others like it, in the film...and never stop to muse about a worried look on a sheep's face...

I'm so glad of this experience - Masterpiece has made me apprectiate Agatha Christie's writing so much more - by directing us to the written word.

Retired - one more book to go - and my set will go out to you. Jackie, will you still be wanting the books when others are finished with them?  I'm wondering if you ever received the email I sent out to you.

retired

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Re: PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie ~ beginning June 21
« Reply #119 on: July 03, 2009, 08:57:05 PM »
Joan:
I will email my address to you after the next Christie episode .
Once again on Thursday from 9 tp 10pm , only one hour another Poirot mystery was scheduled on PBS . " 3rd Floor Flat " Odd noises and boisterous neighbors lead Poirot to a murder in his building .
It was not very exciting and not complex at all.  Did Christie write any Short story mysteries ?  Any one know ?  It seemed like this episode was baed on a short story.
Poirot was very amusing as always .