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The Pale Horse

go_leafs_nation 02 Nov 08 at 12:52 p.m. GMT

I've just reread another one of my favourite AC books, "The Pale Horse". I must say, this was perhaps one of Agatha's best. As in "The Sittaford Mystery" her risky experiments with supernatural elements are successful. The story had a very dark, menacing atmosphere to it.

The assembly of characters is an assortment of some of my favourites: Mrs. Oliver, the Calthorps, as well as two characters (don't want to spoil anything) from "Cards on the Table". It cleverly establishes that Poirot and Marple are in the same "world" without having them meet.

The plot was certainly interesting. Down to the last minute I was fooled. Of course, now I know how to ideally kill someone.  (Hopefully the coroner never read this book.)

The film adaptation, was sadly, very unfaithful, deleting some of the characters I found essential to the story. Yet, it was quite entertaining, and very effectively conveyed the supernatural tone of the book.

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32 replies

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hobbit 02 Nov 08 at 9:11 p.m. GMT

This is one of the few AC books I have never read, yet really should as (according to this website) it is only one to feature Mrs Oliver as the 'sleuth' as opposed to just the 'side-kick'. Who played her in the film adaptation? I have to say that I think Zoe Wannamaker is simply perfect in the role, don't you agree?

go_leafs_nation 02 Nov 08 at 10:15 p.m. GMT

She was excluded from the film adaptation.

Yes, I think Zoe Wanamaker is perfect in the role. Her most recent appearances have been much more comic than the one in "Cards on the Table" (although that one had plenty of humour as well). When she said the "Welsh nanny" line to Rhoda and Anne Meredith, I felt like applauding-- she prtrayed Mrs. Oliver perfectly. That's all there is to it.

Tommy_A_Jones 27 Jan 09 at 3:05 p.m. GMT

I am looking forward to reading this book as well, Stephanie Cole plays Ariadne Oliver in the Radio version like she did in 'Cards On The Table' where Donald Sinden plays Race Briliantly although when I read 'The Man in The Brown Suit' I imagined Race to look more like an actor called Peter Egan

major_pallgrave 05 Feb 09 at midnight GMT

The Pale Horse is particularily outstanding among her later works. Actually most of the 1960's stuff is better than i had originally given it credit for. I was comparing it to her masterpieces of bygone years which is setting an impossibly high standard i guess. Passenger To Frankfurt and Postern of Fate are best left aside imo though shewas advancing in years and they were very meandering plots. Third Girl from 1966 was terminally dull with a sort of flourish at the end

ace_of_spades 01 Mar 09 at 1:55 a.m. GMT

I found The Pale Horse to be rather different than the usual Christie books and though I liked it, it was somewhat frightening too.

I remember reading somewhere that a man had solved real-life poisonings because he had previously read AC's The Pale Horse!

GKCfan 01 Mar 09 at 5:54 a.m. GMT

There are at least three real-life cases where poisonings have been solved because someone read The Pale Horse.  The most famous is the "Bovington Bug" case, where a man poisoned lots of his co-workers.  Someone who read The Pale Horse recognized the symptoms, and the killer was caught.  It turned out that the killer poisoned most of his family years earlier.   

I believe (I'm not sure) the other cases are from the Middle East and Eastern Europe.  A baby accidentally swallowed poison, and a Christie fan figured out the cause, and another fan caught a case where a man was being slowly poisoned by his wife.

ace_of_spades 03 Mar 09 at 3:10 a.m. GMT

GKCfan

  The most famous is the "Bovington Bug" case, where a man poisoned lots of his co-workers.  Someone who read The Pale Horse recognized the symptoms, and the killer was caught.  It turned out that the killer poisoned most of his family years earlier.   

That's the one I read about. Talk about creepy! It's pretty amazing how crimes have been recognized/solved because of Christie's books.

lava 10 Mar 09 at 3:11 a.m. GMT

the pale horse was excellenti really loved it.

doctorlaura17 22 Feb 10 at 1:02 p.m. GMT

THE PALE HORSE 1997 film was on TV yesterday they used a lot of"poetic license" with the story.If anyone else watched it can they explain to how Mark Easterbrook sustained a huge bash on the head which knocked him out just around the corner from  his flat in a built up area  and manages to stagger miles out into the countryside to turn up at "our villians" house? Or have I missed sometning in the locations? 

MissQuin 23 Feb 10 at 3:31 p.m. GMT

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Ive recorded The Pale Horse but I havnt watched it yet. There isnt any faithful adapts of it and seems the Marple version wont be either.

The character of Mr Osborne.. he seemed to be a normal Mr Satterwaite type, observing human nature. He turns into something very different. I imagine if JJ Feild plays, him his motive will be changed.. they could keep the money angle. But I can't imagine JJ playing him as how he is the book. For a start he's much younger. Plus he's so handsome he couldn't possibly have the desperate need to draw attention to himself like Mr O did in the book? Unless the make JJ up to be an very plain type.

Puffinjill 20 Apr 10 at 6:56 a.m. GMT

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This sounds like a ridiculous bit of casting to me. I just can't see why the powers that be have decided to cast a much younger man in this role, apart from the obvious reason that he is very attractive and this may encourage a larger female audience to watch. And if that is the case, they will probably alter the characters personality aswell and (if he is still allowed to be responsible for the same things as he was in the book) his motives will have changed too.

I'm not doubting for a moment that Mr Feild is a good actor and can make a good job of any role he has been given, but I am questioning why an actor so completely different from AC's vision of Mr Osborne is considered to be a good idea. The Pale Horse is one of my very favourite Christies and I am horrified that, yet again, the original work seems to count for nothing and making a sensational and pleasing-to-look-at adaptation seems to mean more.

go_leafs_nation 20 Apr 10 at 11:13 a.m. GMT

I most heartily agree- JJ Feild quite simply does not belong in the role he was given. This is one of my very favourite ACs, precisely for its miracle problem and use of the occult and supernatural, as well as its wonderful fair play and a grand solution. Remove all signs of Agatha's ingenuity, and what are you left with?

But I am amused how, in the preview, it says Miss Marple attends the ritual burning to commemorate the burning of a witch. Does she join in with her favourite chants, too?

Lone_Wolf 20 Apr 10 at 2:38 p.m. GMT

At that point, they simply need to change the title and the names of characters. It will be much more honest and it would encourage to judge their adaptions on their own (rather dubious) merits.

MissQuin 20 Apr 10 at 3:44 p.m. GMT

What about the reverse ageing? Bundle, in her late teens or 20's is now a middle aged woman. I think characters of around the same age are best.

Maybe JJ Feild will be aged up for his role? or made to look unattractive (hard work).

I'm losing faith in adapts. I used to look forward to them, but now their such fodder for good moaning material.

Puffinjill 21 Apr 10 at 6:48 p.m. GMT

What's the point of casting a young and attractive actor if they then age him for the role or make him look less attractive? I don't think they will consider doing either of these things for a moment, MissQuin. There are plenty of extremely fine actors of the right age who would make a wonderful Mr Osborne but ITV thinks it knows best (even better than AC herself) and will probably play on the very obvious good looks of Mr Feild, rather than play them down.

As for losing faith in the adaptations, I lost mine years ago, MissQuin, so you are definately not alone. I still try as hard as I can to enjoy the Poirot adaptations as I loved the eariler ones so much but find it difficult to forgive the liberties recently taken. However, ITV's Miss Marple adaptations, regardless of who plays the lady herself, have been more than a step too far for this Christie fan.

MissQuin 21 Apr 10 at 7:03 p.m. GMT

I know, there doesn't seem much point in getting a young man playing an old one. I'm trying to find a reason...Unless they did a flash back sequence. I'm clutching at straws, just wondering why they didn't get a small, indescript older person to play Osborne. Maybe they read the comments on here about JJ and thought "wow, let's bring him back, he's so popular?"

If they read this board to check whose popular, Jonathan Firth will be brought in again!

Lone_Wolf 22 Apr 10 at 3:45 a.m. GMT

Why all the puzzlement? They're just rewriting the whole thingy, as usual.

Puffinjill 22 Apr 10 at 6:03 a.m. GMT

Yes, Lone wolf, I know they will! If they are going to change the characters, the motives and, probably, the whole plot, why not go the whole hog and rename it something completely different and not link it to an AC work at all? If they think their ideas are so much better, then surely they should have the confidence to write their own COMPLETELY original stuff and not use AC's name to give them a ready-made audience. I doubt it's going to bear much resemblence to the book I know and love!

MissQuin 22 Apr 10 at 3:03 p.m. GMT

I was watching a programme called The Forsyte Saga with Rupert Graves in. He was made to look years older and all blotchy. So aging up a younger actor to play an older character is as silly as it seems.

I'm pretty sure they'll mess up The Pale Horse and I can't forgive them for what they did to Murder is Easy.

Puffinjill 22 Apr 10 at 9:16 p.m. GMT

You and I both, MissQuin!!!!