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Perfect Adaptions

TheButlerDidIT 08 Nov 09 at 6:21 p.m. GMT

If you had an unlimited source of money (or claimed it like dodgy MP's) and you wanted to create the perfect adaption of your favourite Christie who would play Poirot or Maple and who would play the sidekick or main character? Where would be the ideal place for the setting? And who would write it?

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Tommy_A_Jones 11 Nov 09 at 4:51 p.m. GMT

I liked the Partners In Crime series, when I read the Book I felt they were all Jolly Hockeysticksish because they were brtushing up on their skills by handleing Mysteries in the style of Literary Detectives which is quite a funny thing to do, I agree more than one person could play Tommy or Tuppence and Albert. The portrayal of Tommy in By The Pricking of my Thumb because he was crusty in the book because he was worried about Tuppence.

I think Young Tommy - Jack Cassiday or Colin Cant, young Tuppence - the Tour Guide in GMs Nemesis, young Albert Russel Tovey,

Old Tommy - Simon Williams, Old Tommy Lucy Flemyng, Old Albert the guy who is playing Codders in ITVs The Secret of Chimneys. 

Puffinjill 11 Nov 09 at 7:13 a.m. GMT

What a fabulous idea! I, for one, would definately love to see Tommy and Tuppence bought back in from the cold and given a decent show on TV. However, I fear TV executives today may not be trusted to do the job in a faithful and respectful way (Exhibit No. one - ITV's Miss Marple. I rest my case) and, in that case, I would sooner they left them alone and we can enjoy the books any time we want and not have our vision sullied by poor adaptations.

I, too, remember (albeit vaguely) the 1980's series as I then went out and bought my first AC's on the strength of it. But I was also unfortuate enough to see the recent adaptation of By The Pricking Of My Thumbs which completely ignored the true characters of T and T and gave us an alcoholic and a complete idiot instead. I only watched the blasted thing because I was ill with flu and didn't have the strength to hurl my Lemsip at the screen. But it sent my temperature up..

McGinty 10 Nov 09 at 4:43 p.m. GMT

I agree Tommy, I think we're long overdue a new T&T series, they could use different actors for the different ages and have Tommy and Tuppence age properly from 1920 to 1975, and that way pay proper respect to the books. I try to forget the awful Pricking of My Thumbs, not because they shoehorned Miss Marple into the story, but because they decide they could write a better story than Christie and completley changed the plot. To add insult to injury portraying Tommy as an out and out pillock and Tuppence as an alchoholic was the final straw. I love T&T but feel that the stories have never been treated fairly by television. I never really enjoyed the Partners in Crime series because it seemed a bit too jolly hockeysticks for my liking, although the Secret Adversary was quite well done, a pity it was from the 80s and the money they throw at Poirot and Marple nowadays just wasn't there - it was good, but could have been better.

Tommy_A_Jones 10 Nov 09 at 3:16 p.m. GMT

I am glad you love my ideas fot Tommy and Albert McGinty, NorM was one of the first Christie Books and THE first T&T book I read so I nhave to re-read it some time as it is the only I can't remember anything of although I can remember something about one of the Villains which is a sort of shame but I remember loving the book, I would love to see a PROPER Adaptation of T&T books that haven't been done, I include By The Pricking of My Thumb as Miss Marple was put in it.  

TheButlerDidIT 09 Nov 09 at 5:18 p.m. GMT

I can see Micheal Caine as Wargrave but I can also see Timothy Dalton as the Wargrave because he played Simon Skinner in Hot Fuzz

McGinty 09 Nov 09 at 5:13 p.m. GMT

I love your suggestions for T&T Tommy, especially Russell Tovey as Albert and Jack Davenport as Tommy. I would give my left leg to see a really well produced film version of N 0r M?, it's one of my all time favourite Christie's, just enough mixture of light heartedness and tension.

Tommy_A_Jones 09 Nov 09 at 3:24 p.m. GMT

I think I too would do And Thenn There Were None my Cast would be;

Judge - Wargrave Stephen Berkhoff, Henry Blore - Tim Wilton, General McCarthur - David Jason, Dr Armstrong Alex Jennings, Emily Brent - Gwen Taylor, Vera - Daniella Denby-Ashe, Marston - Colin Cant, Lombard - Patrick Baladi, Mr Rogers - Roger Frost, Mrs Rogers - Doreen Mantle.

I don't know much if anything asbout Directors so can't comment on who should Direct but I would probably get one of my favourite writers to write nthe screenplay like Alan Plater or Simon Brett. If I was doing a poirot and DS wasn't available I wqould get Ian Holm or Anthony Scher to fill the role and if I was doing a Miss Marple I would get Angela Thorne to play Miss Marple and Patricia Routledge could play Mrs Bantry. If I was doing a T&T book it would be Postern of Fate, Tommy would be played by Simon Williams, Tuppence by Lucy Fielding and Albert by Adam Godley, If I did one of the other T&T Books Jack Davenport weould be Tommy, Emily Mortimer - Tuppence and Albert would be played by Russel Tovey.

I love these Topics.  

Santonix 09 Nov 09 at 4:27 a.m. GMT

And finally, The Mirror Crack'd. Clint Eastwood would direct, and I would love for Alexandre Desplat to do the score. Again. Because I love him. Roger Deakins would do cinemtography, and the whole makeup/costume/production design team from Married Life would join in the fun.My dream cast would, appropriately enough, be peppered with Oscar players and big names: Dawn French as Miss Knight, Lisa Kudrow as Ella Zielinsky, Christopher Lee as Dr. Gilchrist, Gary Oldman as Inspector Craddock, Alan Rickman as Dr. Haydock, Andy Serkis as Arthur Babcock, Zoe Telford as Margot Bence and Natasha Wightman as Heather Babcock; Alec Baldwin (Nominee, The Cooler) as Ardwyck Fenn, Brenda Blethyn (Nominee, Secrets & Lies) as Dolly Bantry, Ryan Gosling (Nominee, Half Nelson) as Hailey Preston, Warren Beatty (Winner, Reds) as Jason Rudd, Julia Roberts (Winner, Erin Brockovich) as Lola Brewster, Meryl Streep (Winner, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice) as Marina Gregg and Rosemary Harris (Nominee, Tom & Viv) as Miss Jane Marple.Sorry for the length. I love these!

Santonix 09 Nov 09 at 4:27 a.m. GMT

Ok, I would write an adaptation of Ten Little Indians -- yes, another one. Francois Ozon would direct, because his work on 8 Women is amazing. Philip Glass would do the music, Tom Stern (Clint Eastwood's go-to guy) would be the director of photography. The cast: Kate Beckinsale (Vera Claythorne), Orlando Bloom (Anthony Marston), Michael Caine (Judge Lawrence Wargrave), Geraldine Chaplin (Mrs. Rogers), Daniel Craig (Philip Lombard), Timothy Dalton (William Blore), Frances de la Tour (Emily Brent), Derek Jacobi (Rogers), Leslie Phillips (General Mackenzie) and Alan Rickman (Dr. Edward Armstrong).

Of course, I would also want to do Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Crew would include Luc Montpellier (Director of Photography), Alexandre Desplat (Original Score) and Stephen Frears (Director). The cast: Cate Blanchett as Lydia Lee, Kenneth Branagh as Alfred Lee, Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados, Richard E. Grant as George Lee, David Kelly as Tressilian, Ewan McGregor as David Lee, Sienna Miller as Magdalene Lee, Samantha Morton as Hilda Lee, Bill Nighy as Colonel Johnson, Tim Roth as Stephen Farr, Dougray Scott as Harry Lee, Toby Stephens as Superintendent Sugden, David Suchet as Horbury, Peter O'Toole as Simeon Lee.......and starring......Mandy Patinkin as Hercule Poirot! We would film at Syon House in Middlesex (the house from Gosford Park).