Favorite Television Productions Set in the 1800s
Posted on December 2, 2019 by ladylavinia1932
Below is a list of my favorite television productions set during the decade between 1800 and 1809:
1. "Death Comes to Pemberley" (2013) – Anna Maxwell Martin and Matthew Rhys starred in this adaptation of P.D. James' 2011 mystery novel, set six years after the events of Jane Austen's 1813 novel, "Pride and Prejudice", featuring the style and characters of the latter. Daniel Percival directed.
2. "Sense and Sensibility" (2008) – Andrew Davies wrote this adaptation of Jane Austen's 1811 novel about the experiences of two well-born, yet impoverished sisters following the death of their father. Directed by John Alexander, the miniseries starred Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield.
3. "War and Peace" (2016) – Andrew Davies wrote this adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel about a group of noble families during the Napoleonic Wars. Directed by Tom Harper, the miniseries starred Paul Dano, Lily James and James Norton.
4. "War and Peace" (1972) – David Conroy created this adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel about a group of noble families during the Napoleonic Wars. Directed by John Davies, the miniseries starred Anthony Hopkins, Morag Hood and Alan Dobie.
5. "Mansfield Park" (1983) – Sylvestra Le Touzel and Nicholas Farrell starred in this adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel about a young impoverished girl sent to live with her aunt and uncle at their elegant estate. The six-part miniseries was written by Kenneth Taylor and directed by David Giles.
6. "Jack of All Trades" (2000) – Bruce Campbell and Angela Dotchin starred in this syndicated comedy series about two spies – one American and one British – who operate on a French-controlled island in the East Indies.
7. "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (2015) – Bertie Carvel and Eddie Marsan starred in this adaptation of Susanna Clarke's 2004 novel about the return of magic to Britain through two men during the early 19th century. The series was created by Peter Harness.
8. "Mansfield Park" (2007) – Billie Piper and Blake Ritson starred in this adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel about a young impoverished girl sent to live with her aunt and uncle at their elegant estate. The television movie was written by Maggie Wadey and directed by Iain B. MacDonald.
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"THE FAVOURITE" (2018) Review
Posted on August 11, 2019 by ladylavinia1932
From the moment I first saw the trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos' 2018 Oscar nominated comedy-drama, "THE FAVOURITE", I wanted to see it. Badly. Being something of a penny pincher, I had figured I would not get a chance to see the film until its release on DVD, cable television or streaming television. But my sister, who also wanted to see the film, finally convinced me to spend a few extra dollars to see the film while it was still in limited release.
What was the reason behind my fervent desire to see "THE FAVOURITE"? One, it was a period film . . . and I am a sucker for the genre. Two, the movie was set during the reign of Queen Anne of Great Britain, a period I have not personally seen on screen since my viewing of the 1969 miniseries, "THE FIRST CHURCHILLS". And three, judging from the trailer, the movie struck me as funny, witty and very original. I love originality.
"THE FAVOURITE" is basically Lanthimos' take on the political rivalry between two of Queen Anne's courtiers and cousins – Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham – for her favor. The movie begins with then Abigail Hill's arrival at Kensington Palace to serve as a scullery maid (?). Abigail, whose father had lost his fortune during a game of whist, owes her job to her cousin, Sarah Churchill. The latter is the Queen's premiere courtier and has an emotional hold over the monarch, due to their sexual affair. However, Sarah's powerful standing in Court begins to decline when Abigail manages to win the Queen's favor after using her to help relieve the latter's pain from the gout. Abigail and the Queen eventually begins an affair and former's standing in Court not only increases, but also threatens Sarah's.
Lanthimos' movie had a lot going for it. Thanks to his screenplay, "THE FAVOURITE" featured political intrigue . . . well, somewhat; and three lead characters and a supporting character that proved to be fascinating. Queen Anne's twelve-year reign proved to be volatile than I had ever surmised. To be honest, I have not given a thought about Anne's reign since watching "THE FIRST CHURCHILLS" a long time ago. The movie did occasionally focused on the conflicts between the Tory and Whig parties. Abigail Masham, like Queen Anne and Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford, favored the Tory party and Sarah Churchill favored the Whigs. The latter party supported Britain's participation in the War of the Spanish Succession aka Queen Anne's War, and the Churchills had benefited from John Churchill's command of British troops during it. Due to Sarah's emotional control over the Queen, the Whigs under Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin maintained control over Parliament. However, that changed after Abigail's arrival at Kensington Palace due to Lord Oxford's insistence that she spy on the Queen's relationship with Sarah and later, her growing favor with the monarch.
The movie touched upon all . . . or, most of the political aspects surrounding Queen Anne's Court. However Yorgos Lanthimos, along with screenwriters Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, had decided to focus upon the emotional and sexual triangle that had formed between Anne, Sarah and Abigail. Watching this triangle unfurl was like being sucked into some emotional vortex – fascinating and at the same time, dangerous and volatile. Davis, McNamara and especially Lanthimos provided moviegoers with a period biopic that certainly skewered from the usual output from both the Hollywood industry and the film industry overseas. Both the best and the worst aspects of all three women and some of the supporting characters seemed to be on display. Some critics have claimed that "THE FAVOURITE" is basically a satire on period dramas. I agree, but it also struck me as a cautionary tale about the acquirement, use and abuse of power. This cautionary tale especially seemed to encompass the Abigail Masham and Lord Oxford characters, as they use Queen Anne to overcome Sarah Churchill's control of the Court and the Whigs in Parliament. But this theme of abuse of power also touched upon Sarah Churchill and her attempts to maintain her control and the Queen herself, who becomes increasingly determined that she would be the one in control and no one else.
The production's visuals and designs proved to be first-rate. Robbie Ryan had received both an Academy Award nomination and a BAFTA nomination for the film's excellent photography. I thought his photography captured the beauty and color of the movie's English locations. Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton won a well-deserved BAFTA award and earned an Oscar nomination for the movie's production designs. Both Crombie Felton did a superb job in re-creating the look of Queen Anne's Court of the early 18th century. And what can I say about Sandy Powell's costume designs, which earned an Academy Award nomination and won a BAFTA? I thought she did an excellent job in re-creating . . . well, almost re-creating the fashions of early 18th century England as shown below:
Powell's designs are not completely historically accurate. Although she accurately shaped the costumes, Powell made them from Nigerian fabrics found in London. And the costumes' color schemes seemed to feature white, blue, gray and black. Very original, very beautiful, but not particularly accurate.
I certainly had no complaints about the cast. Most of the supporting cast for "THE FAVOURITE" – Joe Alwyn, James Smith, Edward Aczel, and Mark Gatiss – all gave solid performances. However, I must admit that there were times when Gatiss, who portrayed the Duke of Marlborough, barely seemed visible and obviously wasted in this film. However, there was one supporting performance that really impressed and entertained me. It came from Nicolas Hoult, who portrayed English statesman and occasional sadist, Robert Harley, the Earl of Oxford. Was the real Lord Oxford a sadist? I have no idea. But he did try to gain Abigail's assistance to gain favor with Queen Anne with no scruples. Hoult managed to capture his character's slightly sadistic, yet ambitious nature with such subtlety and skill that I found myself enjoying his performance more than any other in the film.
If I must be frank, the true backbone or backbones of "THE FAVOURITE" proved to be the three leading ladies – Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. As much as I enjoyed Hoult's performance, I realize that this movie would have been nothing without them. Many may wax lyrical over Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara's Oscar nominated screenplay, Sandy Powell's costumes or Yorgos Lanthimos' direction. But the performances of the three actresses made this movie and all three gave superb performances. Olivia Colman won just about every (or nearly every) acting award under the sun for her portrayal of Queen Anne of Great Britain. What I admire about her performance is that she gave emotional depth to a character that was in danger by the screenplay into devolving into a caricature of an idiot savant. I could probably say the same about Rachel Weisz's portrayal of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. There were times when the Sarah Churchill character seemed in danger of drifting into some stereotype of the "butch" lesbian trope. If it were not for Weisz's excellent acting, for which she received an Oscar nomination and a BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actress, I would have lost all interest in the character. Emma Stone was lucky that her character Sarah Hill Masham, Baroness Masham never drifted toward the edge of caricature. In a way, she had it easier than Colman and Weisz. But I admire her performance for two reasons. One, she had to master some kind of upper-class English accent without overdoing it. And two, the actress did an excellent job of revealing Abigail's cold ambitions behind the warm and feminine facade, layer by layer.
And yet . . . despite my admiration for the cast's performances, the film's visual style and certain aspect of its narrative; I did not like "THE FAVOURITE". I did not hate it like some who did. But I did not like it. The movie seemed like a cinematic version of a drama queen. The cinematic epitome of pure titillation. When it comes to historical accuracy in films and television, I seemed to have mixed views. I can tolerate it, if it works for me. I tolerated Sandy Powell's historically incorrect costumes. I tolerated the fact that the Earl of Oxford character, as portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, was a good 15 years younger than the real Lord Oxford during the film's setting. And I tolerated the historically inaccurate characterizations of the film's three leading characters . . . only to a point in which I admired their performances. But the movie had crossed too many lines for my tastes.
Queen Anne kept rabbits as pets to symbolize the 17 children she had lost? Rabbits as pets? During the early 18th century? They were either regarded as food or pests over three centuries ago. What was the point of those rabbits in the first place? What did her lost children have to do with the movie's narrative, other than reveal Abigail as some uncaring monster? Was that it? What happened to Anne's consort, Prince George of Denmark? Her husband who was still alive when Abigail Masham née Hill first joined the Queen's Court? Why was he kept out of the movie, but not Sarah or Abigail's husbands? His death had proven to be one of the main reasons why the Queen and Sarah first became estranged in the first place. Anne had loved him very much and Sarah's dismissive attitude toward Prince George's death sparked the beginning of the two women's estrangement. Why did the film failed to mention that Abigail was also related to Lord Oxford, as well as Sarah Churchill? And why on earth was her first position at the Queen's Court as a scullery maid? A scullery maid? Seriously? Someone with her blood connections? Both Sarah and Lord Oxford would have found it socially embarrassing to have a cousin working as a scullery maid within the Queen's household.
And of course, there were scenarios and scenes that left me scratching my head. One of the scenes I refer to is that ridiculous scenario in which Abigail had poisoned Sarah and had the latter dumped at some whorehouse outside of London. One, it was stupid plan that could have easily backfired. And two, what was the movie trying to say? That Abigail was familiar with places before her arrival at Court? And could someone please explain the reasoning behind the scene that featured a nude, giggling fat man being pelted by blood oranges by Lord Oxford and his cronies. What was the point of that scene? What exactly was Yorgos Lanthimos trying to say? Also, what was the point behind Samuel Masham's line dance performance (courtesy of actor Joe Alwyn) in the film? What was that about? Or was it another scene for shock value? Honestly, scenes like Sarah in a whorehouse, the pelted naked man and Masham's dance routine are just examples of the absolute, over-the-top nonsense that I had found in this film.
But what really pissed me off about "THE FAVOURITE" were the changes that Lanthimos, Davis and McNamara made in regard to the history between Queen Anne, the Duchess of Marlborough and the Baroness Masham. What was the point in these changes? It seemed as if the director and the screenwriters had striped away a great deal of the historical conflict between the three women in order to convey a tale of a sexual triangle filled with ambition and passion. And nothing else. This struck me as unnecessary and frankly, a little insulting as a woman. It almost seemed as if the movie found it difficult to take the political beliefs and/or abilities of three women seriously, especially Queen Anne. The estrangement between the Queen and Sarah, along with Abigail's ascendancy was pretty interesting in real life. Aside from showing Sarah's political influence within the Court, the movie never really explored the political differences between the Queen and Sarah . . . or the fact that Abigail genuinely shared the former's Tory politics. Or that Queen Anne had not only grown weary of Sarah's bullying nature, but also resentful of the latter's Whig politics. Instead, moviegoers were presented with a tale mainly about sexual power, with very little politics involved.
In fact, there is no real proof that Queen Anne was ever in any sexual relationship with either Sarah or Anne. I dislike the fact that Davis and McNamara's screenplay solely blamed Abigail for the Queen and Sarah's estrangement. In reality, Sarah was the main instigator of her own political downfall. In fact, she was also the main reason behind her own downfall within King George II's Court, some twenty years later. I realize that Davis, McNamara and Lanthimos wanted a "Eve Harrington" figure and they saw Abigail Masham as the perfect figure for this. But if they had wanted a LGTBQ remake of "ALL ABOUT EVE" that badly, why not create original characters for this movie? Why use historical figures who were never proven to be gay in the first place? One more thing, it took me a while, but I finally realized that "THE FAVOURITE" reminded me of another movie. I am speaking of the 1989 comedy about a divorce called "THE WAR OF ROSES". Like "THE FAVOURITE", the 1989 movie started out as a movie filled with sharp humor and devolved into something ugly and lurid. And in the case of "THE FAVOURITE" . . . laced with exploitation.
I hate to say this, but "THE FAVOURITE" proved to be a major disappointment for me. Perhaps this would teach me not to judge a film, based upon a trailer. When I first saw it, I had assumed that the film would be a satirical comedy with strong political overtones. Instead, I found myself watching a film in which the comedy became repetitive and not as funny as I had originally assumed . . . and a movie with the historical background changed drastically for the sake of shock value and sheer exploitation. Director Yorgos Lanthimos, along with screenwriters Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, pretty much ruined this film for me. And not even the excellent performances of Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz or Emma Stone could save it, as far as I am concerned.
Filed under: Art and Fashion, History, Movies | Tagged: emma stone, history, james smith, joe alwyn, mark gatiss, movies, nicholas hoult, olivia colman, politics, rachel weisz, restoration era |	Leave a comment »
Top Favorite Television Productions Set During the 1500s
Below is a list of my favorite television productions (so far) that are set in the 1500s:
1. "Elizabeth R" (1971) – Emmy winner Glenda Jackson starred in this award winning six-part miniseries about the life of Queen Elizabeth I. The miniseries was produced by Rodney Graham.
2. "The Tudors" (2007-2010) – Michael Hirst created this Showtime series about the reign of King Henry VIII. The series starred Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Henry Cavill.
3. "Elizabeth I" (2005) – Emmy winner Helen Mirren starred in this two-part miniseries about the last 24 years of Queen Elizabeth I's life. Directed by Tom Hooper, the miniseries co-starred Jeremy Irons and Hugh Dancy.
4. "Wolf Hall" – Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis and Claire Foy starred in this television adaptation of Hilary Mantel's 2009 novel of the same title and her 2012 novel "Bring Up the Bodies" about the rise of Thomas Cromwell in the court of King Henry VIII. Peter Kominsky directed.
5. "Gunpowder, Treason & Plot" (2004) – Jimmy McGovern wrote this two-part miniseries about Scotland's Queen Mary and her son King James VI, along with the Gunpowder Plot. Directed by Gillies MacKinnon, the miniseries starred Clémence Poésy, Kevin McKidd and Robert Carlyle.
6. "The Borgias" (2011-2013) – Neil Jordan created this series for Showtime about Pope Alexander VI and his family, the Borgias, around the turn of the 16th century. The series starred Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud and Holliday Grainger.
7. "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" (1970) – Keith Michell starred as King Henry VIII in this six-part miniseries about the monarch's relationship with each of his six wives.
8. "The Virgin Queen" (2009) – Paula Milne wrote this four-part miniseries about . . . of course, Queen Elizabeth I. Anne-Marie Duff and Tom Hardy starred.
9. "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2003) – Philippa Lowthorpe directed this adaptation of Philippa Gregory's 2001 novel about Elizabeth I's aunt, Mary Boleyn. Natascha McElhone, Jodhi May, Steven Mackintosh and Jared Harris starred.
Filed under: Book Review, Essay, History, Television | Tagged: ancien régime, annabelle wallis, anton lesser, basil dignam, bernard hepton, bosco hogan, charity wakefield, claire foy, damian lewis, gabrielle anwar, glenda jackson, harry lloyd, henry cavill, history, james frain, jared harris, jeremy northam, joanne whalley, jodhi may, joely richardson, john woodvine, jonathan pryce, jonathan rhys-meyers, literary, mark gatiss, mark rylance, mathieu amalric, natalie dormer, natascha mcelhone, nicholas selby, peter egan, peter o'toole, politics, rachel kempson, religion, robert hardy, robin ellis, rosalie crutchley, sam neill, sarah bolger, simon ward, steven mackintosh, tamzin merchant, television, tom holland, tudors |	Leave a comment »
"THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE" (2004) Review
I have another of my many confessions to make . . . I have never been a big fan of Agatha Christie's 1930 novel, "The Murder at the Vicarage". Never mind that it featured the first appearance of elderly sleuth, Miss Jane Marple, in a feature-length novel. I am just not a big fan.
One could assume that the novel's setting – in the small village of St. Mary Mead – could be the reason why this particular tale has never rocked my boat. Not particularly. I can think of numerous Christie tales set in a small village – including St. Mary Mead – that really impressed me. The problem with "The Murder in the Vicarage" is that I never found it to be a particularly thought provoking tale. Nor did it include any special circumstances that made it unique. And my borderline apathy toward the 1930 novel even extended to the television movie adaptation that aired in 1986. Some eighteen years later, another adaptation of the novel aired on television. This particular version starred Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. And its running time was at least eight minutes shorter.
In "THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE", the citizens of St. Mary Mead are rocked by the murder of Colonel Protheroe, the local churchwarden and magistrate, whose body was found inside the study of the vicar, Reverend Len Clement. The man was disliked by many; including the vicar, the vicarage's curate, Protheroe's second wife Anne, her lover Lawrence Redding, Protheroe's daughter from his first marriage Lettice, the vicar's wife Grieselda Clement, and a mysterious new resident named Mrs. Lester who seemed to have produced a strange reaction from Protheroe. Not long after the vicar discovers the body, Lawrence Redding, who is a painter, confesses to the murder. Although he has been clashing with Colonel Protheroe over his painting of Lettice, it turns out that he has been Anne Protheroe's lover for quite some time. Upon learning about his confession, Anne confesses as well. Miss Marple eventually points out to Inspector Slack that it was impossible for either to commit the murder and suggests that the latter search for the killer among other St. Mary's Mead citizens.
As I had pointed earlier, I am not a big fan of Christie's novel or its 1986 adaptation. But for some reason, I enjoyed this adaptation. For example, it is a bit more colorful than the previous version. I am aware that all of the Miss Marple television adaptations of the 1980s and early 1990s tend to look rather faded. But there are more reasons why I find this 2004 version more colorful. I realize that many tend to demand that a movie or television adaptation is faithful to its source novel. But I thought the changes made by Stephen Churchett made the production somewhat more lively for me. One, Churchett changed two characters (one of them an archeologist) by giving them a World War II connection to Protheroe and a reason to want him dead. And two, Churchett included World War I flashbacks of a brief love affair between Miss Marple and a married Army officer. At first glance, these flashback seemed irrelevant to the main story. In the end, they served as a tool in which Miss Marple managed to ascertain the murderer's identity. But the best thing I can say about "THE MURDER IN THE VICARAGE" is its pacing. This is a well-paced film, thanks to Charlie Palmer's direction. For me, this is an important element for a low-key mystery like "THE MURDER IN THE VICARAGE".
But there are other aspects of the movie that I enjoyed. I was really impressed by Nigel Walters' cinematography. It was sharp, colorful and perfect for the movie's setting. The photography also enhanced Jeff Tessler's production designs, which struck me as a perfect reflection of an English village in 1951. He also had the task of re-creating a London railway station circa 1915-1917. And he did a pretty good job. But I really enjoyed Phoebe De Gaye's costume designs. I found them colorful and very spot-on for each particular character, based upon age, class, personality, etc. By the way, Ms. De Gaye had also served one of the two costume designers for the BBC's "THE MUSKETEERS" and the 2002-2003 miniseries, "THE FORSYTE SAGA".
The performances were first-class. I tried to think of one that seemed somewhat off. But . . . I thought they were all well-done. "THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE" marked Geraldine McEwan's second time at the bat as Miss Jane Marple. I feel this particular performance might be one of her better ones. I found her performance intelligent, sharp and particularly poignant. Other performances that impressed me came from Janet McTeer and Jason Flemyng, the adulterous couple, who found themselves at the center of village gossip and police inquiries following Protheroe's murder. On paper, television viewers should have been outraged at their infidelity. But both McTeer and Flemyng gave such poignant and passionate performances that they managed to allow viewers to care about their fate.
Rachael Stirling gave an exuberant performance as the vicar's outgoing wife, Grisielda Clements. At first glance, it seemed as if Derek Jacobi's portrayal of the victim, Colonel Protheroe, would come off as a one-note blustering idiot. Thankfully, there were moments when Jacobi infused a good deal of humanity into his performance – especially in scenes involving the mysterious Mrs. Lester. Mark Gatiss' portrayal of the vicarage's curate Ronald Hawes, who seemed torn over his past actions involving the embezzling of funds at his previous assignment struck me as rather emotional and a bit sad. I also have to commend Stephen Tompkinson for his complex performance as the irascible Detective Inspector Slack. I enjoyed how he slowly allowed Slack's character to develop an admiration for Miss Marple's detective skills. The television movie also featured solid performances from Tim McInnerny, Herbert Lom, Christina Cole, Jane Asher, Robert Powell, Angela Pleasance, Miriam Margolyes and especially, Julie Cox and Marc Warren, who gave affecting performances as the younger Jane Marple and her World War I lover.
I may not be a fan of Agatha Christie's 1930 novel. But I cannot deny that I rather enjoyed its 2004 television adaptation. Thanks to director Charlie Palmer and screenwriter Stephen Churchett, "THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE" proved to be a colorful, yet emotional tale about love, passion and ghosts from the past. The production was also enhanced by some eye-catching behind-the-scenes artistry and excellent performances from a cast led by the incomparable Geraldine McEwan.
Filed under: Book Review, Television | Tagged: agatha christie, angela pleasence, christina cole, derek jacobi, early 20th century, geraldine mcewan, herbert lom, jane asher, janet mcteer, literary, marc warren, mark gatiss, mid 20th century, miriam margolyes, politics, rachael stirling, religion, robert powell, television, world war 1 |	Leave a comment »
The 19th Century in Television
Posted on November 3, 2016 by ladylavinia1932
Recently, I noticed there have been a good number of television productions in both North America and Great Britain, set during the 19th century. Below is a list of those productions I have seen during this past decade in alphabetical order:
1. "Copper" (BBC America) – Tom Fontana and Will Rokos created this series about an Irish immigrant policeman who patrols Manhattan's Five Points neighborhood during the last year of the U.S. Civil War. Tom Weston-Jones, Kyle Schmid and Ato Essandoh starred in this 2012-2013 series.
2. "The Crimson Petal and the White" (BBC) – Romola Garai starred in this 2011 miniseries, which was an adaptation of Michel Faber's 2002 novel about a Victorian prostitute, who becomes the mistress of a powerful businessman.
3. "Death Comes to Pemberley" (BBC) – Matthew Rhys and Anna Maxwell-Martin starred in this adaptation of P.D. James' 2011 novel, which is a murder mystery and continuation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel, "Pride and Prejudice".
4. "Hell on Wheels" (AMC) – This 2012-2016 series is about a former Confederate Army officer who becomes involved with the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad during the years after the Civil War. Anson Mount, Colm Meaney, Common, and Dominique McElligott starred.
5. "Mercy Street" (PBS) – This series follows two volunteer nurses from opposing sides who work at the Mansion House Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia during the Civil War. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Josh Radnor and Hannah James.
6. "The Paradise" (BBC-PBS) – This 2012-2013 series is an adaptation of Émile Zola's 1883 novel, "Au Bonheur des Dames", about the innovative creation of the department story – only with the story relocated to North East England. The series starred Joanna Vanderham and Peter Wight.
7. "Penny Dreadful" (Showtime/Sky) – Eva Green, Timothy Dalton and Josh Harnett star in this horror-drama series about a group of people who battle the forces of supernatural evil in Victorian England.
8. "Ripper Street" (BBC) – Matthew Macfadyen stars in this crime drama about a team of police officers that patrol London's Whitechapel neighborhood in the aftermath of Jack the Ripper's serial murders.
9. "Underground" (WGN) – Misha Green and Joe Pokaski created this series about runaway slaves who endure a long journey from Georgia to the Northern states in a bid for freedom in the late Antebellum period. Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Aldis Hodge star.
10. "War and Peace" (BBC) – Andrew Davies adapted this six-part miniseries, which is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1865–1867 novel about the impact of the Napoleonic Era during Tsarist Russia. Paul Dano, Lily James and James Norton starred.
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Ranking of "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" Movies
With one more season of "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" left with David Suchet as the famous literary Belgian detective, I thought it would be nice to rank some of the series' feature-length movies that aired between 1989 and 2010. I have divided this ranking into two lists – my top five favorite movies and my five least favorite movies:
Top Five Favorite Movies
1. "Five Little Pigs" (2003) – In this beautifully poignant tale, Hercule Poirot investigates a fourteen year-old murder in which his client's mother was erroneously convicted and hanged for.
2. "After the Funeral" (2006) – When a relative of a deceased man questions the nature of his death at a family funeral, she is violently murdered the following day and the family's solicitor requests Poirot's help. Better than the novel, the movie has a surprising twist.
3. "The A.B.C. Murders" (1992) – In this first-rate adaptation of one of Christie's most original tales, Poirot receives clues and taunting letters from a serial killer who appears to choose his random victims and crime scenes alphabetically.
4. "Murder on the Links" (1996) – While vacationing in Deauville with his friend, Arthur Hastings, Poirot is approached by a businessman, who claims that someone from the past has been sending him threatening letters. One of my favorites.
5. "Sad Cypress" (2003) – Poirot is asked to investigate two murders for which a young woman has been convicted in the emotional and satisfying tale.
Top Five Least Favorite Movies
1. "Taken at the Flood" (2006) – In this rather unpleasant tale, Poirot is recruited by an upper-class family to investigate the young widow of their late and very rich relative, who has left his money solely to her.
2. "The Hollow" (2004) – A favorite with many Christie fans, but not with me, this tale features Poirot's investigation into the murder of a successful doctor at a country house weekend party.
3. "Appointment With Death" (2008) – In this sloppy adaptation of one of Christie's novel, Poirot investigates the death of a wealthy American widow, during his vacation in the Middle East.
4. "Hickory Dickory Dock" (1995) – In a tale featuring an annoying nursery rhyme, Poirot's secretary Miss Lemon persuades Poirot to investigate a series of apparently minor thefts in a university hostel where her sister works, but simple kleptomania soon turns to homicide.
5. "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" (1992) – Poirot and Chief Inspector Japp investigates the alleged suicide of the Belgian detective's dentist. Despite the heavy political overtones, this movie is nearly sunk by a premature revelation of the killer.
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"HALLOWE'EN PARTY" (2010) Review
Many years have passed since I last read Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, "Hallowe'en Party". Although it is not considered one of Christie's better novels, the story possessed a style that struck me as rich and atmospheric. I never forgot it. So, when I learned about ITV's 2010 adaptation of the novel, I could not wait to see it.
Directed by Charles Palmer and adapted by actor Mark Gatiss (who appeared in 2008's "APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH"), "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" begins with mystery author Adrianne Oliver visiting a friend named Judith Butler in the small village of Woodleigh Common. Because Mrs. Butler has a young daughter named Melinda, the two women accompany her to a children's Halloween party being held at the home of a widow named Rowena Drake. A young girl named Joyce Reynolds announce that she had once witnessed a murder. Everyone assumes she is lying. A few hours later, Joyce is found drowned in a tub filled with water and bobbing apples. Determined to learn the identity of Joyce's murder, Mrs. Oliver summons another friend, Belgian-born detective to Woodleigh Commons to solve the murder. During his investigation of Joyce's murder, Poirot uncovers a series of murders, mysterious deaths and disappearances that the thirteen year-old girl may have witnessed.
I might as well be perfectly frank. I do not consider "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" to be one of the better written Christie adaptations I have seen. Ironically, the fault does not lay with screenwriter Mark Gatiss. I believe he did the best he could with the material given to him. But I believe that Christie's 1969 novel was not one of her better works. I will be even franker. "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" nearly worked as a mystery. But looking back on it, I realized that it was one of those mysteries that I found easy to solve. Poirot's investigation into past murders, suspicious deaths and disappearances at Woodleigh Common made the story somewhat easy to solve. Even worse, the murderer was nearly revealed some ten minutes before Poirot revealed his solution to the case. Like 2008's "APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH" and 2010's"MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS", "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" also touched on the subject of religion. Thankfully, Gatiss managed to keep the subject of religion on a subtle level – including the topic of paganism.
"Hallowe'en Party" was published in 1969 and heavily reflected the late 1960s. I cannot deny that this television adaptation looked very handsome, thanks to Jeff Tessler's production designs, Cinders Forshaw's photography and Sheena Napier's costume designs. All three did an exceptional job of transporting viewers to a small English village in the late 1930s and capturing the mysterious atmosphere of Halloween. I only have two complaints about this. Despite the first-rate 1930s setting, I wish that the movie had been given the novel's original late 1960s setting. I believe this story was more suited for this particular setting. Also, I wish that both Palmer and Gatiss had not included sounds of children chanting "Snap, Snap, Snap", whenever a lone character seemed to be in a threatening situation. These chants brought back annoying memories of a handful of old "POIROT" movies from the 1990s that featured titles from nursery rhymes.
The saving grace of "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" proved to be the cast. David Suchet was in top form as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. I found his portrayal subtle, humorous and intelligent. Frankly, I consider his performance to be one of his better efforts in the past three or four years. Many "POIROT" fans have bemoaned the lack of Hugh Fraser as Arthur Hastings during the past decade. As much as I had enjoyed Fraser's portrayal, I did not miss him that much, thanks to Zoë Wanamaker's portrayal of Adrianne Oliver, a mystery author who became one of Poirot's closest friends. I have already seen Wanamaker's previous takes on the Adrianne Oliver character in other "POIROT" episodes. She was marvelous in those episodes and I can say the same about her performance in this one. Also, she and Suchet made a surprisingly effective and humorous screen team.
The supporting cast featured interesting performances from acting veterans. There was Timothy West, whose portrayal of Woodleigh Commons' vicar, struck me as wonderfully subtle and complex. Eric Sykes, whom I remembered from the"DARING YOUNG MEN" movies of the 1960s, was in fine form as the elderly solicitor Mr. Fullerton. Fenella Woolgar made a poignant Elizabeth Whittaker, a local schoolteacher who continued to mourn the death of a potential lover. Sophie Thompson gave an interesting, yet slightly melodramatic performance as the religious mother of the dead Joyce, Mrs. Reynolds. I must say that I was surprised that Julian Rhind-Tutt managed to keep it together and prevent his portrayal of landscape gardener, Michael Garfield, from becoming hammy. Mind you, Rhind-Tutt has been more than capable of giving a subtle performance in other productions. But Michael Garfield is somewhat of a showy character. The movie also benefitted from solid performances from the likes of Amelia Bullmore, Phyllida Law, Mary Higgins, Ian Hallard and Georgia King. However, I believe that Deborah Findlay gave the best performance in the movie, aside from Suchet and Wanamaker. She was subtle, yet superb as the ladylike, yet pushy widow Rowena Drake, whose home served as the setting for the opening murder.
I would not consider "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" to be one of the better Christie stories. As I had stated earlier, I believe its main flaws originated from the author's 1969 novel. However, both director Charles Palmer and screenwriter Mark Gatiss did the best they could. Their efforts were not able to overcome Christie's narrative flaws. But I believe they still managed to provide television audiences with an entertaining and atmospheric story, with the help of a first-rate cast led by David Suchet.
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