Poirot: Three Act Tragedy

Masterpiece Mystery (finally) kicked off its new season properly last night with a brand-new Hercule Poirot episode entitled Three Act Tragedy. I found this episode to be a thoroughly enjoyable, stylish entry into the Poirot film canon. Now, I have yet to read the original novel by Agatha Christie, but a cursory glance at the book's Wikipedia page reveals that - shockingly - this film seems to be a pretty faithful adaptation of Christie's story. Is this a new trend? (I'm not going to hold my breath. *wink*) Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

When an elderly Cornish vicar suddenly drops dead at a party, everyone looks to fellow guest Hercule Poirot to solve the murder. But the Belgian super-sleuth sees no foul play, correctly predicting that analysis of the clergyman's glass will yield nothing more than the remains of an excellent dry martini.

Before long, however, Poirot is summoned back to England from his boredom among the palms and irksome children of Monte Carlo. Another death among the same revelers has occurred, this time, indisputably, murder.

With the help of two enthusiastic amateurs — his old friend, the retired stage actor Sir Charles Cartwright, and Charles's jaunty love interest, Miss "Egg" Lytton Gore, Poirot questions the dramatis personae, as Sir Charles calls the party guests. And as Sir Charles embraces his role, donning a pair of patent-leather spats, Poirot works to unravel a perplexing mystery, building a house of cards, tracking a missing butler, and even hosting his own sherry party — "That is a fashionable thing to do, n'est-ce pas?" David Suchet portrays the fastidious detective Hercule Poirot, with Martin Shaw as Sir Charles Cartwright and Art Malik (Upstairs Downstairs) as Sir Bartholomew Strange, in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel. (One episode; 90 minutes; TV-PG)

First of all, I just have to point out the hilarity in having Poirot conveniently be "best friends" with yet another random person who doesn't seem to know any of Poirot's other "best friends" from his previous stories (much like the penchant for having Miss Marple distantly related to everyone in England). The friend in question this time around is Sir Charles Cartwright, a famous stage actor on the brink of retirement, who has gathered Poirot and an assortment of other friends and acquaintances to his home for a cocktail party. Cartwright is played by Martin Shaw, who I love and adore because of his memorable portrayal of Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel television film series. Cartwright aspires to a May/December romance with young ingenue Miss Lytton Gore, known to her friends as Egg (I kid you not). Egg is played by Kimberley Nixon, who got her start on Masterpiece playing Sophy Hutton in Cranford, followed by a small role in the hilarious film Easy Virtue (my review). It is a testament to my love for Shaw that the forty year age difference between him & Nixon didn't seem *completely* unbelievable. The man has charisma. :)

Cartwright's other best friend is nerve specialist Dr. Bartholomew Strange, played by Art Malik - last seen in Upstairs Downstairs as Mr. Amanjit, and here is nearly unrecognizable without all that hair. Dr. Strange, Egg, and Poirot are the guests of honor at Cartwright's cocktail party, and the shocked witnesses to the sudden death of the kindly vicar Reverend Babbington (Nigel Pegram). The reverend was elderly and harmless - despite the suddenness of his passing, Poirot writes off his death as an unhappy coincidence - until Cartwright brings him the news that his friend Dr. Strange has dropped dead in the same manner at a similar party, held for almost the identical guest list as the first. A closer investigation reveals that a murderer is on the loose - but the disparities between the victims, and the broad assortment of potential motives among the partygoers raise more questions than answers. With the help of his friends and "the little grey cells" Poirot is in a race against the clock to discover the murderer before he can strike again.

As is the norm for this series, the cast is packed with a slew of familiar British acting talent, though in this case most of them serve as investigative red herrings. In addition to the main players I've already discussed, Kate Ashfield, a Masterpiece vet, appears as the ambitious playwright and astute observer of human nature Miss Wills. Ashfield played the role of Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank (my review) and appeared opposite Douglas Henshall in Collision (my review). Anastasia Hille is a Mystery veteran, having appeared in memorable episodes of Inspector Lewis and Foyle's War. Here is plays high-end fashion designer Cynthia Dacres, which is really just an excuse to show case some AMAZING period fashions - seriously, the clothes in this episode were fabulous! Cynthia's husband is a wastrel gambler played by Ronan Vibert, who played a critical role in the Inspector Lewis universe, and is also a Scarlet Pimpernel veteran along with Shaw, where he played THE BEST ROBESPIERRE EVER.

My favorite random cast appearance is Tom Wisdom in the largely thankless role of Egg's rejected lover Oliver Manders. TOTAL EYE CANDY (at least he provides Egg with a nice back-up plan). Wisdom has appeared in modern classics like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (just so you know, I loved that movie) and in the category of so-bad-they're-awesome movies, The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice. The latter is hilariously, wonderfully bad and I love every second of it. Wisdom also bears a more than passing resemblance to Ben Barnes, a.k.a. Prince Caspian. Thoughts?

 Barnes is on the left, and Wisdom is on the right. Amazing, no?

Three Act Tragedy is a stylish, well-constructed little film, and it ranks as one of my favorite Poirot episodes to be released in recent years. I loved the impression the film gave, that it was very intentionally filmed like a play - right down to Shaw's tendency to deliver his lines as though he's declaiming Shakespeare from the stage of the Globe Theatre. From the "scene change" moments featuring items like critical newspaper headlines, to the spotlights that stopped the action to shine on a murder victim, the whole film felt like a deliciously stylized 1930s-era play. And the "reveal" at the end of the investigation is perhaps one of my favorite Poirot moments ever. Suchet lets Poirot relish, just a bit, the detective's moment in the spotlight when he hijacks a play rehearsal. I've always gotten the feeling that Poirot thinks the world revolves around him, and for a few fantastic moments in Three Act Tragedy it does, and my favorite Belgian detective holds his audience captive.

If you caught this episode, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Especially if you've read the novel - based on the summary info online, I'm still rather shocked by how faithful the film seems to have remained to the book's essential elements. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and look forward to revisiting it in the future!

• Watch Three Act Tragedy online through 7/19/11
• Preorder Three Act Tragedy as part of Poirot Movie Collection Set 6

The Diary of Anne Frank

The backlog of programs on my DVR is absolutely out of control. The latest adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank aired almost a month ago on Masterpiece Classic, and I can't for the life of me believe I let this film sit, unwatched, on my DVR that long. Life happens, hmm? Friends, this is an extraordinary film, and if you missed it, or perhaps though I "know" the story, what can a new film possibly bring to the table - let me encourage you to set those thoughts aside and to make some time to watch this as soon as you can. If you need a "refresher," here's the film summary from the PBS website:

"When I write, all my sadness disappears."

Anne Frank in 'The Diary of Anne Frank'

For Jewish teenager Anne Frank (Ellie Kendrick), her diary is her one true friend and confidant. In it, she records the thoughts of a typical teen — only set against a backdrop of encroaching evil in Amsterdam during World War II. Stowed away behind a bookcase in a secret annex with her family and others to flee the Nazis, Anne experiences her time in hiding as an adventure. And, amidst closed quarters and random bomb blasts, Anne faces friction with family, a desire for independence and the first stirrings of young love. As Anne's identity solidifies, so does her resolve to be a writer — her diary a tangible and remarkable record of a young woman's first-hand observations of the Holocaust, and the innate goodness she still sees in people. Drawing on Anne Frank's own words in the most accurate-ever adaptation of the revered memoir, Masterpiece presents The Diary of Anne Frank on Holocaust Remembrance Day, 2010.

The Franks
Ellie Kendrick is an absolute revelation as Anne Frank. Not only does she bear an almost eerie resemblance to the real Anne, she does an extraordinary job of capturing the many facets of Anne's character. She's wise and immature, kind and selfish, brilliant and dense - in other words, a typical, complicated teenager just trying to figure out her place in an upside-down world. It's been several years since I've seen any of the other film adaptations of Anne's memoir, so I have only vague recollections and impressions of the performances. But going by feeling alone, I have to say Kendrick's Anne is the most alive, passionate, memorable take on the character. It's as if Anne has leaped from the pages of her diary to full, brilliant life. This may seem like a little thing, but as a cat lover it jumped out to me - in other films I can't recall a scene where Anne is forced to leave behind her beloved pet when the family goes into hiding. As a fellow cat lover I could so relate to that moment, that sacrifice on Anne's part - and that "little" thing just broke my heart on Anne's behalf. As the centerpiece of the film, Kendrick anchors the story with unbelievable strength and conviction - very, very well done.

Anne's father, Otto, is played by Iain Glen who may be a familiar face to Masterpiece viewers - he played Mr. Preson in Wives and Daughters (and he has an upcoming two-episode appearance in Doctor Who!). Glen's Otto is a noble, tragic figure, and an incredibly kind man. I found myself trying to imagine what it must have been like to be the only member of his family to survive the camps - and just trying to fathom that heartbreak leaves me speechless. Glen and Kendrick have a wonderful on-screen father-daughter relationship. Anne was definitely a daddy's girl, but this movie doesn't shy away from the fireworks her teenage "growing pains" caused her parents. Anne's mother, Edith, is played by Tamsin Greig who was most recently seen on Masterpiece Classic in the latest production of Emma, playing Miss Bates. Greig does a fantastic job here, showing Edith's struggles to come to terms with life in hiding, and her heartache over coping with Anne who is just at a place in her life when she wants nothing to do with her mother. Knowing how the story ends, that's just one more aspect of the film that will break your heart - it really got me to thinking about how we humans do tend to think we'll live forever, that we'll always have another day to change our minds about something or to make things right with another, and that's not always the case, is it? Felicity Jones plays the final member of the Frank family - Anne's older sister, Margot. I confess I almost didn't recognize her - hidden behind large round glasses and wartime hand-me-down clothes, Margot is a far cry from the vivacious Catherine Morland Jones portrayed in Northanger Abbey. Though the role of Margot isn't as "flashy" as Anne's, I was quite impressed with the long-suffering quality Jones brought out in the role.

The Van Daans
When the Van Daans join the Franks in hiding, both families find their patience sorely tested. Hermann Van Daan is played by Ron Cook, who some of you Masterpiece Classic fans may remember as Chivery (Russell Tovey's dad!!) in Little Dorrit last year. His wife, Petronella, is played by another familiar face - Lesley Sharp. She's appeared in everything from Return to Cranford (playing the not-so-lovely Mrs. Bell) to the classic Doctor Who episode "Midnight." It's funny, but Petronella Van Daan is one character I distinctly remember from the classic 1959 film version of Anne Frank. Shelley Winters was so memorable in the role, but I have to say Sharp really measures up in comparison - she's every bit as loud, and funny, and occasionally obnoxious as Winters ever was. ;-) Their son, the quiet and introverted Peter, is played by Geoff Breton. Breton hasn't appeared in all that much, but he was apparently in the Inspector Lewis episode "The Quality of Mercy" last season on Masterpiece Mystery. Sadly I don't remember his performance. :-( But he does make up for that here. The crush that develops between Peter and Anne is just heartbreakingly adorable. The whole time I was watching their relationship develop, I kept thinking - if they had survived, would they have married eventually? What might they have become? So, so much potential cut off all too soon - but so thankful that Anne left that diary and had a knack for bringing her life and the people who inhabited it to life on the page.

Everyone else...
Nicholas Farrell is an old favorite of mine, and he plays Albert Dussel, the dentist who joins the Franks and Van Daans after the two families have been in hiding for a while. Farrell is such a great actor, capable of conveying so much emotion in his performances. Some of my favorites include his turn as Antonio in Twelfth Night, Horatio in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, Torchwood: Children of Earth, and Collision (from Masterpiece Contemporary last year). He's also appeared in various random episodes of mystery shows like Poirot and the stellar Robert Lindsay vehicle Jericho. It has been so long since I've watched this story I honestly don't remember Dussel's character at all. Farrell does a good job driving home how much of an outsider he must've felt like as a single man living with two complete family units.

And two final quick notes on the acting - the Franks' faithful friend and caretaker Miep Gies is played by actress Kate Ashfield, who incidently was also an alum of Collision. Also, friend Bep Voskuijl is played by Mariah Gale, who was just seen on Great Performances opposite David Tennant as Ophelia in Hamlet. More on that show, and her performance at a later date. :)

Kudos to the production team and director for delivering a fast-paced, thoroughly absorbing film. The way the movie is staged, you end up feeling clausterphobic as the attic's inhabitants must have felt. Close quarters with never a break - how could you not want to snap? Yet there was no other choice, and in the end I can't think that I would've been able to handle what these people did half so well. Gritty, realistic, inspiring, and incredibly moving, this adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank is not to be missed.