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Witness for the prosecution |
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#226 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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I'm glad some people liked it, but it was disappointing to me because it lacked suspense and tension.
It was OK as a psychological study, but I didn't really care about the solicitor's wife and their relationship - that's not what Christie is about imo. It just seemed like padding - as did the endless singing of the same song. The whole thing could have been done in an hour. Dwelling on the coughing solicitor just made it more dreary and dull. The twist wasn't as big a shock as it should have been. |
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#227 |
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Schar's World
Posts: 473
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I don't know why he's flavour of the month. I get distracted by his looks.....
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#228 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
Posts: 19,737
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Because they didn't like it? Or that they changed the ending?
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#229 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 144
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I have not seen earlier versions, so I judge this version on it's own merits, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I thought the acting was excellent especially from Toby Jones and Andrea Riseborough. |
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#230 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,736
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Quote:
I don't know why he's flavour of the month. I get distracted by his looks.....
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#231 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
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His popularity is a total mystery. He was awful in The Secret Agent too. And yes, that face...
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#232 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,674
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I agree. The 1957 film is superb.
Whovever wrote this isn't fit to write Midsommer Murders. I'm going to stop watching these, 'cause when I watch 'Agatha Christie', I want to watch an Agatha Christie. |
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#233 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,077
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She managed well enough with 'And then there were none' last year. Even then she took liberties. I can see her tinkering has annoyed a fair few. I know I get like that over new adaptations when I have seen the definitive version. I was disgusted with the Keira Knightley's Pride and Prejudice for example (although I think it is passable these days). I'm happy in my ignorance.
![]() ![]() (And I'm usually a purist about these things ).
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#234 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,499
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Quote:
I'm glad some people liked it, but it was disappointing to me because it lacked suspense and tension.
It was OK as a psychological study, but I didn't really care about the solicitor's wife and their relationship - that's not what Christie is about imo. It just seemed like padding - as did the endless singing of the same song. The whole thing could have been done in an hour. Dwelling on the coughing solicitor just made it more dreary and dull. The twist wasn't as big a shock as it should have been. when the case was over his breathing got better and the air clearer...perfectly paced too , I was never bored. Kept expecting a twist but didn't expect this. expected the star on the moons lover to be in on it or something.... best thing I've seen this christmas |
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#235 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
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Unlike many people, I don't actually mind when they change the plot (or even shoe-horn Miss Marple into stories that didn't include her like they did with the last Marple series), provided it is entertaining and works as a story. Otherwise, they might as well is make a single version for posterity and never bother again.
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#236 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,077
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I never watch dramas but was hooked by this from the start I thought the tension and suspense was played perfectly. He seemed to be choked by the smoky misty atmosphere and claustrophobia......
when the case was over his breathing got better and the air clearer...perfectly paced too , I was never bored. Kept expecting a twist but didn't expect this. expected the star on the moons lover to be in on it or something.... best thing I've seen this christmas |
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#237 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 144
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I can't agree with that, when you think of what Joan Hickson's brilliant acting brought to Miss Marple.
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#238 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,499
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Fair enough. Maybe because I have seen it before I was expecting something different.
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#239 |
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Norway
Posts: 1,009
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Quote:
I can forgive that because I'm in love with Mathew MacFadyen's Darcy.
![]() ![]() (And I'm usually a purist about these things ).Oh God, yes! "I love, I love, I love you.. " While standing in the field, with the morning sun raising behind him.. Sigh.. |
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#240 |
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 6,605
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Quote:
I'm glad some people liked it, but it was disappointing to me because it lacked suspense and tension.
It was OK as a psychological study, but I didn't really care about the solicitor's wife and their relationship - that's not what Christie is about imo. It just seemed like padding - as did the endless singing of the same song. The whole thing could have been done in an hour. Dwelling on the coughing solicitor just made it more dreary and dull. The twist wasn't as big a shock as it should have been. Also that song got on my nerves too. Quote:
I can forgive that because I'm in love with Mathew MacFadyen's Darcy.
![]() ![]() (And I'm usually a purist about these things ). we are only human. Though nobody lives up to Colin Firth for me, my first TV character love back in the day.
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#241 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 72
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Can't agree with the comments complaining about lack of suspense, mystery and tension. I thought there was plenty and it definitely went up several gears tonight compared to last night. It was chilling, dark and disturbing. Very good I thought. In contrast, I was unmoved by last year's totally incredulous ATTWN.
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#242 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: OP is a murderer!!
Posts: 27,205
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That was excellent. Never saw that ending coming.
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#243 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
Posts: 19,737
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But before her we had had Margaret Rutherford.
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#244 |
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 6,605
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Quote:
I can't agree with that, when you think of what Joan Hickson's brilliant acting brought to Miss Marple.
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#245 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,674
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Quote:
She managed well enough with 'And then there were none' last year. Even then she took liberties. I can see her tinkering has annoyed a fair few. I know I get like that over new adaptations when I have seen the definitive version. I was disgusted with the Keira Knightley's Pride and Prejudice for example (although I think it is passable these days). I'm happy in my ignorance.
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#246 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,509
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Quote:
Fair enough, I thought the acting in that scene was tremendous. You could tell his wife hated him all the way through and was building up to something like that.
The ending aside, I thought it was atmospheric and, on the whole, well acted (the scene with the maid being led to the execution room was particularly powerful). It did need to be better paced - they could easily have reduced it to 90 minutes. |
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#247 |
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: 🇬🇧
Posts: 60,766
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I haven't seen Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple. She was a brilliant actress too, though.
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#248 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 104,946
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Quote:
I haven't seen Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple. She was a brilliant actress too, though.
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#249 |
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 6,605
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It felt totally superfluous to the rest of the story - as if they had to tag it onto the end to get the full two hour running time. I think it would have worked better if that entire scene had been cut (ditto, the scene were they were clumsily having sex), so it had ended with Mayhew walking away from the Voles in the hotel corridor. Either that, or after the big reveal by the Voles, Mayhew returns to his hotel room, tells his wife he's going for a walk, then it cuts to him walking into the sea. He was distraught enough after the Voles' reveal - there was no need to suddenly have his wife kick him (metaphorically) in the guts.
The ending aside, I thought it was atmospheric and, on the whole, well acted (the scene with the maid being led to the execution room was particularly powerful). It did need to be better paced - they could easily have reduced it to 90 minutes. I viewed the murder as a means to understand Mayhew's character, the lengths he would go to. So it felt totally in keeping for me, but this isn't a character study technically so it is 'off'. |
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#250 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,736
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Quote:
She was brilliant as Miss Marple. The definitive version.
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