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3rd Girl

Jilly 28 Sep 08 at 2:03 p.m. GMT

Dont forget 3rd Girls is on tonight on ITV1

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MissQuin 15 Apr 10 at 1:41 p.m. GMT

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Somethings been bugging me about Third Girl Poirot adapt.

Spoilers-

If the nanny's death was meant to look like Norma had killed her, why disguise it as suicide? Why slash her wrists? Wouldn't it be better to have stabbed her, so it looked like Norma had killed her?

MissQuin 24 Mar 10 at 4:24 p.m. GMT

I watched the Affair at Victory Ball last night. It was Nathaniel Parker as Chris dressed as Pierrot. What an excelent adapt.

Tommy_A_Jones 13 Mar 10 at 4:16 p.m. GMT

A Great Book with Great Chasracters

MissQuin 12 Mar 10 at 5:27 p.m. GMT

I was luke warm on Anthony Cade, plus I hated Virginia! I liked Bundle and Battle though.

stylestocurtain 12 Mar 10 at 5:23 p.m. GMT

Ah yes I've a romantic soul at heart! I did start reading The Secret of Chimneys but disliked the character Anthony Cade so much I didn't get past the first chapter! I might pop down to the library this evening at give Mr Quin a try!

MissQuin 12 Mar 10 at 4:54 p.m. GMT

Yes, that motion used to be called "a come hither look", were learning stuff when watching AC arent we?

The best story to start with Mr Quin is The Coming of Mr Quin, the first one where Mr Satterwaite meets him for the first time. Mr Q is a love of hate book, but if you have a romantic soul like me, then it's love.

stylestocurtain 12 Mar 10 at 4:32 p.m. GMT

I *love love love* Victory Ball - it made me want to actually be there! (apart from the murder of course!) hehe I loved that bit too, where Poirot stands up and quickly nominates poor Hastings, who doesn't get so much as a look-in anyway! I love the little action she does to Lord Cronshaw inviting him to dance! The story was good but I found it really hard to imagine all the costumes, it was crystallised so much more in the adaptation.

I haven't got round to Harley Quin yet, MissQuin, (I haven't read outside of Marple and Poirot yet :-s) but it's a work in progress  would u reccommend a particular story to start with?

MissQuin 12 Mar 10 at 3:33 p.m. GMT

The Victory Ball is an Art Deco dream with all those costumes. The ball would have been great fun if it wasnt for that murder! I liked the American widow asking Poirot to dance.  I liked the AC story, but visually on screen it's better as we see the rainbow motley of Harlequin outfits. I quite liked that actor who was Pierrot.

Have you read the Harley Quin stories Styles? I love the descriptions. Mr Quin is such a puzzling, enigmatic, romantic figure. With his sad melanchony, but handsome face, his odd way of appearing seemily out of nowhere. I was given the book and I would never had read it otherwise. It would be great if it was made into an adaptation.

stylestocurtain 11 Mar 10 at 8:53 p.m. GMT

I love the Art Deco lifts too - I really love the Third Floor Flat episode where we get to see more of Whitehaven Mansions and its hallways! My old piano teacher lived in a very Whitehaven Mansions-esque building and it felt just like stepping into Poirot's home!

I'm not so sure I could go the whole hog with Poirot - arranging everything in order of size for instance would be weird! And I'd have to have a good comfy armchair to laze around in, Poirot seems to sit very stiffly!

I love the Art Deco glamour of the (earlier at least) Poirots ... I think they deserve a lot more credit for that alone than they get. I loved Freddie's and Lady Horbury's costumes from Death in the Clouds/Peril @ End House, sooo glamorous!

I thought Victory Ball was a great adaptation too with all those lovely party costumes - that for me was a million times better than the short story because I couldn't picture it well with just the text.

I think they cheated by using the same flat in a couple of episodes ... Carlotta Adams's flat in Lord Edgware Dies I'm sure was used in another episode, and had the same curtains as the one in One Two Buckle My Shoe ...

Ok am seriously going to start saving up for a flat in Florin Court now LOL!

MissQuin 11 Mar 10 at 3:41 p.m. GMT

The way the person had their flat, you wouldnt really know it was used in Poirot. I like the glass doors in the episodes and I love the Art Deco lifts.

I think a Poirot inspired flat wouldnt be odd. If it was obsessively plastered wall to wall with photos from the show, well I'd be worried!

stylestocurtain 11 Mar 10 at 1:02 p.m. GMT

Oh no really?? Were the hallways and everything the same? I would love to live there, and have the same flat as Poirots! Lol is it a little obsessive to say I would consider even having it done up like Poirot's? :-s maybe I'd go for a more modern look!!

Lol I love it when Hastings says he'd be "only too delighted!" to help with the weeding in Styles! He's always so affected by things isn't he ... "good gosh!"

MissQuin 10 Mar 10 at 4:38 p.m. GMT

Hasting is the perfect gentleman, if only I could meet one of them!

I only had eyes for JF in Hickory.

If I lived in those Poirot flats, I'd get a liitle wary with people coming around with cameras, taking pics. I should be more hospitable, but I'm really a very private person. I saw a progamme with the people who lived in one of them, it wasnt Art Deco inside. But of course it's their place though and they should have it how they like it.

stylestocurtain 10 Mar 10 at 4:27 p.m. GMT

hehe yeah I know, he's always like "I say, what an absolutely lovely girl!" I love how he's forever the chivalrous English gentleman, in the Veiled Lady when he shouts out "The swine!!!" when Lady Milicent (?) tells of her being blackmailed!! Forever the man of action as well lol. And how he always thinks the best of people!

Lucky you having been to Peril @ End House's station!! It's in Salcombe isn't it? I love Devon, it's so very Christie!! I went to Torquay some years ago, it was ace :D

Lol they do often cast a good fittie in Poirot ... Damien Lewis was pretty buff too in Hickory Dickory Dock. But Jonathan F certainly wins the trophy for fittest fittie lol!!

Love "Death in the Clouds". Lady H is a legend. Oh and Jane Grey, I love how she was played!!

I would love to work on the sets of one of those movies just to see what went on behind the scenes. Did u know there are flats at Florin Court (Whitehaven Mansions) actually for sale!! How cool would it be to live there! :D

MissQuin 10 Mar 10 at 2:58 p.m. GMT

I find it amusing the fact Hastings cant fully concentrate on a case, if theres an attractive woman around. I'd be the same, only with handsome men. I wouldnt be able to solve a case with Jonathan F around, he makes my mind wander..... in fact what was I saying again?!

Poirot really doesnt like English food and vice versa. Japp comments a meal was "a bit Frenchiefied" Back then people would mainly have had English food in England, so Poirot's meals would have been pretty exotic. Poirot doesnt drink tea either.

Some of Peril at End has was filmed at Kingsware Station. Ive actually been there.

Death in the Clouds is very good. Lady Horbury is very unpleasant.

stylestocurtain 09 Mar 10 at 6:08 p.m. GMT

haha no no Mr Firth is hotttt property!! (I can't believe he hasn't got as much attention as his brother Colin!)

I love Peril At End House too!!! I'm that sad I tried to search google earth on Salcombe in Devon to see where the house was ... I think the ambience was amazing, her house was pretty neat too lol. I always remember Miss Lemon catching forty winks on the hard wooden bench outside Nick's hospital room with her handbag for a pillow! It's about the only time we see her relaxed!

I love in Death in the Clouds when Lady Horbury says in a loud voice "I do think Frenchmen are so RUDE, don't you Venetia?" in the hotel lobby!!!

Oh and when Japp tries to serve Poirot English food!! And he fakes the allergy!! And then offers him a "nice bit of mousetrap" LOL!!!

MissQuin 09 Mar 10 at 3:24 p.m. GMT

mmmmm I thought I was the only one to find Jonathan Firth so dishy.

I LOVE Peril at End house and I enjoyed it much more than the book. I think Freddie and Nick personalities were switched. Freddie seemed like the nasty one, Nick the sweet one. When Poirot dared to go through her drawers Hasting's told him off. Poirot carried on anyway!

stylestocurtain 09 Mar 10 at 3:18 p.m. GMT

hehe yeah Jonathan Firth was very easy on the eye in that one!! (lol when he was coming out of the shower with his hair all wet, I think that mustve been the inspiration for his brother's Darcy lake scene!)

Rofl that bit is hilarious with the beauty contest!! Which one is the one with Miss Lemon angrily complaining about the typewriter and then Poirot gets her a present and it's a clock!!

My favourite is Peril at End House: "I cannot eat these eggs. They are of two totally different sizes"!!

MissQuin 09 Mar 10 at 2:38 p.m. GMT

I liked Hickory Dickory Dock, although mainly as I liked Jonathan Firth. His hair looked lovely...

I liked the opening of the Lost Mine. Hastings and Poirot are playing monopoly. Hastings say's to Poirot "youve just won first place in a beauty contest!"

stylestocurtain 09 Mar 10 at 2:03 p.m. GMT

Lol yeah I love the his ego too - I love the one with the uncashed cheque where Poirot insists he has cashed it and the bank are saying he's overdrawn!!

Hmm I can't remember that particular bit of Double Clue, it's an excuse though to watch it again

I loved Hickory Dickory Dock when we met Miss Lemon's sister!! What a shame in the later episodes they've bulldozed her little office with all its meticulous filing cabinets

MissQuin 09 Mar 10 at 1:13 p.m. GMT

I like the way they deal with Poirot being really egotisical. Poirot had his waxwork on display and was being very bigheaded. So Hastings and Japp pretended to think the waxwork was of Charlie Chaplin!

Miss Lemon wasnt too happy when Poirot had a lady friend the Countess, was she? The double clue episode.

stylestocurtain 09 Mar 10 at 1:07 p.m. GMT

MissQuin

The older Poirot's make me feel warm inside and Japp, Miss Lemon and Hastings are like old friends to me.

Me too!! Hehe especially Miss Lemon - I love the episode (can't remember which) where Hastings has messed up her filing and she goes mad!! Or when in Lord Edgware Dies and Hastings goes to give her a friendly hug at the airport and she smiles embarrassed and not-so-subtly shrugs it off!

Ah, they make a great team those four.

MissQuin 09 Mar 10 at 12:36 p.m. GMT

I found the recent Third Girl had too much blood. There were repeated scenes of slashed wrists...  It would be releveant if it ws in the book, but it wasnt.

The older Poirot's make me feel warm inside and Japp, Miss Lemon and Hastings are like old friends to me.

Three act tradegy felt as though the darkness had been lifted for me. It was more upbeat. It had some lovely sunny shots, set in Cornwall.

stylestocurtain 09 Mar 10 at 11:54 a.m. GMT

go_leafs_nation

Besides, I like the darker Poirot: gone are the at times ridiculous appearances of Japp, Hastings, and Lemon. (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, anyone?) The films are now more faithful in tone to the books then before, but I'd love to do away with excessive plot alterations

Japp Hastings and Lemon weren't ridiculous - they were what made the earlier Poirots so popular. The ratings for these new "better" ones have seriously plummeted, I've heard. Probably because they fiddle around too much with plotlines and whatnot.

Besides, Poirot has always been dark - especially for all the early feature length episodes, Murder on the Links, One Two Buckle My Shoe ... and they are two of the most popular ever made. I doubt any of these new ones will be watched and rewatched as the older ones are ...

MissQuin 02 Mar 10 at 8:01 p.m. GMT

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Ive just watched 3rd Girl and I'm slightly dispointed. I'm one of the few fans of the book! I didn't think much of the repeated scenes with blood. I was upset in the book that David Baker was stabbed, which is odd, as he was bad. But in this adaptation he as nicer but wasnt killed.

The drugs storyline could have worked. I know it must have been difficult for the makers to transfer it from 1960's.

 I thought the "gathering the suspects in a room" scene went on rather too long.. I'm not sure that the actress who played Frances was good, it was hard to tell under the piles of make-up and botoxed looking lips. She seemed pretty unconvincing.

I felt it was so strange for Poirot cry at the end. Yes, David Suchet was excellent. Somehow as much as I like Poirot he often seems inhuman, like a giant brain. It's only in Curtain do we really see a more human side.

Good points: I like Mrs Oliver and Poirot together. The scene where Mrs O comes round and rambles about Peacocks is so like her.

Tommy_A_Jones 08 Apr 09 at 2:48 p.m. GMT

I thought Miss Lemon was in Much more than that and even if she wasn't the chap who played George was in Adaptations far less than that and he obviously think it a waste of time, Not having Miss Lemon is the only thing that spooilt the Adaptation for me.

go_leafs_nation 07 Apr 09 at 7:41 p.m. GMT

Sorry to put the spanner in the works here, but I disagree. I think Third Girl was done very well for TV. Like you said, it's a different media outlet, but too much of Third Girl was character development. Stuff like that can't really make it into the movie. It's also one of the less-loved Christies, so they probably felt safer drastically altering it.

As for Miss Lemon not appearing, it really doesn't matter too much. She was only there for 4 pages or so in the book: I don't think it was worth Pauline Moran's time to return for a few minutes. Besides, I like the darker Poirot: gone are the at times ridiculous appearances of Japp, Hastings, and Lemon. (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, anyone?) The films are now more faithful in tone to the books then before, but I'd love to do away with excessive plot alterations.

Tommy_A_Jones 07 Apr 09 at 11:40 a.m. GMT

aranae draco you obviously haven't seen the DS version of 'Cards On The Table' which is MUCH MUCH worse than 3rd Girl, I agree the parts you mentioned were lacking as well as Miss Lemon which I particularly thougfht was a shame, but she has appeared many times unlike Battle who was ommitted from 'Cards On The Table'. As a Tony Hancock fan I particularly appreciated the but where the Hall Porter tells Mrs Oliver he liked her book 'Lady Don't Fall Backwards as that is a reference to a Radio Episode of Hancock's Half Hour called 'The Missuing Page', there are some Poirot adaptations which would put me off reading the book if it weren't for the fact I am an Agatha Christie fan and I had read the book already but this adaptation is not one of them, by the way even though this book wouldn't be in my top 10 I do like it.

aranea_draco 07 Apr 09 at 2:47 a.m. GMT

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I just watched this last night and I must say out of all the adaptations DS has done I have seen this is by far the worst.  This is NOT Third Girl nor is it Agatha Christie who even for her years moved with the times at least.  This adaptation was set in the wrong period and too many character alterations and storyline changes in fact rather than make the story in line with the book I think the writers have succeeded in making the plot more convulated than it was. 

Where is the second murder? Where are all the red herrings? Romance between the secretary and the grandfather? Romance between the father and the 1st girl?Sibling rivalry?

Whilst I appreciate books and TV are different mediums, I felt the changes were completly unnecessary. Whilst its not one of AC best I happen to love this book.

S_Sigerson 17 Nov 08 at 8:44 p.m. GMT

True, it is fun to be able to visit a place you have seen in a film or to see a place in a film that you've visited before. Suddendly you look twice and say " oh I have been there".

Marc_Anton 17 Nov 08 at 7:46 p.m. GMT

And there is a very lovely terrace with a view on the Thames where you can have coffee and tea and have something to eat and enjoy the view. You have to enter from Fleet Street past the Hermitage Rooms, cross the huge inner square through another door and you enter the terrace. I spent many hours there reading and sunning, high over the traffic of the Embankment.

Anyway, that is also the fun of these TV-versions, they bring back memories and invite to go back to London and explore certain locations.

S_Sigerson 17 Nov 08 at 7:30 p.m. GMT

Yes, it is a beautiful area and the gardens of the Inner and Middle Inns are lovely in the Spring & Summer. Afterwards you can walk down to the Victoria Embankment and walk along the Thames to Cleopatra's Needle and the Embankment Gardens.

Marc_Anton 17 Nov 08 at 7:05 p.m. GMT

The next time I'm in London I will certainly going to explore the area again. Not a real punishment I can tell you, since near by is that lovely and highly excentric Soane's Museum at Lincoln Square.

S_Sigerson 17 Nov 08 at 6:17 p.m. GMT

No, the gate I am talking about is in the Inner Temple off Fleet Street right above the Victoria Embankment. When you enter from Fleet Street you walk down Inner Temple Lane and you will come to the gate. You pass through the gate and the entrance to the Temple church is to the left. It's possible the gate is the one in Lincoln's Inn, but the more I think about it the more I believe it is the one in Inner Temple. You are right it does look like the scene was shot in a number of different locations. The courtyard with the coloumns definitely looks like it is in one of the Inns of Court. I believe there are four in london: Liconln's Inn, Inner, Middle and Gray's Inn.

Marc_Anton 17 Nov 08 at 5:55 p.m. GMT

In my memory the vaulted undercroft of Lincolns Inn Chapel with the columns was of a kind of sand coloured stone (instead of white) and more massive but you are right, the gate is deffinately the entrance to the New Square in Lincoln's Inn. So I guess the scene is composed from different locations. The underground passage looks very Victorian and Lincoln's Inn is much older. I have been there many times since it is the decor of the Dickens' novel Bleak House.

S_Sigerson 17 Nov 08 at 5:14 p.m. GMT

I believe the scene (at least part of it) where Mrs. Oliver is follwing David Baker (the painter) was shot in Lincoln's Inn or perhaps now that I think about it maybe the Middle Temple/Inner Temple. The gate they walk though looks like the gate near the Temple Church. Maybe the moderator can find out the locations where the film was shot. I believe Mr. Restarick office is the Freemason's Hall on Great Queen Street, which is in the same area. After going through the gate it looks like Mrs. Oliver and Baker walk down some steps into an underground passage way. It looked art decoish and had a iron and glass roof. Moderator, do you know where this scene was shot?

GKCfan 16 Nov 08 at 8:23 p.m. GMT

I also would love to be able to read Poirot's book on crime fiction writers. His writing the book is a sub-sub-plot in "The Clocks," and in fact, his research in crime fiction helps him to solve that case. I hope that when they adapt "The Clocks" they include a scene where Poirot discusses his thoughts on crime fiction. I say this not because I'm pushing for a word-for-word adaptation of the book, but because I think it would provide a nice touch of character development for Poirot, where he could compare his own ideal mode of crime solving to those of fictional writers. A few people have commented on how Poirot's detection processes have been underplayed in recent episodes, and this would help give a little needed re-emphasis on the uniqueness of his deductive skills.

S_Sigerson 15 Nov 08 at 9:33 a.m. GMT

I thought it was quite good. It's not one of Christie's best novels. The writer did an excellent job adapting the novel. Even though I do wish there would have been a few more clues to help us guess who the murderer was, but overall it was enjoyable.

Marc_Anton 28 Oct 08 at 7:11 a.m. GMT

(In two parts since this Forum will not accept longer posts)

I thought the opening scene with Poirot and his book ('Crime Fiction Writers: a critical analysis') was a nice added touch until I realised that actually WAS from the original novel, in fact it is mentioned on the first page. I would love to read THAT book!

Since I am always interested in the relation between literature and cinema, it was nice to see Mrs. Oliver reading Virginia Woolf's essay 'A Room of One's Own' on the buss, or at least pretending to read it. It also had a subtle link with various characters who lived in thier owns rooms: the three girls, the nanny, even Mrs. Oliver and Poirot.

As someone already said: the acting was good, without any really remarkable performances. It was nice to see Haydn Gwynne (a fine character actress) as Miss Battersby the school mistress some 17 years after Coco Courtney in 'The Affair at the Victory Ball'.

My first thought when seeing Jemima Rooper as Norma when she entered Poirot's flat was she just came from the dentist to have here wisdom teeth removed (I KNOW because I looked like that one week ago), but later I got used to her rather odd face. Well, better odd than bland.  

The decor and costumes were very good, as always, especially the dresses of the women. There was a nice contrast between the depressing apartement of the nanny, the flat of the three girls and Mrs. Oliver's apartement, all in the same building. And we even had the premiere of seeing Poirot's bedroom! At least it was his own bedroom and not the guestroom since there was a big crucifix next to the bed. I just love all these little details.

And by the way, where WAS this remarkable courtyard with all the white columns where Mrs. Oliver was bashed on the head? Somewhere in Kensington or Mayfair perhaps?

Marc_Anton 28 Oct 08 at 7:10 a.m. GMT

I watched Third Girl and I must say it was rather 'nice', at least better than Appointment with Death (as a TV-drama, that is). I guess this is the best you can do with an already flawed novel as its original source.

Some of my own observations, since others have discussed it already very intelligently.

Thank heavens they got rid of the 1960s period! Perhaps some viewers will have missed it but visually this was one of the ugliest decades of the 20th century, and even when Christie made a point of it in the novel (girls look unatractive and boys look very effeminate and nor Poirot nor Mrs. Oliver felt really at home in that period), I don't think it would have worked on the screen. If you ever saw real films from that period, you know what I mean. So I am pleased that they put it back to the second half of the 1930s.

I missed the drugs though. Even in the 1930s (young) people used drugs so it would have been credible to have the murderer use them to manipulate the victim. Christie used this theme in serveral of her novels (Sleeping Murder, Caribbean Mystery). In the TV-version a lot of the plot leaned heavily on Norma's youth traumas and her mental instabilty. It also did not serve a nice happy ending since I fear for her future and her relationship, without having seen a psychiatrist first. Drugs manipulation would have made it a bit more understandable for a present day public because we are now more familiar with the effects.

The denouement was quite complicated and you have to see it at least twice to really understand it. Some of it was not sufficiently explained and came out of the blue (the false identity). As often with some Christie novels, it is difficult for us to accept people will not recognise 'imposters' after 20 years.

go_leafs_nation 27 Oct 08 at 10:34 p.m. GMT

So, I watched THIRD GIRL, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it! Now, let's be fair to Agatha Christie. "Third Girl" was not her best book. Entertaining? Yes. Good? Absolutely. Great? Not quite. Many coincidences occur throughout, and even Mrs. Oliver's appearances are entirely coincidental. She is the deus ex machina of the novel.

In THIRD GIRL, not much happened. So, if there ever was a Christie that could use some spicing up for the TV adaptation, it was definately this one. I am so glad it turned out so well. David Suchet is once more flawless as Poirot, and Zoe Wanamaker delivers another great performance as Ariadne Oliver.

The opening scene with Norma ("You're too old, Monsieur Poirot") was so well-done! It was very comic, and at the same time, very effective. Norma mentions Mrs. Oliver by name as having recommended Poirot to her during this scene. This makes his subsequent visit (it's a visit, not a phone call, here) to Mrs. Oliver far more credible. This is one of the ways the incredible coincidences in the novel are "ironed out", so to speak.

Now, the film takes more than a few liberties. If you thought the book was flawless and want a faithful adaptation, you will be disappointed. But it is very entertaining as it is. It kept my attention easily. The few things that ARE close to the book (ex: Mrs. Oliver trying out her hand at trailing suspects; the very first scene) are done very well.

In short, THIRD GIRL spices up a rather drawn-out novel very neatly for television. If you're open to changes in this film, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Katherine 16 Oct 08 at 10:11 p.m. GMT

squatty

In Cat Amongst The Pigeons, there wasn't any real detection at all.

Although, to be fair, Squatty, this is pretty much consistent with the novel, which does the same thing and just relies on Mrs Upjohn turning up, rather than Poirot having to do much to work out who the killer was. Also, I didn't think the denouement was padded - rather there was an awful lot of red herrings (the kidnapping of the Princess/the failed murder attempt) that also needed to be explained.

squatty 06 Oct 08 at 5:08 p.m. GMT

In Cat Amongst The Pidgeons, there wasn't any real detection at all. It was very convenient that Mrs Upjohn appeared and was able to identify the murderer. In both Cat Amongst The Pidgeon and Third Girl, Poirot gathered the supects together a good thirty minutes from the end of the episode (I know because it took me by suprise and I glanced at the clock). Basically, what followed was an awful lot of padding and very little explanation of how Poirot solved the case.

McGinty 06 Oct 08 at 3:58 p.m. GMT

You have brought up a very good point here Squatty. I've always been of the opinion that Hastings shouldn't be included in film versions where he hadn't appeared in the original book. But now I agree with you, sometimes it is better to have him around so there can be a discussion between Poirot and Hastings to explain Poirot's thought process. It seems in some of the latest episodes that Poirot plucks his conclusions out of thin air!

squatty 02 Oct 08 at 9:43 p.m. GMT

It is one of my least favourite books and the latest production will probably end up as one of my least favourite episodes. One thing that has worried me about the last two episodes is that you are given no explanation of Poirot's thought process, so get no sense of how he works out the case. Not having Hastings in the books is okay because AC always let us in on Poirot's thoughts. But in the television medium, you need someone to bounce off. I was looking forward to Ariadne Oliver fulfilling this role but in the last two films, her part has been so small as to almost be disrespectful of Zoe Wannamaker and AC herself.

hobbit 02 Oct 08 at 3:55 p.m. GMT

I personally very much enjoyed the recent series of Poirot, and look forward to seeing more later in the year.

carlotta 01 Oct 08 at 9:08 p.m. GMT

I am sorry to say that after approximately 13 minutes i had to switch the tv off. Too much had been crammed into the first few minutes,and why on earth do they keep making David Suchet wear that fat suit? He looks more like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.Mrs McGinty's Dead was excellent, Cat was dull and boring and TG was a shambles.

drdavid 30 Sep 08 at 2:31 p.m. GMT

I just wish the production had had the courage to keep to the 1960s period. I read the book on publication in 1966 and so admired Agatha's attempts at tackling the swinging 60s. She was ever relevent and she had obviously done a lot of observation at the time of the writing of the novel. The whole point of the story is that poor old Poirot, his age is referred to repeatedly, is able to make sense of the new culture that is taking over society and yet he knows that when it comes to crime and murder there is very little new under the sun. I was a little unsure as to what period the film was set in and had a rough guess at the ubiquitous 50s where Porot now seems to permanently reside. The complxity of the story and its relationships was maintained however and as an adaptation it could have been very much worse

go_leafs_nation 29 Sep 08 at 3:11 a.m. GMT

I hope to watch this soon. I'm looking forward to it. I'm open to changes in this film, mainly because very little happens in the novel. But I'm not looking forward to Appointment With Death.

shanty_sleuth 28 Sep 08 at 11:24 p.m. GMT

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I liked it. It wasn't as good as MRS McGINTY'S DEAD or CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, but certainly a solid effort nonetheless. Zoe Wanamaker shined as Ariadne Oliver - undoubtedly her best effort yet. I don't remember her eating any apples, though, which is a shame. The acting was good. There weren't any standouts, but Jemima Rooper made a convincing Norma, and Tom Mison was certainly a dashing David Baker. I wish Peter Bowles made more of an attempt to act blind as Sir Roderick, though. But it's alright. I like the embellished solution, and the way Poirot fleshed out the killer by using Norma. Even though there were no drugs, I understand that Norma was traumatized by her mother's suicide, and her mind was so fragile that it could easily have been manipulated. Hence why the whole plan using the knives worked so well. All in all, this is way better than the novel. The wigs subplot was just not convincing at all, and it's a relief that it was ommitted. Since the swinging '60s is thrown out for the '30s, the plot is stretched out a good extent, and it's far more durable than the novel's. Since the novel itself is not popular, I doubt the majority of us are grumbling about the changes. Now we must wait for APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH, which is a shame... hopefully we'll get it soon. I'm intrigued by its changes and such, and I want to judge for myself if it's a total disaster or not. Also, here's a fun fact from the book's Wikipedia entry (don't go there unless you want all of the changes in the adaptation listed): Ariadne Oliver's book "Lady Don't Fall Backwards" - this comes from the Tony Han*ock story "The Missing Page" in which Tony Han*ock tries to find out who did the murder in a book he'd just read with a missing page (mirrored by the concierge, Alf Renny, who tells Mrs Oliver that he'd read her book 4 times and still had no idea who did it).

vansittart 28 Sep 08 at 10:39 p.m. GMT

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I quite enjoyed it and found it an interesting reworking of the book. The best thing about the book in my opinion is Christie's observations on youth in the swinging sixties. Suchet's Poirot is set immovably in the thirties so much of that was always going to be swept away leaving a rather thin plot behind. Leaving aside then such questions as 'did well brought up young girls actually share flats in the thirties?' I thought this adaptation did a pretty decent job of keeping most of the story elements in there. The identity of the murderer(s) was the same, the motive was more or less the same, the initial victim was different but served the same purpose! I did become a little confused towards the end and will need to watch again but I don't think it was any more unlikely or complicated than the solution in the book. Zoe Wanamaker was excellent in this one - her best yet and Georges was given quite a lot to do! It's great when they do a scene almost exactly from the book (eg Mrs Oliver trailing David Baker, even sitting on a dustbin while he confronts her!) On the minus side, I did think a lot of the performances were rather average (apart from Suchet and Wanamaker). SPOILERS NOW!! Without the drug manipulation of the book it was sometimes hard to believe in Norma's blackouts etc. It was disarming to see David Baker emerge as the romantic hero. Was Norma just acting at the end then when she turned up at Crosshedges? I loved how they made Claudia (who was obviously angling to be the 2nd Mrs Restarick) look just like Mary Restarick in the book right down to the fixed blonde hair and painted face - Mary was there in spirit if not in person! The business with the wigs was always a problem in the book and they were right to cut it out and I always had a problem with Norma not realising her stepmother and flatmate were one and the same person! All in all, I thought it was a sensible and intelligent reworking.

wolfbridge 28 Sep 08 at 10:24 p.m. GMT

i havent read the book, but from the recap at wikipedia it looked rather that it has a chaotic storyline.

i am happy they cleared it up a bit, gave some things the chop, also happy theres no wig in it. Agatha Christie novels do have too much Wigs in it if you know what i mean.

From what i heard not many people liked Third Girl as a Book - The Movie tonight was a nice decent production, but nothing to really write home about. just think about that and then add some more red herrings, some more people and disguises and then you also will say "good that they have done it that way".

dumbledore 28 Sep 08 at 10:01 p.m. GMT

I've just watched the Third Girl and have to say what on earth have they done to the story!! It is one of my favourite of all the Poirot ones and although I did not expect it to be an exactly accurate dramatisation, I did hope it would be good, but I have to say I was disappointed. What did everyone else think???