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Posted by: Mart!n 26th December 2015, 01:15 PM

Start of a 3 part BBC1 dramatisation tonight over 3 nights concluding Monday night, its my favourite Agatha Christie novel, seen a few trailers of it, it looks so good, looking forward to it, its got a great cast. I remember watching the original movie, and it had me hooked from the start, I just hope BBC1 adaptation is as good as the original film.

Posted by: Jester 26th December 2015, 01:22 PM

This is probably the best plotted of her books so very much looking forward to this.

Posted by: Kath 26th December 2015, 09:11 PM

Have you read or seen 'Witness for the Prosecution'? Her best by far! But this one is pretty much near perfect! Really looking forward to it.

Posted by: Mart!n 26th December 2015, 10:25 PM

Slow in places, but its gripping to watch, it makes a great drama as the story unfolds, this BBC adaptation coincides with Agatha Christie's 125th anniversary.

Posted by: Common Sense 27th December 2015, 07:42 PM

Anyone watching this on BBC1? Started last night and continues tonight and tomorrow. Basred on Agatha Christie's original 1939 novel entitled Ten Little n****** which was changed to Ten Little Indians as the Americans refused to publish it with her original title.

Posted by: Common Sense 27th December 2015, 07:52 PM

Bit slow last night but glad they've stuck with the original novel's ending rather than the alternative one from subsequent plays.

Posted by: Jester 27th December 2015, 10:01 PM

I read all her books (80+) and plays when I was younger.

It's been fantastic so far - so menacing! I remember who did it too, which means I've spoiled it for myself

Posted by: Mart!n 27th December 2015, 10:11 PM

I'm enjoying this after a slow start, its so gripping the ending made me wanting more, I'm glad it stuck to its original, and I also remembered who did it but I do love And Then There Were None, its Agatha Christie's best work. I just hope BBC1 do more adaptations of her work in the new year.

Posted by: Jester 27th December 2015, 10:15 PM

The ABC Murders is her best book imo, but this is close second.

Posted by: Taylor Jago 27th December 2015, 10:32 PM

I think both episodes have been really good, I can't wait for tomorrow night's conclusion (even if I remember what happens at the end)

Posted by: Chez Wombat 27th December 2015, 11:07 PM

This is amazing, I've admittedly never read the novel or seen any other adaptations of this (forgive me) so this is all new to me, but I really love it. Very tense and really excellent character-building each time, which is admirable considering they (presumably) all die

Posted by: Kath 27th December 2015, 11:18 PM

I prefer the film/play ending. My favourite version of this is the 1945 Barry Fitzgerald/Louis Hayward version - I loved the touches of humour in it (which this TV adaptation lacks somewhat). Still good to watch though.

I really want there to be a new TV adaptation of Witness for the Prosecution.

Posted by: burbe 28th December 2015, 11:32 AM

The second episode was far more gripping than the first. It's enjoyable so far and looking forward to tonight's concluding episode!

Posted by: Mart!n 28th December 2015, 10:11 PM

Wow... that ending did not disappoint, it had everything, suspense, very creepy and well thought out. Best thing I've seen this Christmas so far... Maeve that played Vera she was on point throughout the whole 3 part series. In the end she stole the whole show.

And to mark the Agatha Christie 125th centenary I found out Royal Mail are releasing a stamp set to mark Agatha Christie's work next year.

Posted by: Kath 28th December 2015, 10:18 PM

Vera so totally deserved what was coming to her! A really good three parter. For once - the oh so over-used slo-mo worked. And you're right - the woman that played Vera was excellent. I thought her and the policeman were the best.

I still prefer the film ending (but in that both Lombard - who isn't really Lombard and Vera are actually innocent of any crimes).

Posted by: Taylor Jago 28th December 2015, 10:31 PM

I wouldn't call the ending faithful to the one in the book, but I did enjoy the show.

Posted by: Chez Wombat 29th December 2015, 12:18 AM

OMG, that was amazing. I kept clear of spoilers'haven't read the book so it came as a surprise, and I'm seeing now how it makes sense what with the one red herring that wasn't clear and him being a judge and the only one that didn't actually kill anyone unlawfully (and how quiet he was, I thought that might mean that he wasn't being developed much as he will die soon, but that's clearly Miss Christie fooling me there ). Charles Dance was such a brilliant choice for that role, I swear no one else can play a heartless mastermind like him. Vera was excellently portrayed too (though definitely deserved that death, that bitch )

Fantastic drama, made me interested in the book as well (despite the mystery element going). I hope the BBC do more specials like this, was very entertaining.

Posted by: Suedehead2 3rd January 2016, 09:21 PM

I've just watched it over the last couple nights. It was a lot better than the recent series with David Walliams. I read a lot of her books in my teens, but hadn't read this one, so I didn't know the ending. That helped keep the suspense up over the three episodes.

Given that the novel was published in 1939, I was quite surprised at the way it challenged certain attitudes at the time, such as hostility towards homosexuality.

Posted by: pippa 4th January 2016, 02:31 PM

I found it very enjoyable but would agree it wasn't totally faithful to the ending in the book.

Posted by: burbe 4th January 2016, 06:01 PM

I really enjoyed this mini-series. The first episode was a little slow in its pacing, but the second and third episodes were so gripping! Really fantastic watch and thrilling conclusion as well.

Posted by: Rooney 4th January 2016, 09:33 PM

Loved this. I thought the actress who played Vera was excellent. My only gripe was that once she had murdered Lombard, she thought hanging herself was a good thing? Thought they could have been done better as it made little sense.

I'm curious.. how are the film versions different - and was it not a faithful ending? Wikipedia tells me, that the judge admits his crimes by writing a message in a bottle, which was missed out of the adaptation.

Posted by: Kath 4th January 2016, 10:28 PM

In the film versions (and the 'modified' original play), Lombard isn't really Lombard, he's a friend of the real Lombard who committed suicide. When 'faux' Lombard found the letter from Mr U N Owen - he went along and pretended to be Lombard to see if this Mr Owen had anything to do with his friend's suicide. The crime Vera is accused of is of murdering her sister's fiance (although we discover that she actually took the blame for her sister and was innocent also). When it appears that there are only the two of them alive, on the beach, after the discovery of the Doctor's body - 'faux' Lombard persuades Vera to pretend to shoot him (as he suspects that one of the others is still alive and is watching from the house). Vera then makes her way to the house where she is confronted by the Judge who is sitting in an armchair in the living room - with a noose prepared for Vera to hang herself. She says 'what if I refuse to hang myself' he says she will die by hanging anyway - as the only survivor on an island with nine dead bodies - she will automatically be suspected of the killings and will be sent to the gallows anyway. He confesses that he is going to die and has taken some poison in his whiskey. At that point 'faux' Lombard walks in and the Judge dies - his last words are 'should never trust a woman'. BTW - the 'red herring' that was responsible for the eighth little indian's death (the Doctor) was that after the Judge had gained his confidence - he had been suckered into his plan to 'to root out the real killer' by colluding in the Judge's death (none of the others bothered to check that the Judge was dead - they just took the Doctor's word for it.

The TV version we've just seen was largely true to the original novel's ending (although the message in a bottle bit was left out). I believe in the book that the message doesn't turn up until much later so the 10 deaths are a mystery for quite a long time.

After watching the TV production (which I enjoyed immensely) I just had to watch the 1945 film again (I've seen it a dozen times - the touches of humour in it are fantastic - mainly provided by the Judge and the Butler. I also went to see an AM-DRAM production just last year which had the film ending (it was a good production too - by the Wigan Little Theatre players).

Posted by: Taylor Jago 4th January 2016, 10:28 PM

In the original, Vera hangs herself and dies without knowing anything. We then go to an epilogue where two detectives try (and ultimately fail) to work out the mystery, before we read Wargrave's confession in the bottle. Also missing is the element of the case being impossible to solve as diaries held by the characters indicate the killing order up to Wargrave, and the four remaining cannot be the murderer for the following reasons:

• Armstrong could have killed Blore, Lombard and Claythorne and then thrown himself into the sea, but his corpse is found beyond the highest tides, meaning it was dragged to where it was found.
• Lombard could have killed Armstrong, Blore and Claythorne and then shot himself, but his revolver is found in Wargrave's room, eliminating all possibility of him having shot himself.
• Claythorne could have killed Armstrong, Blore and Lombard and then hung herself, but the chair she knocked over is found against the wall.
• It is inconceivable that Blore could have killed Armstrong, Lombard and Claythorne, then killed himself by knocking down the bear on him, as this isn't how one would kill oneself.

In the end, the detectives are stumped as to who could have killed them (knowing that the murderer was one of the ten)

Posted by: Froot. 9th January 2016, 11:48 AM

This started off a bit slow for me but the final episode was fantastic and utterly gripping. I'd never knew of/read the story before so this was by first experience and I like how well plotted it is, especially when seeing Taylor's last post.