| Agatha Christie's films? Not a bit of it |
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And another thing about Agatha Christie adaptations, ebook fan Thomas Dohling wrote from Delhi. The differences between the stories and films claiming to be based on the crime writer's stories are GLARING. Thomas's protests arrived in Munich where this week I'm being the avuncular visitor at the bedside of the very sweet Marie-Helene. She's in hospital for surgery on a leg, and in spite of just 14 years on the planet, is being very brave. Those who knew her dad, ace photographer John Rubython, won't be surprised by her courage. John was right in the forefront of the uprisings in South Africa, the struggle that brought Mandela onto the international stage. Very tragically, John died in a grapple with an intruder in the family flat. Marie-Helene, a very new human back then, lay in her cot in an adjoining room. You might remember Agatha Christie fan Thomas was writing about the admired writer. He's been indulging in a small mountain of what we would know as Agatha Christie films. Well, we should think again. The films are far removed from the lady herself. Thomas wrote, 'Just a short note to let you know about the differences I have encountered in the books and movies of Agatha Christie. Entirely different'They are glaring. It seems the movies have been based on certain ideas taken from the books and do not at all resemble the books themselves! Spoils the experience really. 'I could cite two examples - The Mystery of the Blue Train and The Third Girl. The books and the movies appear to be almost entirely different! Thomas says, 'Except for Poirot and some of the characters and a bit of the plots, they could be entirely different stories! 'I could also ask, "Why didn't they ask Evans? Are there scenes from China in the novel as shown in the movie?" Some have criticised the changes from the original made in the movie. 'Even the endings are different,' Thomas said. 'Poirot [Miss Marple] with different characters in the books vs the movies! The movies are not really Agatha Christie.' John and Melanie's daughter, the many friends in South Africa and Germany will be pleased to know, is recovering rapidly. |