PBS Masterpiece Mystery broadcast Agatha Christie’s Three Act Tragedy (aka, Murder in Three Acts last weekend. Tomorrow, Masterpiece Mystery will present The Clocks, and Hallowe’en Party will be broadcast on July 3. A Miss Marple, The Pale Horse, will be broadcast on July 10. Three Act Tragedy centers around a relationship of a young woman, Egg, and a retired actor. A pastor dies under mysterious circumstances, then a well-known neurologist dies under similar circumstances. The butler disappears. Poirot untangles all the red herrings and feints to identify the murderer. Published in 1935, Three Act Tragedy shows Christie at the top of her game. GRADE: A
Missed the first one thanks to THE KILLING. Why are so many of the decent shows on Sunday nights.
I’m hoping that this season of Poirots will be a bit better than the last–what with all the incomprehensible changes to the storylines and Poirot fingering his rosary beads every five minutes. Oh well, anything would be better than an adaptation of THREE ACT TRAGEDY from about 30 years ago that featured Tony Curtis as the actor–I couldn’t get beyond his shorty-shorts. The stunning scenery (I think it was filmed in Acapulco) was about all it had going for it.
Patti, we find Sunday and Tuesday to be the nights with most shows we like and end up recording them to watch on the other nights of the week. Thankfully, basic cable channels tend to repeat shows later at night so we’re able to catch them even if several run opposite each other.
THREE ACT TRAGEDY was from the strongest decade of Christie’s career, George – the ‘thirties. THE CLOCKS was not. It was one of her late and, as I remember it, weaker Poirots.
Good luck with the knee operation, George. It should be well on the way to being done by now.
George. I am thinking about you and hoping for the speediest of recoveries.
Sunday is the night the networks are sure the most people will be home and watching television. I missed the last ne, but may see this one. Same here with the good luck on surgery, George.
George, likewise my best wishes for your speed recovery from the gender re-assignment surgery. Oh wait–it isn’t for that? Knee replacement? Well, best wishes for that, then.
Reports are that it went well and he’s already asking for his iPad.
And has read and reviewed five more books. Drongo-my first laugh of the day. Thanks!
While I was interested for awhile that the episode was photographed like a three act play, after a time it became quite wearisome. I would rate it a B-.
Patti, you’re more than welcome.