My reason for watching this Agatha Christie film is probably pretty unusual. I am NOT a huge fan of her stories but instead watched it simply because Olivia de Havilland was in the movie. Considering what a fan I am of this wonderful actress, it's not surprising I'd see "Murder is Easy".
The film focuses on events that happen to an American professor and computer expert (Bill Bixby) on his visit to the UK. Soon after seeing an old friend, the friend is killed in a suspicious accident--and you know it COULDN'T have been an accident since it IS a mystery film! And, given the title of the film, you know they won't stop at just one! So, Bixby decides to investigate the crimes--after all, he IS a professor (now THAT's movie logic for you)! What follows is an amazingly ordinary film--with mostly second-rate actors (though Lesley Anne-Down was gorgeous), some serious logical errors and a mystery that never was all that involving. Helen Hayes (who played in some excellent Christie films) only makes a token appearance--so don't look for her to reprise her Miss Marple or have an active role in the movie despite her appearing at the beginning. Worth seeing if you are a die-hard Agatha Christie fan but otherwise very easy to skip--even if you adore Miss de Havilland.
Here are a few stupid portions of the movie that made me laugh. A doctor tasted the white powder found next to body of dead woman to find out what it was!! What if it were laced with strychnine or arsenic?! What doctor would do this?! What a dumb scene! Also, the film was obviously written by someone with a very limited understanding of computers. You can't rely on a computer to solve a crime, as the computer is only as good as its programming. If you could program in all the possibilities and variables (which isn't possible), then you'd know the killer already--and such a program would take an eternity to create. Unless, of course, it was a very, very simple murder and the evidence was obvious. And finally, when one person is pretty sure they know who the murderer is, do they go to the police? Nope--instead they go to the killer's house to confront them...alone!! What follows is a hilarious cat-fight between a 28 year-old and a 68 year-old that is too dumb to be believed! And, when help arrives, the scene gets even funnier! You have to see this to believe it!
Finally, while you won't believe it, Bixby and Timothy West (who play romantic rivals) are just about the same exact age in the movie--though they appear at least 10 years apart.
The film focuses on events that happen to an American professor and computer expert (Bill Bixby) on his visit to the UK. Soon after seeing an old friend, the friend is killed in a suspicious accident--and you know it COULDN'T have been an accident since it IS a mystery film! And, given the title of the film, you know they won't stop at just one! So, Bixby decides to investigate the crimes--after all, he IS a professor (now THAT's movie logic for you)! What follows is an amazingly ordinary film--with mostly second-rate actors (though Lesley Anne-Down was gorgeous), some serious logical errors and a mystery that never was all that involving. Helen Hayes (who played in some excellent Christie films) only makes a token appearance--so don't look for her to reprise her Miss Marple or have an active role in the movie despite her appearing at the beginning. Worth seeing if you are a die-hard Agatha Christie fan but otherwise very easy to skip--even if you adore Miss de Havilland.
Here are a few stupid portions of the movie that made me laugh. A doctor tasted the white powder found next to body of dead woman to find out what it was!! What if it were laced with strychnine or arsenic?! What doctor would do this?! What a dumb scene! Also, the film was obviously written by someone with a very limited understanding of computers. You can't rely on a computer to solve a crime, as the computer is only as good as its programming. If you could program in all the possibilities and variables (which isn't possible), then you'd know the killer already--and such a program would take an eternity to create. Unless, of course, it was a very, very simple murder and the evidence was obvious. And finally, when one person is pretty sure they know who the murderer is, do they go to the police? Nope--instead they go to the killer's house to confront them...alone!! What follows is a hilarious cat-fight between a 28 year-old and a 68 year-old that is too dumb to be believed! And, when help arrives, the scene gets even funnier! You have to see this to believe it!
Finally, while you won't believe it, Bixby and Timothy West (who play romantic rivals) are just about the same exact age in the movie--though they appear at least 10 years apart.