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The Secret of Chimneys

ampman 28 Dec 10 at 10:06 a.m. GMT

Last night I saw the latest "Marple" offering from ITV and although I have not read the book I knew that Miss Marple was not in it but Hey Ho I thought I would give it a try. Well it wasn't too awful but when I decided to look up a summary of the original plot I was shocked and horrified that a story could be changed so drastically. It is as if they sat down and thought how they could completely alter everything in the book.Do ITV just cash in on the Christie brand knowing that it will attract viewers and they can flog it to America?

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MissQuin 28 Jan 11 at 2:58 p.m. GMT

I only have Blue to watch now out of all the adapts shown at Xmas.

GKCfan 04 Jan 11 at 9:06 p.m. GMT

They are.  Blue and Mirror are much better.

MissQuin 04 Jan 11 at 8:05 p.m. GMT

Did you hear the sounds of breaking glass?! Well I did watch Chimneys. Or part of Chimneys. I coludn't stomach it ot the end. It was painful. I tried to imagine it wasn't the book, it was something different. Yet the following things got on my nerves. Ten Things I Hated About Chimneys

1. The music, so cheesey at times it hurt.
2. At times some of the acting was bad.
3. I worked out who had an affair in the first few minutes.
4. The fact it had no substance.
5. The fact Bundle was a crashing bore instead of a livewire.
6. There was a sickening sentimental piece in the middle which had me rolling my eyes.
7. The fact the bits that were meant to be funny were Unfunny.
8. The fact the serious bits were laughable.
9. There wasn't any delectable men in it, or at least not for me ;)
10. The whole thing was rubbish

I fast forwarded it to the finale. Which was a squib- so so dull and lifeless.

Anyway I have Blue G and Mirror Crack'd to watch, so maybe those are better. I hope so!

MissQuin 04 Jan 11 at 5:32 p.m. GMT

I wholeheartedly agree with LovesM. I do prefer the adapts when they have stuck to the style, tone and plot of the book. Changing the murderers changes the entire aspect of the story. Agatha Chrisite is the Queen Of Crime and her stories have stood the test of time. Producers who change the plot think that they can come up with a better plot than her? Well they can't.

Still not watched the xmas Marple. I plan to tonight. If there's smashing noises then it's just me, getting cross and hurling objects across the room  I'll try and let it wash over me. I may have to do relaxation exercises before I watch it (I'm kidding...sort of) ;)

LovesMysteries 04 Jan 11 at 5:14 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

I don't think ITV should put Miss Marple in books she shouldn't be in either but I still think that if they must do that they SHOULD change the plot and Killer as then people can read it without it being spoilt for them, If they MUST put her in Non-series books not changing the plot and Killer is unfair and in the end silly because why should people read the book if they already no the outcome? But there again I would and have.

But for the most part A.C.'s adaptations were relatively faithful to the books in the past so I don't see why things need to change. I think it's up to the producers and scriptwriters once they taken the task of filming an Agatha Christie film to respect the material and it shouldn't be up to them to wonder whether the viewer will go and read the book because many times they won't--all they are going to see are the films. Some will see the films and read the books. But it's not what they should be worrying about. It's not up to them to decide this issue. I wish they would put their priorities in the right place.

Tommy_A_Jones 04 Jan 11 at 3:27 p.m. GMT

I don't think ITV should put Miss Marple in books she shouldn't be in either but I still think that if they must do that they SHOULD change the plot and Killer as then people can read it without it being spoilt for them, If they MUST put her in Non-series books not changing the plot and Killer is unfair and in the end silly because why should people read the book if they already no the outcome? But there again I would and have.

Number3 04 Jan 11 at 2:55 p.m. GMT

I didn't enjoy this one either.  When I saw it in the summer I was disgusted and changed the channel. 

LovesMysteries 03 Jan 11 at 11:23 p.m. GMT

SpearmintHippo

The tv adaptation was completly unrecognisable from the book! - apart from the story of the missing diamond!  If they must put MM into stories she doesn't belong to, can't they at least keep the plot as original as possible?

I don't think they should put Miss Marple into any stories that Agatha Christie never intended for her to be in. I remember reading that Christie thought about putting Miss Marple into the book Death On The Nile but decided agtainst it and placed Poirot in there instead. When A.C. wrote The Hollow she originally put Poirot in the book and when she adapted the film onto the stage she decided to take Poirot out. I think only she has that right to decide if she wanted Miss Marple or Poirot to come into a story or not whether it be a novel or a play. When she writes her material she knows what's best and know's better than anyone else. When she wrote a play adaptation from one of her books, yes, some things were omitted--some subplots, characters and clues because she understood that watching a play is a different medium than reading a book and that if she included everything into her plays from the books it would complicate things and the audience would be so confused. I know Agatha must have understood that when a story is adapted on TV, some things are going to be cut but to shoehorn Miss Marple in and not just that but totally deviate from the book is something that she would not accept or appreciate. And even though A.C. is dead I think they should still respect her material and read the quotes and her autobiography that states her opinions and what she thought about adapting a book into whether it be a play or a film. It's not like she didn't offer any word or thought on this matter. It's all there! I wish these producers and scriptwriters would understand that.

SpearmintHippo 03 Jan 11 at 10:41 p.m. GMT

The tv adaptation was completly unrecognisable from the book! - apart from the story of the missing diamond!  If they must put MM into stories she doesn't belong to, can't they at least keep the plot as original as possible?

Tommy_A_Jones 02 Jan 11 at 4 p.m. GMT

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I watched it last night and after beiong startled at the Changes which included changing one Character's sex I thought it weasn't as bad as some athat have been done at least by changing the Murderer and quite alot more anybody can read the book and not have it ruined as they are 2 completely differeent stories, I loved the Musical Clue and the changews of meanings of words, I always like things like that, I liked Virginia and the way Bundle wasn't as high-profile as Verity worked well in the end, I don't mean to encourage ITV to change the story completely but IMHO Better to change the story and have a different Murderer than keep the story but make silly alterations (Like in Nemesis, Sleeping Murder and Body in The Library -although one Murderer was changed) as I think it is kinder to the viewer. I hope this makes sense.

GKCfan 29 Dec 10 at 9:31 p.m. GMT

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I didn't much care for this adaptation either.  I think that in Chimneys, like with Bertram's Hotel, they were making a bit of a political/social statement with the changes they made, such as by saying that the mansion would be better off sold, and making the killer who they did.  I think the political message Anthony Cade has at the end of the original book chafed some people, and now the story tells the tale of the "bad old days" of a corrupt and oppressive aristocracy.

Tommy_A_Jones 29 Dec 10 at 4:55 p.m. GMT

I recorded The Secret of Chimneys I look forward to seeing if I like it, I like Dervla \Kirwen but I think she shouldn't be Bundle so I don't think I will like it too much but I might be wrong as I like Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple and I should think Edward Fox made a passable Lord Caterham.

ampman 29 Dec 10 at 4:28 p.m. GMT

Well Carolyn1959, we seem to be the only ones to be outraged. This leaves ITV free to mangle any Christie book they fancy and I live for the day when Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot turns out to be the murderer.

Carolyn1959 28 Dec 10 at 4:19 p.m. GMT

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I know you do expect some variation on ANY book to film project but Chimneys was so way off.

I'm afraid I get quite angry when TV deviates from the original Christie books, but especially when the murderer was not the murderer!

Lone_Wolf 28 Dec 10 at 11:51 a.m. GMT

Yes, it seems.