Murder in Three Acts
| Murder in Three Acts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Crime Drama Mystery |
| Based on | Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie |
| Written by | Scott Swanton |
| Directed by | Gary Nelson |
| Starring | Peter Ustinov Tony Curtis Emma Samms Fernando Allende Diana Muldaur Jonathan Cecil |
| Theme music composer | Alf Clausen |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Paul Waigner |
| Production location | Acapulco |
| Cinematography | Neil Roach |
| Editor | Donald R. Rode |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Production company | Warner Bros. Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 30, 1986 |
| Related | |
Murder in Three Acts is a British-American made-for-television mystery film of 1986 produced by Warner Bros. Television, featuring Peter Ustinov as Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot. Directed by Gary Nelson,[1] it co-starred Jonathan Cecil as Hastings, Tony Curtis, and Emma Samms.
The film is based on Christie's book Three Act Tragedy (1934), published in the US under the title Murder in Three Acts. It was Ustinov's third and last portrayal of Poirot on television, and sixth overall including the feature films that preceded the TV movies.
Background
[edit]In 1974, Murder on the Orient Express was released, starring Albert Finney as Poirot. As Finney was unable to reprise his role for the sequel, Death on the Nile (1978), Peter Ustinov was cast in the part and reprised it for Evil under the Sun in 1982, Thirteen at Dinner (1985), Dead Man's Folly, and Murder in Three Acts (1986).[2]
Another screen adaptation in 1988, Appointment with Death, was Ustinov's last portrayal of the Belgian detective.[3]
Plot
[edit]Poirot joins his assistant Hastings in Acapulco, Mexico, where Hastings is staying. They go to a party at which the other guests include the writer Janet Crisp, the American actor Charles Cartwright, a clergyman called Babbington, Daisy Eastman and her daughter Egg, Dr Strange, and Ricardo Montoya. Babbington dies of poisoning, then Strange is poisoned, too, and Poirot hunts the murderer.
The main change from the original story is the relocation of the action from London to Acapulco. In the book, Poirot's assistant is Satterthwaite, replacing Hastings, but in the film Hastings is reinstated in his usual role. Christie's English theatrical actor Sir Charles Cartwright turns into Charles Cartwright, an American movie star.
A version made in 2010 in the Poirot series starring David Suchet restored the title "Three Act Tragedy", as well as reinstating Sir Charles Cartwright (played by Martin Shaw) as an English stage actor.
Cast
[edit]The cast consisted of:[4]
- Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot
- Jonathan Cecil as Captain Arthur Hastings
- Tony Curtis as Charles Cartwright
- Emma Samms as Jennifer "Egg" Eastman
- Dana Elcar as Dr Strange
- Lisa Eichhorn as Cynthia Dayton
- Nicholas Pryor as Freddie Dayton
- Fernando Allende as Ricardo Montoya
- Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. as Colonel Mateo
- Frances Lee McCain as Miss Milray
- Marian Mercer as Daisy Eastman
- Diana Muldaur as Angela Stafford
- Concetta Tomei as Janet Crisp
- Philip Guilmant as Rev. Mr Babbington
- Jacqueline Evans as Mrs Babbington
- Martin LaSalle as Doctor
- Alma Levy as Nurse
- Julio Monterde as Manager
References
[edit]- ^ "Murder in Three Acts". TCM database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ J. C. Bernthal, Agatha Christie: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (2022), p. 398
- ^ "Peter Ustinov" in Steven H. Gale, ed., Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese (1996), p. 1161
- ^ Matthew Bunson, The Complete Christie: An Agatha Christie Encyclopedia (2000), p. 413
External links
[edit]- Murder in Three Acts at IMDb
- Murder in Three Acts at the TCM Movie Database
- Murder in Three Acts at AllMovie
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