Crooked House [DVD]

Really enjoyed this movie! Glad I purchased it!

The saying goes, 'a picture is worth a thousand words', but this is not true when adapting an Agatha Christie novel, for much is lost in the translation to the screen. The heart and soul, the confluence of ideas and words are hers, and their majesty defies derivative interpretation. That being true, the film Crooked House is a uniquely clever adaptation. Crooked House, by Agatha Christie, published in 1949, takes place in and near London in the autumn of 1947. Because of the war, the whole family lives together under wealthy patriarch Aristide Leonides in a sumptuous but ill-proportioned house called "Three Gables"; hence, the Crooked House of the film's title. The film's story makes several logical changes for convenience, but they are not concerning. The story is complex, the 'red herrings' convincingly captivating, and the intrigue subtle. The acting is masterful and convincing, and the settings and scenery are realistic. You will not guess the ending. Like a good book you cannot put down, this is a movie that will hold your interest beyond its ending. Something to talk about.

This movie was okay. I think they spent more time on humor than content.

Very enjoyable for fans

"Crooked House" is a television adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel of the same name made in 2017. The storyline is largely faithful to the book and the 1 hour 55-minute movie features an impressive cast. In the late 1950s, Sophia Leonides (Stefanie Martini), eldest grandchild of the late business tycoon Aristide Leonides, visits the private detective agency of Charles Hayward (Max Irons). Sophia met Charles in Cairo 18 months before and they parted on terms not entirely friendly. But now her grandfather is dead and Sophia suspects murder. She implores Charles to visit the family home to investigate. Charles is hesitant to become involved with Sophia again, but his secretary convinces him that he "can't afford to refuse this job" and DCI Taverner (Terrence Stamp) of Scotland Yard encourages the investigation. So Charles is off to the Leonides' palatial family home where children, grandchildren, and in-laws lived under the heavy hand of Aristide Leonides.The screenwriters, of which Julian Fellowes is one, wisely remained faithful to Agatha Christie's novel on the major points. Some minor adjustments have been made: The story takes place a decade later than Christie's book, perhaps to adopt a more modern sensibility. Charles' father is not living in the movie; instead, the Scotland Yard officer concerned with the case is DCI Taverner. This seems like an inconsequential change, but Taverner's manner is very unlike a mid-twentieth century police detective. Something is off there, but he thankfully has little screen time. The most meaningful change is that Charles and Sophia's relationship is strained in the movie, whereas they are engaged in the book. This was clearly done to enhance the drama surrounding Charles' investigation by introducing friction between the two characters. That's fine, but the cloak-and-dagger stuff and flashbacks to Cairo are out of sync with the rest of the plot. They are awkward filler material.The mystery, itself, is fun because every person in the Leonides household had motive, means, and opportunity to kill the old man. The audience is kept guessing in the same way that Charles is. I enjoyed Glenn Close's performance especially as Lady Edith de Haviland, the clever, willful sister of Aristide's late first wife who came to live in the family home in order to raise her sister's two children, now grown. Young Honor Kneafsey also deserves credit for her perfect interpretation of 12-year-old Josephine Leonides, Sophia's sister and Aristide's youngest grandchild, a nosy, impudent child who fancies herself a detective as well. Unfortunately, Max Irons is nondescript as our detective and protagonist. Interior scenes tend to be extremely dark, as if electricity or, indeed, windows had not yet been discovered. No one can see anything. I cannot fathom this particular fashion in filmmaking. Overall, "Crooked House" is an entertaining, though imperfect, adaptation.

This movie is not only a delight for the eyes, beautifully and masterfully designed and shot, but also an experience to be felt. The house is indeed Crooked!

Not a bad mystery involving a family with aTroubled past. It develops with everyone having a reason for killing the father/grandfather that built the family legacy. Worth checking out.

Love these mystery movies! This is a good one!

Je sais que le film est très bon mais vendeur américain et donc impossible de lire le DVD.

von Agatha-Christie-Verfilmungen.Jede Komponente ihrer Krimimuster wird hier in Vollkommmenheit übertragen: eine kleine Horde von gutgestellten Reichen der sehr englischen Gesellschaft, mit allen Macken, die typische Christie-Figuren beleben, trauert nicht im Geringsten um den vergifteten Patriarch. Blasiert, neurotisch, weltabgehoben, verletzbar, grantig, eifersüchtig, aber auch sehnsüchtig und sinlich prallen sie aufeinander, gehen sie sich erfolglos aus dem Weg, schieben sie Schuld anderen zu, treiben sie das Wer-war-es-Spiel auf die Spitze.Der ermittelnde Detektiv kommt unfreiwillig zu dieser Aufgabe. Die von einer früheren Beziehung her bekannte Enkelin des Ermordeten fordert ihn dazu auf. Er muss erst die Abneigung aller Bewohner des großen Herrensitzes überwinden. Dabei wird er zunehmend mutiger und frecher, er lässt sich nicht mehr abwimmeln.Die Einzige, die ihn unterstützt ist ebenfalls eine klassische Christie-Figur: eine selbstbewusste Frau, eben jene Enkelin des Ermordeten, ambivalent in ihren Äußerungen, verstrickt in Gefühlen zum Detektiven.Interieur, Kostüme, Ausstattung sind einfach umwerfend in der Farbigkeit, dem Einfallsreichtum, dem gediegenen Eindruck, den sie erreichen, sie sind mit größter Sorgfalt abgestimmt. Die Kamera fängt alles ohne Gezappel ein, jede Einstellung vermittelt die passende Stimmung. Die Schauplätze wechselnd dabei geschickt vom Büro des erfolglosen Detektiven, zu Polizeiräumen, zu Gemächern des großen Anwesens, auf Türmchen, Galerien, in einen Club mit Live-Rock-and-Roll-Musik (verfilmt wurde erstmals der letzte Roman Agatha Christies) und früherern Schauplätzen in Rückblenden.Jede Person des Esembles wird mit typisierender Psychologie in Szene gesetzt. Gesten, Ausdruck, Stimmen und Stimmungen werden so genussvoll ausgespielt, dass alleine dadurch für nicht einen Moment Langeweile aufkommt. Absolut jede einzelne Szene ist durchdacht, sinnvoll, dringt tiefer in die Charkterisierung der Handelnden ein oder treibt die Aufklärung des Verbrechens voran. Mir fällt kaum ein anderer Film ein, der auf einem so ausgefeiltem, schlackenreinen Drehbuch beruht.Natürlich haben praktisch alle Bewohner der weltentrückten und in großen Teilen gescheiterten Familie ein Mordmotiv. Die Auflösung ist wieder verblüffend, ein Happy-End wird untypischerweise versagt.Einen starken Eindruck macht auch die Musik. Wer ein Ohr dafür hat, wird merken, dass sie nicht einfach nur moderner ist, als in allen bekannten Verfilmungen von Christie-Romanen, sondern auch düsterer, psychologisch fundiert, klassischer Avantgarde zugeneigt ist.Eine Perle von Film.Wie immer, empfehle ich den englischen Originalton, die deutsche Synchronisation schien mir aber (damals im Kino) nicht so schlecht zu sein, wie man sie viel zu oft erdulden muss.

Tratto dal romanzo di Agatha Christie "E' un problema".Il ricco patriarca greco Aristides Leonides muore in circostanze molto misteriose e viene assoldato un investigatore privato, Charles Hayward, per fare luce sul mistero. E' chiaro che l'assassino è nella famiglia, ma bisogna agire in fretta prima che colpisca ancora.L'investigatore si ritrova ad indagare la vita di una famiglia dove i componenti sono pieni di odio, astio ed invidia gli uni per gli altri.Suspense garantita in pieno stile della regina del thriller, dove fino all'ultimo ognuno può essere il colpevole.Ottima l'interpretazione di tutto il cast con una ottima Glenn Close.Ottima la qualità del BD.

Good viewing of a modern take on Agatha Christie

The only reason I bought this movie is that this title from Agatha Christie had never been adapted to cinema before, and it is apparently the last novel she wrote. The reason it's not so good is the same as for all the other most recent adaptations, and that is, a lack of talent from everybody involved in the creation process. These adaptations are not to be mentioned in the same phrase as everything that has been done with POIROT, MISS MARPLE, and other various titles decades before. There is too much talking and too little suspense to maintain a great interest and say it's a great movie, which it is not. BUT, it was interesting to see what Agatha Christie had in mind for her last novel anyway!...