Crooked House

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.

Good plot and excellent acting. Love Agatha Christie.

It's an Agatha Christie closed house murder mystery, with good production values and a really decent British cast. And because it's an Agatha Christie, virtually everyone is a suspect on the Leonides estate, a grand country home somewhere in England. Well, everyone except Charles Hayward, a private detective who was once romantically involved with Sophia Leonides, the granddaughter of the first murder victim. He has only a couple of days to sort out the mess before Scotland Yard descends on the house...As the title implies, the extended family and the service staff have complicated relationships, well seasoned by envy, jealousy, hate, loathing, and contempt, among other strong emotions. Charles Hayward will do his best to make sense of a complicated family, including his relationship with Sophia. As he closes in on the truth, he may become a target himself. Recommended as decent entertainment.

I admit I haven't read many of Agatha Christie's books, but I have always loved the movies or shows based off of them! I love who done its and mysteries and thrillers, and trying to figure out who did it! This was to me, as a person who hasn't read the books Crooked House, was very well done, very much what I would expect from Agatha Christie! The acting was superb, and I really didn't see the ending coming, usually in murder mysteries its kind of obvious, but not with Agatha Christie's! I love Glen Close, and when she first spoke I didn't even notice that she was speaking with a British accent, because she did it so well, it seemed natural! Most America actress/actors go overboard trying to sound British, which make it sound fake! The only bad thing in the movie, was Gillian Anderson's horrible black wig, it was obvious, and every time she was shown, all I could see was that wig,lol! But that wasn't her fault, that was who ever picked it out and put it on her! it may have been better if she had died her hair black for the role, rather use a bad wig! But everything else was fine! So if you like Agatha Christie or murder mysteries set back before 1960, in this case late 1950's, then you should like this! Now off to watch more Agatha Christie movies and show's on here,lol!

"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.

good movie

Yes, this has a stage theatrical "feel" about it, and yes, it is a bit melodramatic, but hey, this is the great Agatha Christie we're dealing with. She was, without any reservations, one of the premiere murder mystery writers of any time. As an actress, I've performed on stage in her own adapted version of "And Then There Were Nine", and comparing the two stories, this one uses much the same structure, with multiple suspects, in an old house, wealthy deceased man who serves as a main character, and so on. But it just works. Now, to the cast...without Glenn Close, this might not have worked, but she was the glue that held this cast together. The young couple could have been played by anyone who could walk and talk, but the young girl with dreams of ballet in her future, and her Aunt were the highlights of the cast. I will give a nod of the head to Gillian Anderson, but she basically was pulling out the same schtick she used for Miss Havisham in Dicken's Great Expectations, filmed in 2011. She's still very good at playing these weirdo ladies. Great black wig, too. Although this little film won't ever make it big, it's well worth queuing up on a rainy afternoon, and getting lost in the world of the Brit uber-wealthy. I might even watch it again!

Agatha Christie told interviewers and wrote herself that Crooked House was her favorite mystery novel. It is disappointing then that this film version of her much loved mystery is not on a par with many of her other novels made for the screen such as Murder on the Orient Express, And Then Were None, and Death on the Nile. The action unfolds slowly and a number of the performers seem to play their roles over the top. There is a high volume of screaming going on in the house that does seem to be an architect's nightmare. The two murders in the classic plot also seem secondary to the hatred and intrigue among the family members. The family is dysfunctional in the extreme. The ending is a shocker, but does seem obvious before the final minutes. It is a shame such a fine novel remains so very superior to its movie adaptation.

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.

bellissimo fil non mi stanco di rivederlo aparte la splendida casa vittoriana in cui è girato!

Good viewing of a modern take on Agatha Christie

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

This movie was amazing!! And well shot - with an excellent cast - and BEAUTIFUL locations. It was well acted, well told, and kept you guessing to the very end! This movie really slid under the radar as this film was released the same year as another big budget Agatha Christie adaptation - Murder on the Orient Express. I love a good mystery and Crooked House delivers!! I am ALWAYS amazed at what comes out of Agatha's mind. It's pioneers like Agatha that influence pop culture. Would I recommend this movie? YES!!! If you love a good mystery and adore a good old fashioned murder mystery in a mansion - then this movie is for you!The blu ray was shipped quickly and safely - and it works (playable) - so no issues there.