Murder is Easy/Easy to Kill (***SPOILERS!!!***)

[becke_davis]

Don't forget: MURDER IS EASY is on tonight! If the story veers from Christie's plot too much, I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about later!

[Ryan_G]

I forgot to set my DVR so I wasn't able to catch the begining so I'm going to wait until it reairs at midnight.

[becke_davis]

I gave up. I couldn't watch it to the end, despite my best intentions. It was just so far from anything Agatha Christie would write, I can't imagine how her estate ever allowed it.  The acting was fine, but, honestly, I watch these because I love the Christie stories. This was NOTHING like Murder is Easy.

Grrr. 

Anyway, the one last week stuck a lot closer to the plot. Hopefully next week's episode will stay on track, as far as the original plot goes. 

Message Edited by becke_davis on 07-12-2009 10:27 PM

[Ryan_G]

I'm sorry to hear that.  I'm still going to watch it tonight when it reairs.  I haven't read the book in years so not sure how much of it I really remember so hopefully it won't be to bad for me.

[Ryan_G]

Just starting to watch it and I really don't like Alan Cummings as the host.  The whole getting closer to the camera was a little creepy.

[Ryan_G]

Well, what can I say.  I thought the acting was supberb, it was filmed and framed beautifully, and even though I haven't read the book in years I know it has little do with what I just watched.  I didn't hate it because I don't have much to judge it off of but what little I remember of the book it didn't match up with the movie. 

I do think the floral/garden motifs were over done a tad bit.  If a wall/bed/article of clothing could fit flowers onto it they went for it with gusto.

[becke_davis]

I agree with the floral motifs, Ryan. What frustrated me was that, if you took Agatha Christie out of the equation, I might have actually liked the movie. As you said, the acting was excellent, and the settings were luscious (LOVED the wallpapers!). And I thought the wardrobe was spot on. Why couldn't they have just presented it as a Christie-style movie, instead of messing about with her story in what I can only assume was an attempt to make her more appealing to modern audiences. Funny, I was under the impression that modern audiences still bought her books by the millions!

[dulcinea3]

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becke_davis wrote:
Don't forget: MURDER IS EASY is on tonight! If the story veers from Christie's plot too much, I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about later!

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We have a lot to talk about!

Well, the story was pretty much unrecognizable.  And I couldn't help thinking - since when is pushing someone down an escalator a reliable way to murder them?!  Running them down with a car (or pushing them in front of one) seems more likely, to me.

I really felt sorry for poor Bridget.  Can you imagine - finding out that your birth parents were brother and sister, that you are the result of a drunken rape, and that your mother is a serial killer?

Last week's episode was really quite faithful to the novel, so it seems to jar even more that they barely tried with this one.  Next week is another one that originally had Miss Marple in it, so I am hopeful.  Then we have another one where they jam Miss Marple in, so that one might be more like this.  It's interesting that they are so inconsistent.

[becke_davis]

"Well, the story was pretty much unrecognizable.  And I couldn't help thinking - since when is pushing someone down an escalator a reliable way to murder them?!  Running them down with a car (or pushing them in front of one) seems more likely, to me."

I had that same thought, exactly! 

"I really felt sorry for poor Bridget.  Can you imagine - finding out that your birth parents were brother and sister, that you are the result of a drunken rape, and that your mother is a serial killer?"

I thought Lydia was Bridget's mother. Didn't the Waynfleet woman have an abortion? Very confusing! 

[dulcinea3]

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becke_davis wrote:

"Well, the story was pretty much unrecognizable.  And I couldn't help thinking - since when is pushing someone down an escalator a reliable way to murder them?!  Running them down with a car (or pushing them in front of one) seems more likely, to me."

I had that same thought, exactly! 

"I really felt sorry for poor Bridget.  Can you imagine - finding out that your birth parents were brother and sister, that you are the result of a drunken rape, and that your mother is a serial killer?"

I thought Lydia was Bridget's mother. Didn't the Waynfleet woman have an abortion? Very confusing! 

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I also thought that it was all very confusing.  I don't know whether the story they presented was actually confusing, or whether I was confused more because I was trying to understand who everyone was and their relationships to one another, and trying to relate it as much as I could to the characters and relationships in the story.

No, it turned out in the end that Honoria Waynflete was Bridget's mother.  Her brother had been drunk and raped her, and the next day she pushed him over the rocks into the river, where he drowned.  She ended up not having an abortion.  She put the infant into a basket and floated it on the river, a la Moses, and I think it was Mrs. Horton who found it and gave it to the American couple.  All of the murders were done to keep the truth from coming out; Honoria got nervous because Bridget had shown up asking questions, and she wanted to eliminate anybody who could answer them.  I didn't even think she looked old enough to be Bridget's mother, but I'm not a good judge of ages.

[becke_davis]

Good grief! All of that must have happened after I (sort of) threw the remote control at the wall and turned off the TV.

[Ryan_G]

I've been thinking about the movie last night and I must say that after some sleep I find myself really liking the movie and hoping it comes out on DVD so I can buy it.  I'm going to read the book now as well and know I will love it.  I am going to seperate the two and not consider them related other than through titles.

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becke_davis wrote:
I agree with the floral motifs, Ryan. What frustrated me was that, if you took Agatha Christie out of the equation, I might have actually liked the movie. As you said, the acting was excellent, and the settings were luscious (LOVED the wallpapers!). And I thought the wardrobe was spot on. Why couldn't they have just presented it as a Christie-style movie, instead of messing about with her story in what I can only assume was an attempt to make her more appealing to modern audiences. Funny, I was under the impression that modern audiences still bought her books by the millions!

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[becke_davis]

I think that's the best way to do it. Standing on its own, it's a good movie. The problem is when you try to relate it to the Agatha Christie story.

[dulcinea3]

Agatha Christie's Marple: Series 4  

I imagine it's in this set.  I don't think they release the individual episodes as stand-alones.

Yes, it's in there.  They don't give the titles of the episodes, but from the scene selection titles, it's definitely the second one.

Message Edited by dulcinea3 on 07-13-2009 04:27 PM

[JacquelineSeew…]

I love PBS Masterpiece Mysteries and am delighted with the new versions of the Christie classics. I'm also pleased that they've continued to do modern mystery writers as well.

As far as I'm concerned, PBS shows are the best venues for quality entertainment on television today.

Jacqueline Seewald

THE DROWNING POOL, Five Star/Gale

THE INFERNO COLLECTION, Wheeler large print

[becke_davis]

See Agatha Christie in rare family photos in PBS Masterpiece’s newest web slideshow/interview “Christie Up Close.”

( http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/christie/prichard.html) In the feature, you’ll also read an interview with Agatha’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, and get an insider’s sense of Christie as a grandmother and writer.

[becke_davis]

Don't forget, the next episode of Miss Marple is on tonight! 

“They Do it With Mirrors”—Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 9pm

[becke_davis]

I really enjoyed tonight's episode of "They Do it With Mirrors." (I think some editions of the book are called "Murder with Mirrors.") The acting was superb and, as before, I was thrilled with the sets and costumes. It was fun to spot familiar actors I hadn't seen in quite awhile, and I'm enjoying seeing our new Miss Marple make the role her own.

This was never one of my favorite books, and I didn't particularly like the version of this that was filmed a long time ago. (I think Helen Hayes starred.) I may be remembering wrong, since I haven't read this one in quite awhile, but it seems to me there were a few changes in the plot. However -- possibly because the book isn't a favorite -- I had no problem with it in the movie.

I am now eagerly awaiting next week's Miss Marple. What about the rest of you -- opinions? 

[Ryan_G]

I'm getting ready to watch tonight's movie now.  I can't wait.

I have decided to start a new reading project though.  I am going to be reading and blogging about my quest to read every Agatha Christie mystery novel over the next year.  I just need to decide which book will be the first.  If anyone wants to follow along on my journey they can check it out at my blog Wordsmithonia (the title was inspired by QM Kathy)

[becke_davis]

What a fabulous idea! If you come across any great quotes, please share them with us!