Agatha Christie movies

[lupinesque]

Devin wrote:

> The Murder on the Orient 
> Express fellow was oddly manic and just off-putting 

"Fellow"?  "FELLOW"?!!  <Amy gasps for oxygen to hear one of her 
favorite actors, Albert Finney, referred to in this cavalier fashion>

OK, I've put my head in a paper bag and feel much better now.  I agree 
100%, actually.  Finney, who is a great and subtle actor, is far from 
either in this movie.  He seemed to be all accent & mannerisms and not 
to get the character at all.  Also, although it was made by one of my 
favorite directors (Lumet), it is by far his worst movie IMO.  He said 
it was just one of those routine things you do so that you can get 
_Fail-Safe_ and _Dog Day Afternoon_ made, and that's okay, but I don't 
think he had a handle on it any more than Finney did.  It had no sense 
of suspense for me, and a good mystery movie will have one even when 
you know the solution (as I did).  

All in all, all-star casting seldom does a movie any favors; the 
actors seem to think it's license to play their typecasting to the 
hilt.  Lots of fun for them, tedious to watch.  Though the actors all 
did pretty well with Orient Express (Finney excepted), Evil Under the 
Sun stands out to me as a really lousy movie.  (When I heard Maggie 
Smith was in HP, the reason I said "oh god, not HER" was that I 
flashed back to her embarrassing performance in this picture.  Even as 
a kid I thought it was over-the-top stereotypical.  But I have since 
decided it was a lapse on The Divine Dame M's part.)

Amy

P.S.  I hope your paper went well.