Mathew's Blog

My grandmother, of course, had no experience of blogs, but I think she might well have approved of them because they provide a great opportunity for listening. She was herself, without exception, the best listener I have ever known – one of the reasons maybe why she was able to write so many excellent books. For myself, I shall try to learn from her example and listen very carefully as the blog develops, and occasionally contribute myself.

In the meantime, happy blogging!

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My Grandmother

03 Nov 08 10:23AM

Before writing this I have read through your replies to my last blog.  Quote, “Hi Mathew, Could you please tell me about your grandmother....”  Well, Malou, how long have you got?

The feelings that remain uppermost in my mind at the end of October, 2008 are how different she was to so much that is going on around us now.  No cheap, sensationalist, lewd or self-serving entertainment for her.  Good solid hard-work, good solid entertainment, modesty, self-effacement, love and respect for family and decency, respect for country and professionalism allied to a huge sense of fun and enjoyment.  I think we should go back there...

Recently I had the pleasure of seeing her radio plays as produced dramatically by the Agatha Christie Theatre Company.  They epitomised much of the above and when I was there, were watched by a huge range of age groups including, in my own group, my mother-in-law and my wife Lucy’s two young nephews.  Everybody enjoyed it and the car going home was a lively place, full of excitement, disagreement and chatter.  Now I wonder, Malou, whether this helps you, and whether perhaps there might be some connection between the last two paragraphs and my grandmother as a person?

• 14 comments

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14 comments

ajoliver47 13 Jul 09 at 9:59a.m.

I tunred on Murder is Easy last night and discovered, in addition to the insertion of Miss Marple: the main suspect in the book was not in the TV version; the hero in the book, was visiting the village, but in the TV version lived there; the heroine, who lived in the village in the book, was a visiting American; the murders were of different people by different means, etc., etc.
Needless to say I tunred off after about 30 minutes.
Dame Agatha Christie remains the greatest mystery writer in history, with her books still amazingly popular around the world.
I cannot understand the arrogance of a TV writer who thinks he or she can improve the stories of Agatha. I also believe I read a couple of years' ago while visiting Torquay that the family was insisting on approving new productions of Agatha's books and plays.
I would really like to know who approved this production and the reasons for allowing such a rewrite of the book.

ajoliver47 12 Jul 09 at 3:58p.m.

I live in the US and my family are all great Agatha fans (we have a full set of 1st editions, reading sets, DVDs, etc.)
We were excited by the new series on PBS and greatly enjoyed the first two with the incomparable Suchet as Poirot.
We were apprehensive about a new Miss Marple, but thought Julia McKenzie did well in A Pocket Full of Rye (although she does not seem quite old enough).
I decided to re-read the books and have spent the last two days reading Murder is Easy in preparation for tonight's program. And guess what? Miss Marple is not in Murder is Easy.
Why on earth insert her into this story when there are so many true Miss Marples's to choose from? It makes no sense to us and is actually rather annoying.

Rea_Potter 12 Feb 09 at 7:29p.m.

Dear Moderator!

I don't understand why do you say this. I won't say anything never more...

Moderator1 10 Feb 09 at 4:31p.m.

Rea_Potter

Please note that the blog is for honest opinion. It is not about personal attacks. Whilst we appreciate the passion Christie inspires, we must remind you of the terms and conditions of the site. Rudeness or abuse on any level will not be accepted.

We do, however, encourage healthy and respectful debate. If and when you make your comments more objective, Mr Prichard will be happy to respond.

belfan 25 Jan 09 at 7:34p.m.

Hello,
I do agree with you too, Mary_Dove and rea_potter. I really love David Suchet as Poirot and Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, but the films with Geraldine McEwan really horrify me. I didn't even watch them all. The stories sometimes deviate so much from the books that I truly believe Agatha would have been appalled to see her creations messed about with like that.

Mathew 26 Nov 08 at 5:07p.m.

Hello Mary,

The question of the authenticity of recent films is not, as you might imagine, unfamiliar to me! In attempting to answer, I would not for one moment claim that all adaptations of Agatha Christie are perfect, or that, in some cases, I would love to start again. I have two arguments to put to you: first, in my grandmother’s time it was taboo to talk of sexual matters, still less to use them or refer to them in books or films. That does not mean that my grandmother’s characters, even when she invented them, were devoid of sexual feelings. It does not surprise me that in modern adaptations of her work sexual connotations are more obvious, because in most cases that is what audiences expect them to be. In most cases (though not in all, I agree), I do not find this offensive or disloyal.

Secondly, in authorising adaptations of Agatha Christie in the last part of the 20th Century and the first part of the 21st, I do not feel one can completely exclude modern morality or situations which, whether we like it or not, most viewers will not find unusual or uncomfortable. I agree it is sometimes a fine line, but in order to keep pace with modern life and allow Agatha Christie to be relevant today, we have to try.

You mention two productions that you found unacceptable. I hope you watched FIVE LITTLE PIGS, MOVING FINGER, TOWARDS ZERO, and, more recently, CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS; in my opinion, models of a “modern” AGATHA CHRISTIE.

My case rests – and finally, yes, you are right, my mother would probably have agreed with you!!

Mary_Dove 23 Nov 08 at 1:41a.m.

Hello, Matthew.

How do you feel about the authenticity of some of the recent films based on your grandmother's novels? I am speaking of films such as Cards on the Table in which the Superintendent Battle character's name is changed and he is presented as a homosexual who has himself photographed in sexual situations with men; Mr. Shaitana who is also homosexual and pinches the posterior of his young male servant during the dinner party, and Dr. Roberts, who had a sexual affair not with a female patient but with the female patient's husband.

I am also speaking about the new Miss Marple--played by Geraldine McEwan--who, despite her Victorian childhood, sympathizes with an adulteress in Murder at the Vicarage because, after all, she had an affair herself with a married man during World War One (we readers had not been aware of that), and who, at the end of 4:50 from Paddington, smiles sweetly and says of the cold-blooded murderer of three people that "he did it for love." As I recall in the novel Miss Marple was not nearly so charitable towards this killer. In fact she stated that she was "really very glad that they haven't abolished capital punishment yet because I feel that if there's anybody who ought to hang, it's X!"

How do you feel about these changes in Miss Marple's personality and morality, and how do you suppose your mother would have felt? I understand that she made a point of monitoring the authenticity of her mother's works as presented in films.

pushkar26 19 Nov 08 at 10:28a.m.

I am from India and in most of her novels and stories there has been some Indian glimpses, which I really like. I am a die hard fan of Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) as that is the first Agatha's character that I got familiar with. The latest book that I've bought is "The secret adversary" of Tommy and Tappence.

Let me tell you it is Agatha Christie who has woven the magic in these tales of crime that make us like the characters of Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple etc.

cuteamoon 17 Nov 08 at 7:15p.m.

Hi there,
I am a big fan of Agatha Christie, the wonderful writer!
I am from United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) and many people in my country love her novels. I enjoy reading her stories very much and I think she was a nice and understanding person and I wish I was born at that time so that I can get the chance to meet her! What I really like is that her stories can be read by anyone, anywhere and any time..

thanks for giving us the chance to share this nice website with you :)

Rea_Potter 11 Nov 08 at 8:14p.m.

I am from Hungary and in this Europian coutry there a lot of people who like Agatha Christie. She is my favourite author. I really love that when you know who the killer is, there is a turn, and You are wrong. But fortunately in a lot of book I find out the culprit for the first read.
I thin she was a very kind, clever and lovable person.
I wish I could know her in her time.

detectivepauljohn 08 Nov 08 at 7:57a.m.

I am still a teen, 14 yrs. old. I love her novels especially Death On the Nile, Evil Under the Sun and Halloween Party. I saw someone said Christie makes impossible things to be possible especially in Evil Under the Sun! She is intelligent and a clever writer. You know, also teens love reading her novels because they saw Christie games. Agatha Christie is my favorite mystery author. I also love her very excellent novel And Then There Were None.

ancientmaster 07 Nov 08 at 9:26p.m.

I have always been amazed about the mind of Agatha Christie. Her intelligence. Her brilliance. I think there have been few people like her. Greetings to you all.

Madeleinn 05 Nov 08 at 3:12p.m.

there are no doubts that Agatha Christie was an admirable person and portentous!

ariadnepoirotmarple 03 Nov 08 at 10:00p.m.

I wish I could have met your grandmother. Agatha Christie was a wonderful lady, I'm sure.