Change Your Image
runsfast2002
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Gunsmoke: The Cabin (1958)
Haunting
Ever since I saw Patricia Barry simper her way around in an episode of Perry Mason, she's annoyed me (I guess that shows her effectiveness). But after seeing her in this role, I can't imagine anyone else playing Belle. Her face contorts with emotion as she breaks down after the villains are dead, but it's not overdone, her relief is palpable.
The next morning there's a subtle, yet definite hardness that's settled over her. You feel the tension and awkwardness between Matt and Belle as they make small talk while drinking coffee. She knows he knows what the outlaws did to her, but it's the elephant in the room. And then as he realizes her determination to go through with her plan, there's a growing sense of his helplessness to change her mind. It's as if she can't wait to start making bad memories in order to forget what happened at the cabin. Matt's final look of horror mixed with sadness after she tells him to look her up some time is brilliant. As often as Matt went to Hays, I wish there had been a follow-up episode so we knew what happened to Belle.
Gunsmoke: Long, Long Trail (1961)
One Flaw
Kathleen Hite is one of my favorite Gunsmoke writers, and, in my humble opinion, after she and John Meston left, the series lost a certain spark. Long, Long Trail makes great use of the longer format, which began with the seventh season, with never a padded moment or unnecessary scene. Barbara Lord is excellent as the slightly haughty yet likable Sarah Drew. As the episode progresses, she changes from a woman intent only on her own wishes to one who puts others first. I do question the insertion, and necessity, of the romantic overtones that grow stronger as the ending nears. As for a lack of emotion on the part of Matt near the last scene commented on by another reviewer, I see his point and yet, so many emotions chase across Matt's face as he looks around him: loss, grief, futility, questioning, a dawning of understanding, all are there in brief glimpses. It's certainly not a firestorm of emotion, as when he is angry, but a far subtler performance and one that fits the character's stoic temperament.
Now for the one flaw, which is pointed out by others, the complete absence of Miss Kitty. It doesn't feel right for Matt and Sarah to be eating dinner together without even a mention of Kitty. If only there'd been a reference to her taking a trip or some other excuse for her to be away from Dodge. And, of course, if she'd taken a stage ride somewhere, that would set up the next week's episode nicely as any fan of Gunsmoke knows that Kitty and stage travel are bound to lead to calamity.
Gunsmoke: Miss Kitty (1961)
Unanswered Question
Any episode featuring Amanda Blake is sure to highlight Miss Kitty's strength of character and resilience, and that is the case here. My only issue with the episode is the unanswered question hanging over the ending like a veil. Kitty seems honest in her explanation to Mattie and Horace about Thad's backstory, so why doesn't she tell Matt? It's clear by his expression as he watches Kitty and Thad walk hand in hand that he has a different idea about Thad's parentage than the one Kitty reveals. She too seems to be hiding something from him, and yet she's never deceived him or her other friends before. Did she lie to Mattie and Horace? With a resolution of this question, the episode would certainly be a classic of the series. It's still a great story, but frustratingly so.
Alleyn Mysteries: Hand in Glove (1994)
Well Done
Having just read the book, I decided to re-watch this episode. It's interesting how well the added subplot of Troy's forged paintings fits into the narrative. The unspeakable Leonard is involved in the art world, or so he says, and there's young Andrew who's keen to paint, so what could be more natural? The pacing in Marsh's books must have been a challenge to the writers; half to two-thirds of the books is character development and the last bit is Alleyn showing up and the action starts. Maybe that's why some of the licenses taken with her works haven't bothered me as much as those taken with Christie's work, although Andrew being obsessed with Troy was a bit hard to believe. On the other hand, I enjoyed the original ending and summation (some of the loose ends were handled better in the book and the ending was happier). Although, neither the book nor the episode explained what Moppet and Leonard were referring to when they said "that takes care of Mr. Harold Cartell." And it would have made much more sense if Leonard had been conked instead of Andrew. After all, he is exactly the type of man Connie rants against. The supporting cast was superb - Moira Redmond as the eccentric Desiree Dodds was wonderful and Barbara Jefford as Connie was perfect. At the end as she replays her actions in her mind, you can see the sanity return to her face. And Bimbo was a much more likable character in this adaptation. I found myself wanting to throw something at him as I read the book. It was also fun to see the exchanges between Alleyn and the art dealers, with one of them resembling a greedy badger. Troy has a much more important role in this and it's always nice to have her and Alleyn in a scene. Overall, worth the watch.
Alleyn Mysteries: Death at the Bar (1993)
Rats, and Darts, and Suspects, Oh My!
I watched this episode several times before reading the book and, as always, I'm amazed at how well the screenplay did in keeping the essence of Marsh's writing while refining certain points to work better on the screen. For the most part, the changes work quite well: the use of the collection box as the hiding place for the poisoned iodine and the catching of Legge red-handed, so to speak, at the end were most satisfactory. The use of flashbacks was also effective because otherwise there would have been a lot of dialogue describing what happened instead of actually showing the viewer what took place
There were also some changes I didn't understand, the biggest one being the broadly hinted at relationship between Norman and Sebastian. In the book, Norman proposes to Decima! Other changes are minor but also puzzling: the name of the town is changed, Miss Duffy and Mr. Legge both have different monikers, and in the book Decima is the daughter of a farmer and Will is the son of the innkeeper.
There were also a few scenes I wish had been included: seeing Alleyn swarm his way under the jetty to eavesdrop on Duffy and Legge as well as him blaring away at a placid Fox after Fox refuses to rest after being poisoned would have been quite entertaining, but I can understand why they were changed. Another thing to note is the camera-work. Even the scene shot in the hospital hallway makes a masterful use of the streaming light. The scenes in the village are even better. If there weren't so many rats around, it would be a great place to visit! Definitely worth watching.
Alleyn Mysteries: The Nursing Home Murder (1993)
A Good Adaptation
I recently read this book and wanted to write something about it while the details were still fresh. On the whole, this episode is quite faithful to the novel. The casting, with one exception, was superb and, as I read the book, it was easy to visualize Anna Massey as the batty sister or Judy Parfitt as the Ice Queen wife. I do think Sir Derek was miscast. It was difficult believing a beautiful young woman (who's name for some reason changes from Harden to Harben) would really fall so hard for a portly gray haired man. In the book, he's middle aged but handsome with nary a gray hair to be seen. A few other differences: a subplot involving Palestine takes the place of the Communist brotherhood, and Roberts goes from being a mad serial killer intent on wiping out any genetically defective patient he finds before him on the operating table, to one who is trying to save the world by killing a man he sees as a war-mongering politician. In my humble opinion, the book's solution made more sense. Nurse Banks is also more sympathetically portrayed in this adaptation than in the novel (although, in the book she makes it out alive). Malahide and Simons are, as always, superb.
I've read about three novels that these eight episodes are based on and overall, the adapters did a a very good job of staying true to the novel. Much better, for instance, than those who did the later episodes of Poirot, which were absolutely cringe worthy. After reading Hand in Glove and Final Curtain, I felt as if the screenwriters had actually (gasp!) read the original books.
One other small note. When Fox and Alleyn are discussing having to let a suspect go, Malahide seems to resurrect his character Mr. Jingle as he assesses the situation; all that was missing was the "very." A few moments later, PC Perkins sounds very much like Sam Weller (both of The Pickwick Papers).
Alleyn Mysteries (1990)
It's a shame so few were made.
After watching the eight episodes made with Patrick Malahide, I began re-reading Ngaio Marsh's books. I discovered her as a teenager, probably around the time this series aired, but never had an inclination to read them again. And after watching this series I know why. Marsh's description of Alleyn was so nebulous- basically tall, dark, thin, and handsome with a fastidious face in one instance or a monkish one in the other. He's a dapper silhouette, complete with hat and an excellently cut suit, but still a shadowy figure. Troy and Fox were easy to visualize, in fact apart from Belinda Lang's longer hair and William Simons' lack of a mustache, they are exactly as I pictured them, but Alleyn remained elusive. After seeing Malahide as Alleyn, it's so much easier to read the books because Malahide gives Alleyn a face and voice. I must admit I wasn't thrilled with Simon Williams' performance of Alleyn in the first episode. At times he had the "Handsome Alleyn" look, but that's about all.
The episodes take liberties with some of Marsh's plots (Troy wasn't in A Man Lay Dead, subplots are added or changed), but overall very well done and worth a watch (or two or three). Of course, this is not your more current type of entertainment where the scenes shift constantly to keep up with an audience that has an attention span of 30 seconds. Characters and plots develop at a more leisurely pace, rather like a train ride through the English countryside, but never to the point where one feels the writers were padding the script to fill the time slot. Malahide, Simons, and Lang have wonderful chemistry in their scenes together, and the supporting actors are top notch.
Law & Order: Old Friends (1994)
A Mostly Solid Episode
Ben Stone was, for me, hands down the best ADA of this series. Michael Moriarty could act with his fingernails. That being said, there are some character inconsistencies in this episode that must reflect Moriarty's departure from the show. As another reviewer pointed out, it would have made more sense if he left at the end of Sanctuary, when he's forced to compromise and not retry a guilty man after the trial ended with a hung jury.
True, Stone would have felt tremendous guilt at someone being shot as a result of testimony he forced them to give, but would the Ben Stone of seasons 1 through 3 have gone after a witness who committed perjury because they were in fear for their life? In Wedded Bliss, he runs up against a similar situation where a woman won't testify against her husband because she's afraid of him. Stone doesn't pursue any perjury charges - even though he could (the difference could be in that instance that he had multiple defendants and had the option of trying to turn one of them, but still).
As for the last scene between Ben and Adam, the respect and regard the men had for each other is evident. In a 1996 online interview with the NY Daily News, Hill states they had a close relationship and that the scene was difficult to do because of their emotions. Ben putting his hand on the back of Adam's head and squeezing his arm is probably as close as those two characters would ever get to a hug. Overall, this is another fine episode, I just wish Stone had hung around for a few more years (like about 16).
Poirot: Appointment with Death (2008)
The best part is the music
I watched this to see if it was as bad as most of the reviewers have said, and yes, it is. The only resemblance to the book is that a few of the characters have the same names, it takes place in the Middle East, and Mrs. Boynton is extremely cruel. Any other resemblance to Agatha Christie's wonderful novel is purely coincidental. There are new characters and subplots and characters that were in the book have been eliminated. The music, however, is haunting and compelling. Too bad this adaptation was neither. I'm a huge fan of David Suchet as Poirot and some of the adaptations have been wonderful, but even he could not rescue this script. The last scene between Poirot and Jinny was touching but can't make up for the previous hour and a half and 30 seconds. Now I must go read the book to get these images out of my head. Update: After re-reading the book, which is one of my favorites, I think it's fair to say that at least the adapters were familiar with their source material. There is a mention of a pregnant maid being turned out of the house by Mrs. Boynton and, in her ravings, Ginevra thinks she is going to be kidnapped, but to recreate the entire story based on two very minor plot points is unfathomable. Stick with the book.
Poirot: Five Little Pigs (2003)
Very good adaptation with a few additions
I watched this episode as I was reading the book for the umpteenth time. In many ways it is remarkably faithful to the book, at times taking scenes and dialogue straight from the pages. It's times like this, when an adaptation is so faithful, that it makes any variance seem either unnecessary or puzzling. For instance, in the book "Lucy" is named Carla, Caroline Crale dies in prison but is not executed, Elsa is 20 instead of 18, the events happened 16 years ago instead of 14, and Philip Blake was in love with Caroline, not Amyas, when he was young and hated her because she did not return his love. There is also an extra scene at the end where Lucy confronts the real killer with a gun but, as another reader pointed out, this is more of a tense psychological moment that works here but would have seemed over-dramatic in the book. All the characters were very much how I pictured them, and David Suchet was wonderful as usual. All in all, a very enjoyable episode with some puzzling variations.
Midsomer Murders: Second Sight (2005)
No second sight needed for this one.
If you've seen more than a dozen episodes of Midsomer, you'll know who the killer is as soon as you see the vicar on the green. In Midsomer, the majority of the vicars are either mad, murderous, or both. At least Emma and Ben Kirby, who go to church, are portrayed as normal.
The main plot has to do with two families in a village, one which has the "gift" of second sight and the other that does not and the efforts by some of the non second sighters to study those who have it. Why it's just the Kirby family that's highlighted as not having second sight and none of the other families in the village isn't made clear. Does the village really just consist of two families?
There are hints now and again of a good story, but it takes more than hints to make a good mystery and this one isn't anywhere close. The motive doesn't make any sense, there is no way the first death could have happened as shown in the flashback, and what did rewiring the chair have to do with anything? I'm a huge fan of this show, but this episode doesn't deserve a second glance.
Midsomer Murders: Blue Herrings (2000)
Red (and blue) herrings abound
As some of the others have commented, this is also one of my favorite episodes. The plot involves rumors of fraud at a nursing home where Barnaby's aunt (Phyllis Calvert) is temporarily convalescing. Are residents being coerced into changing their wills in favor of the home and then being bumped off or not? The viewer does have to pay attention to keep track of all the threads, but at the end everything is sorted out.
There were several interesting things of note in this episode. First, whatever filming technique was used, the result is a gray gloom cast over the interior of the nursing home that creates an atmosphere of finality and loneliness. The scene with Barnaby and Phyllis Calvert in the rose garden is charming and the bright pink of the flowers highlights the gloom of the other scenes to lend to the idea that while the residents are cared for and happy they also feel forgotten and useless. Or, as Nigel Davenport puts it, invisible. One of the sweetest scenes is that of the nurses dancing with the residents to big band music, and Nigel Davenport having one last ride in a sports car was priceless. There may not be enough action for some, but I enjoyed the departure from the more normal (if such a word exists in Midsomer) murders.
Midsomer Murders (1997)
Midsomer Madness
Ah, beautiful Midsomer County where there's always a full moon, no one locks their doors, and the words "what are you doing here?" are never uttered without deadly results.
After watching my first episode, The Silent Lands, I thought, "well that was a strange motive, better watch another one." After a few episodes I realized that was part of the charm, so sit back and relax and learn to watch this show through the Midsomer prism to avoid thinking too hard about crazy motives or wonderfully eccentric characters. The scenery is beautiful, the actors are wonderful (John Nettles is a now a favorite), and the subtle humor between Barnaby and his family and co-workers softens the sinister edges of spooky houses, silent woods, and things that go bump in the night. Something else I've noticed about this show that sets it apart from anything I've seen in the U.S is that most of the people in each episode are refreshingly normal looking. The screen isn't filled with hunks and gorgeous women, but for the most part people who look like anyone you'd see on a trip to the store. For some reason, I have found that very refreshing.
Things to keep in mind for family viewing: most of the murders are not too gory, obscenity is at a minimum, the word "monogamy" is practically non-existent in Midsomer and seeing practically everyone in the show running around with their next door neighbor is a bit over the top. The show also makes anyone with religious leanings out to be certifiable. Perhaps this is meant to be tongue in cheek, as most things are in this show, because in one episode an obviously deranged killer says religion is a mental disease. Whether that's meant to be ironic or not, be prepared for some derision of all things spiritual.
Overall, this show will make you want to pack your bags and visit beautiful England, just watch your back and never answer the door with "oh, it's you."