Just a few comments, rather than a full review.
TWFTP was not the sort of Agatha Christie that we're used to. It was darkly realistic, whereas with most of her books and films one knows that the plot just couldn't happen in real life and the final denouement stretches credibility.
Talking of darkness, comments elsewhere criticise the continuous gloom of the first episode. But the "atmosphere" was terrific, as was the acting, especially Toby Jones'. Andrea Riseborough was also effective, but perhaps a little old (at 35) to play Romaine; I would have liked to have seen a younger actress in the part.
Not having read the short story,I don't know how much the plot was stretched to fill two hours. There was a big jump from Leonard's first tryst with Emily to his appealing to her so much that she re-wrote her will in his favour. Perhaps the opening sequence of Leonard stumbling across the battlefield could have been trimmed and more time given to his developing relationship with Emily.
And one had to think hard during the murder scene - perhaps that was the intention? At first I wondered whether the two men were the murderers, though it transpired that they were policemen. (The scenes with the cat were very sinister and well done.)
TWFTP is the sort of drama that might merit a second viewing, to better appreciate some of the nuances.
I'm looking forward to tonight's concluding episode, though not with bated breath.
TWFTP was not the sort of Agatha Christie that we're used to. It was darkly realistic, whereas with most of her books and films one knows that the plot just couldn't happen in real life and the final denouement stretches credibility.
Talking of darkness, comments elsewhere criticise the continuous gloom of the first episode. But the "atmosphere" was terrific, as was the acting, especially Toby Jones'. Andrea Riseborough was also effective, but perhaps a little old (at 35) to play Romaine; I would have liked to have seen a younger actress in the part.
Not having read the short story,I don't know how much the plot was stretched to fill two hours. There was a big jump from Leonard's first tryst with Emily to his appealing to her so much that she re-wrote her will in his favour. Perhaps the opening sequence of Leonard stumbling across the battlefield could have been trimmed and more time given to his developing relationship with Emily.
And one had to think hard during the murder scene - perhaps that was the intention? At first I wondered whether the two men were the murderers, though it transpired that they were policemen. (The scenes with the cat were very sinister and well done.)
TWFTP is the sort of drama that might merit a second viewing, to better appreciate some of the nuances.
I'm looking forward to tonight's concluding episode, though not with bated breath.