PBS Masterpiece Mystery! ~ Six by Christie

[joangrimes]

 
      

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.
We can send you a set of three of Agatha Christie's  novels just for the cost of the postage as the supply lasts. 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. 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.   Contact:  Babi I watched the production and enjoyed it thoroughly.  Now I will continue reading the book and compare it to the TV production. Joan Grimes

[marcie]

I am anxious to watch "Cat Among the Pigeons." It starts here on the west coast in 10 minutes! I didn't read the book first so I'll see what the experience is like of seeing the episode and then reading the book.

[Mippy]

Amazing!  I stayed awake to watch all but about the last 5 min  of  "Cat among ..."
David Suchet is wonderful!   What did everyone think about the tempo of the film?
                       
Now a treat today: reading the book!   Thanks, JoanP, for sending the books so quickly!

[Babi]

Oh, my!  Did they ever make changes in the plot for this movie.  Completely
rewrote the opening to excuse bringing in Poirot at the beginning of the story.
Some nonsense about Poirot 'advising' Miss Bulstrode in the choice of her
successor.  From the book, I cannot imagine Miss Bulstrode needing anyone's
advice in such a matter.
  They also changed, and shortened, the story about Bob Rawlinson, the Prince,
and their deaths at the time of the revolution.  And changed some of the characters. Dropped Miss VanSittert entirely.  Changed the matron into a more
belligerent personality who occasionally 'nipped' from a flask.
   For those of you who read the book, what other character changes did you see?

    Did you find it plausible that the female cousin was now 'heir' to the throne of Ramat, rather than the Uncle?  I would have thought an uncle was much closer in a royal line-up.

  What did you like, or dislike in this production?

[ginny]

I saw a bit of this, it was on quite late here, so could not see it all, but stayed for the last 25 minutes to see who the cook? was. I have seen her before.

I was surprised to see David Suchet has aged (duh!) and I thought this time his performance was harsh. Since I did not see the beginning I don't know if that were warranted by the circumstances, did he start out his old self, but it seemed not to have the same something the earlier ones did. I'll watch it entirely on its next go round to be better informed.

But who played  the cook? (I assume that's who that was). I have seen her before, but can't recall where!

[ginny]

Here is an interview with David Suchet!

In an exclusive interview, Suchet reflects on more than 20 years portraying the Belgian super sleuth:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/poirot/suchet.html

[Mippy]

Babi ~ I do agree that the beginning was a huge departure from the book!  But film makers always take a lot of liberty with the material, don't you think?

Ginny ~  This is confusing.   What cook?  I thought the woman in the uniform was the nurse?  Were we watching the same program?   

Of course David Suchet has aged, but they also put a padded suit on him.  I've seen photos of him in the NY Times, when he was in a play somewhere in the last few years, and he looked great in regular slacks, not old and waddling at all.   He sure is a great actor.

[ginny]

What was her name, Mippy? When you come in at the end and very few are being identified, it's hard to tell who is who? I went to IMDb and was astounded at the credits: it took a LOT of people to make that thing, go look if you like.

What was the nurse's name? I want to see where else I have seen her.  I guess I need to read the book!

(I also thought he looked padded).

[mrssherlock]

There was an unusual amount of commotion here last night; no reason, just one of those things.  I quixckly lost the thread of the story so have scheduled it for recording Tuesday at 3 AM.  Will comment then.

[EvelynMC]

Well, I read the book before the film and I'm glad I did or I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on.  They sure departed from the book.  Was it the editing or just the writing, but once again, they seemed to jump from scene to scene. I thought the book was much, much better. --- The photography was good and I love those fashions and heavy makeup and the hairdos.  It sure set the time and the tone.
That scene by the tree and river when Adam happened upon Miss Shapland when she was eating and reading was gorgeous.

David Suchet did look padded and waddled about like a penguin.  I agree, he seemed harsh.  Do you think he was bored playing Poirot again?  I'm going to go back to Ginny's post and look at the interview with David Suchet.  He is such a good actor.

And then once again I have to sign off for today.  My husband ordered his new monitor and it will be delivered hopefully Thursday and then again hopefully, I won't have to share my monitor any more.

Evelyn

[JoanK]

I was both glad and sorry I read the book first. I'm not sure I could have followed the story or kept the characters straight if I hadn't: as it was, I kept saying to myself "now who is that? oh, yes." But I didn't get much injoyment out of the movie, it was more like checking off lists "Oh, yes, now they're doing that scene). Next time, I won't reread first.

I liked the two of the changes they made. Introducing Poirot from the beginning simplefied things, and gave you a chance to see him. And combining two characters (Van Sittart and Chadwick) was also good: there are too many characters in the book, and combining two simplefied things a lot. They gave one of the minor characters (Miss Blake) more plot, to make more suspects, and I think eliminated another one. I thought that was well thought out.

But I couldn't get into any of the characters. They were just THERE like marionettes, moving through their paces. Even Miss Bulstode, Julia, and Miss Rich, the characters withspark in the book, somehow didn't in the movie.

Were those of you who hadn't read the book able to follow the plot?

[joangrimes]

I followed the plot all right. I enjoyed the movie. I love seeing the fashions of that time.  The clothes are gorgeous.

I am really enjoying the book.  It is really good. I think I will probably not read the book before I watch the next one either.


Joan Grimes

[nlhome]

I read this book awhile ago, but I really enjoyed the TV version last night. I poured myself a glass of wine and sat and watched the whole thing. Although I knew much of what was going to happen, that didn't seem to detract from the story or the production at all. My son watched a bit of it and was distracted by the way some of it was filmed.

[isak]

I would rather treat the book and movie as different entities, just for the sake
of convenience.
I think that the cook/nurse was played by Carol Macready, who was in the production
of Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers.  She played the Dean of Shrewsbury College.
and Harriet Walter played Harriet Vane, a graduate of the school where they were
having problems with anonymous letters, etc.  Harriet Walter was Ms Bulstrode.
I really liked her portrayal, and her makeup and wardrobe.  The whole production was
very 30s and delicious.
I think we are off on another adventure with more Agathas  and Hercules in store - I
cannot wait!!!!

isak

[Frybabe]

I must say it sure was different without Ms. Lemon or Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp. It seems more serious and more "meaty" than those earlier productions. It was very enjoyable. It will be wonderful to compare the book and movie. BTW, don't forget that if you missed the movie you can still catch in on the PBS Mysteries website. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/poirot/catamongpigeons.html

Once again, I am behind in my reading. I had intended to start on the book this weekend, but then life intervened. Sigh!

[Babi]

  I thought the 'denouement' scene was unnecessarily harsh, GINNY. In identifying those who had motives to kill Ms. Springer, I did not see the need for 'Miss Blake' to reveal what Springer had done to her. It was painful, and she was innocent of the murders as Poirot knew perfectly well.
  Thanks for the link to the Suchet interview. I could not get the interview topics to
come up, but did read the question on the opening page. Maybe Poirot's stiffness was due to the discomforts of old age. We know about that!

  The woman in uniform was the 'matron'. She got them settled in, nursed them when they were ill...a sort of institutional nanny.
But the 'padding' was a surprise to me, MIPPY. I guess I just assumed that Suchet was a plump guy, too.  Silly of me; I just never thought about it.

  They did trim the story a good bit, EVELYN, probably to make it fit into a 90-minute format.  As for the scenery, I always love the scenic background in any English film.  I'm sure there must be unlovely areas in Britain as elsewhere, but you don't see them in the films unless they're doing a 'gritty' story.

 Julia was one of my favorite characters, JOAN.  I was disappointed in the choice
of actress for the part and felt her personality as shown in the book did not come
through at all in the movie. They cut what I felt was one of the best parts of the
book;ie., her discovery of the jewels and traveling to London to find Poirot.

  Sometimes a movie is more enjoyable, JOANG, if one doesn't come to it with prior
expectations. Perhaps we found the sequence a bit confusing precisely because it
wasn't what we were expcting.  And of course, the trimming to fit the time-span
made it a bit choppy at times.

 Oh, goody! Thanks, ISAK, for identifying Carol Macready for us. Harriet Walker was
good, tho' I confess I had mentally pictured her as looking more like the films Ms.
Chadwick. And I had visualized 'Chaddy' as much frailer.

 Still looking for a copy of "Mrs. McGinty's Dead". (sigh)

[ginny]

Thank you, isak, I looked her up on IMDb and she has a million credits, but  I have not  seen many of them  except The Darling Buds of May and the Flame Trees of Thika. But that face! I have seen that face recently. I keep thinking Harry Potter but she's not listed as having been on it. Another mystery!

I kept looking for Hastings and Miss Lemon too.

REALLY want to see what they do with Miss Marple!

[gingerw]

Thank you Frybabe for the link as I had missed the Cat Among the Pigeons..

[JudeS]

I'm glad I didn't read the book first.  Thus I sat glued to the TV with no expectations or forewarnings.
David Suchet carried the show without the trappings of Miss Lemon or captain Hastings (who I often find rather boring).  the pace was quick and the mystery played out well.
My husband was upset that Poirot had been looking at the Knees of the "Princess" before he knew she was a suspect.  That was a stretch I must say.
There was some fine acting in the show although Poirot topped them all.
Thanks for the info about other roles he has played.
I read the interview with Suchet that was suggested and must admit that I never thought of Poirot having a dark side.  But then again every human has his or her shadow side so why not Poirot?

[JoanK]

I think calling the fact that Poirot gets lonely as he gets older, and misses family a "dark side" was a fair stretch. If so, most of us have a "dark side'.

[isak]

Several years ago I got the dvds for three Sayers mysteries,  "Strong Poison"  "Gaudy Night"
and "Have His carcase" - and lo and behold, Carol Macready was a very recognizable and
vibrant Dean of College who was in "Gaudy Night" , heavily involved in solving the mystery.
So it was not too hard to recognize her when I saw the "Cat among pigeons"  Christie mystery.
It's quite a challenge to reduce a whole Christie book down to only 90 minutes, so I guess it's
not so surprising that a lot of liberties were taken with the story.
isak

[marcie]

CAUTION, SPOILER ABOUT WHO DID IT. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE YET

I have not read the book yet but enjoyed the TV production. The quick scenes about the revolution in India at the beginning were a bit confusing but, while watching them, I thought that they must be for background information to prepare for something that occurs later in the plot...as they were.

I was completely surprised by "who done it!" The little romance with the secret service guy helped to completely throw me off. I guess I'm not a very good detective :-)

I too was wondering why Poirot had to reveal secrets about each person in front of everyone else. I guess it was Agatha Christie (if the book does this too) or the screenwriter's way of explaining things about each person to the reader/viewer but it seemed odd.

I liked the girl who figured out there was something hidden in the tennis racket.

[marcie]

Isak, You mentioning the Dorothy Sayers' dvds you have reminded me of how much I enjoyed the series of Peter Wimsey mysteries with Ian Carmichael on PBS. He had just the right mannerisms and quirky sayings.

[Babi]

MARCIE:

I guess it was Agatha Christie (if the book does this too)

  The role of 'Miss Blake' was built up in the film version, as I believe someone
else has noted.  And no, in the book she was not obliged to 'tell all'.  I also
found it odd and uncomfortable, and cannot see why the writers put it in the film version.

 JUDE, I will now have an opportunity to see if I prefer the film without first
reading the book.  I cannot find a copy of "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" anywhere.
I've been on-line and there is not a library with a copy anywhere on this side of Houston, and I'm not prepared to make an hour's drive in the hope of finding one available.  I will join all of our posters who view the film with unbiased eyes.   
one.

[JoanK]

BABI: Fantastic Fiction tells me that "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" was also published as "Blood Will Tell". Try that in your library.

[EvelynMC]

Our library has "Mrs. McGinty's Dead", but I am not planning to read it until after I see the film version.  I think I'll like it better that way. And, hopefully, the fund drive on our local PBS station will be over.  They interrupted "Cat Among the Pigeons" twice, for about 20 minutes each time.  Just long enough to lose the thread.

[PatH]

I just watched the mystery tonight, on the link you so kindly provided.  Wow, I'm glad I'd already read the book (a few years ago, but I remember it pretty well).  I had trouble hearing everything they were saying, and keeping track of who everyone was, but because I knew the story I could keep my bearings.  They chopped and changed the story a fair bit, but you have to, to keep to 90 minutes.  I liked some of the changes, not others.  I agree, there was no reason to pad out David Suchet that much.

Sayers mysteries: There were two excellent series of Sayers mysteries.  The one you mention, Isak, which includes "Gaudy Night" had Harriet Walters as Harriet Vane, and Edward Petherbridge as Lord Peter.  I wasn't bright enough to recognize Carol Macready here.

The one you mention, Marcie, with Ian Carmichael, was also really good.  I'd have a hard time figuring out which of the two made a better Wimsey.  Any Sayers fan will probably be familiar with both, but for novices, I would strongly recommend Nine Tailors (with Carmichael) and Gaudy Night (with Petherbridge).  I think Nine Tailors is Sayers' masterpiece, it's so full of the atmosphere of the village, the importance of the Church, bell-ringing, flooding in the fens, and the awful dilemma of some of the characters, and the film does a good job on it.  Gaudy Night is also really good--it's got a complicated plot involving some intellectual issues that are handled well.

[Babi]

"Blood Will Tell"?  I asked the info. librarian at my library, and she came up
with the alternate title of "Saw Death Coming".  I suppose, as old as that book is,
it could have had three different titles.  I'll check "Blood Will Tell".  Thanks
for the information, JOAN.

 For reasons I am totally unable to explain, I've never cared for Harriet Vane and
Lord Peter. Haven't read them all, of course, but somehow those two seemed to irritate me. Perhaps it was entirely my own perceptions/mood at the time.

[JoanK]

BABI: I agree with you. And the Sayers books very a LOT in quality. I do like "Nine Taylors", although, technician as I am, I always want to know how things work, and I cant always follow her descriptions of the bell ringing.

[JudeS]

I looked up Mrs. McGintys Dead on Amazon and it is available used for three dollars.

I also have bought Anne Perry on Amazon.  Eighty books so far and the newer ones are even better than the old ones.  Sometimes you can get some used ones for only one cent.

[JudeS]

I reread my post. I have not bought 80 books. Perry has written 80 books and I have about five.

[PatH]

Babi, a whole lot of people agree with you about Sayers, and her books vary wildly in quality.  She is also one of those writers who is in love with her detective, which can get tiresome.

I once had the privilege of going on a fund-raising tour of the upper reaches of the Washington National Cathedral, including going into the bell chamber.  The bells are HUGE.  Several of us could stoop down, duck under, and stand up inside a bell at the same time.  They are also thick, almost a foot, which surprised me.

[PatH]

This is pretty far afield, and only sneaks in through Dorothy Sayers.

Sayers translated Dante's Inferno--I like what I've read of it better than what I've read of other translations--but the way she came to do this was very strange.  It was during WWII, and a lengthy air raid pinned her in a cellar or something, with nothing to read except Dante.  She didn't know Italian, but her Latin was close enough that by the time she emerged hours later she was hooked.

[EvelynMC]

Pat H.

Interesting story about Sayers, Dante and her Latin.

Evelyn

[nlhome]

I think having the detective reveal the guilty party in a room of character was a common (my literary vocabulary is lacking this morning) technique used in mystery stories at one time. I'm thinking Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen and maybe others.

Stretches out the suspense maybe?

Nan

[Babi]

  You are quite right, NAN.  The great detective astounding all with his revelations was a popular technicque.  It is too unrealistic for our modern
mysteries.  Of course, our 'modern' TV shows have another technique I find
very trying...so dumb!  The guilty party, at the end, breaks down for no good reason and tells all! 
   Alas, JUDE, too late.  If I had ordered a copy of the book early on, I might
have had it in time.  As it is, I will simply have to join those in the discussion
who watch the film only.  Fair enough.

[pedln]

Good point, Nan.  NOw you're going to have me wondering all day who else did that -- all gathered in a room.

I was in such a hurry to get out of town, that I  set the VCR for the wrong time and got the last half hour of "Cat ..  ..  .".  (I had already shut down and unplugged the computer, so couldn't check the time.) But supposedly it will be on local PBS on Saturday night, and Mrs. McG on Sunday night.  So all is well.

I read 'em as I get them, not necessarily in order.  Was reading this from Agatha this am in the doctor's office -- it brought a smile.

 "She set down the scone she was eating with her left hand and just touched the arrangement of her hair.  It was a femine gesture.  It marked her recognition of the entry to the room of a personable man."

Very interesting about Sayers and the Inferno.  Shades of Longfellow and the DAnte Club.

I liked the Nine Taylors, JoanK -- didn't Bill lead a discussion of that?

[JudeS]

I will be away for two weeks visiting family and coming home to attend a wedding (not mine).

My Tivo is all set to capture what I miss of the TV shows.
Hope you all enjoy the programs and the books.

Thanks to Joan Pearson the Agatha Christy books will be my companions on this trip.
Talk to you all on July 13th or thereabouts.

PS: I don't like Dorothy Sayers because I find her tedious.

[JoanR]

I like to read the book before I see the film.  This way I have the story in mind and it's not so terrible that I miss half the dialogue!  I have a hard time with the BBC productions - miserable hearing!!

Reading "Mrs.McGinty's Dead"  now and came across this quote:
"...you've no idea of the agony of having your characters taken and made to say things that they never would have said, and do things that they never would have done."  Spoken by Mrs.Oliver, author of a novel being made into a play!!   Ho ho!!!!!!  Is that timely, or what?

A little piece that made me laugh out loud:  "For somewhere there is in the hay a needle, and among the sleeping dogs there is one on whom I shall put my foot, and by shooting arrows into the air, one will come down and hit a glass-house."
 Agatha can be very funny when she wants to.  That is the best mixed metaphor ever!!

[Babi]

GUESS WHAT!  I went to the library this morning for my volunteer stint, and
found waiting for me a brand-new, hard-back, already processed copy of
Mrs. McGinty's Dead!  Those sweet librarians had made a special effort
to find one for me and have it ready this morning.  I was delighted and totally
surprised.  They really made my day.
  I am already half-way through the book.  I loved the mixed metaphor JoanR
quoted, and in the morning I want to take the time to quote Poirot's candid
views of himself.  I got a bit grin out of that, as well.