The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie

I enjoyed the impeccably tailored Rufus Sewell but thought the plot was non-existent, at present just a series of mysterious incidents happening to far too many very mysterious over-acting characters on leave from the Wicker Man. (Why did the peroxide blonde flick ash over the vol-au-vents?)
I was trying hard to think if we dressed like that in 1960, but as my main outfit was school uniform then I can't remember.

I think RS is very dishy, its the eyes of course and the voice. He was gorgeous in Victoria, such a gallant gentleman.

No, apparently it is set in Bisley which is in Surrey!

Rita Tushingham still has those beautiful eyes( not surprising I suppose.) I was also surprised by the Cotswolds in Surrey. Is it Lackocks in Wiltshire again? I will Google it. We enjoyed it for its own sake.

Thanks NanKate, she looked so familiar but I couldn’t place her! RS is perfectly cast.

I enjoyed it, but afterwards DH asked “What was all that about?”!

Did you all recognise Rita Tushingham as one of the witches ?

No, half Australian, half English
Perhaps half posh!

English I think Callistemon and rather ordinary ...
Pale Horse was a bit the same.

Posh?
He's Australian, isn't he?

I m with you monica I don’t get the attractions just a middle aged posh bloke

M0nica yes I have rather gone off him.

kitty he's all yours!!

I’ve just watched it and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially RS who IMO is rather good looking, well dressed and rather dishy, but I know my friend Kitty is first in the queue ?

I think it is too spooky for you Kitty ?

Well several people have

Is everyone hyperventilating over RS? Slight exaggeration there MOnica

Why is everyone hyperventilating over Rupert Sewell? He was handsome, in a Byronic fashion, in his youth, now he is just very ordinary looking. He is getting very florid as well.

I don't think that playwrights are hiding behind anything. if the ending is the same as the AC one (ie the reasons behind what is happening and how it happens) then it would be plagiarism to copy them. This is an adaptation, and doesn't pretend to be anything else.

I enjoyed it, FWIW, and will look forward to the next episode.

What is not clear to me, though, is how the names on the list can be identified as particular people. Some of them are very distinctive, but others could be anyone. I know that is probably the least of the improbabilities, but I managed to suspend disbelief of the others, yet that one rankled for some reason .

When I watched Granchester with JN I used to play ‘spot the excuse for a shirt change’ eg torrential rain, blood, vomit . I then enjoyed the shirt change.

I did wonder when I was watching how any times Rufus Sewell could change his shirt and how many GNers were lusting after him when he did it. Haven't read the book It seems just a harmless bit of hokum. But I love the fashions. And it's nice to see Rita Tushingham again.

It held my attention, which is an achievement at that time of night, never read the book so it’s all new.
If a book is made into a film or TV, or vice versa I will never watch / read as well, because a film is always very different

So many basic changes from the book. Mark Easterbrook was single and going out with a high brow intellectual. There were no dead wives or lovers. He witnessed Thomasina Tucker getting into a row in a cafe and later recognised the name when he saw her death in the paper.

The list of names was found in the shoe of a priest and a key witness was a fussy effeminate chemist who seems to have been replaced in this version.

Also Mark's name didn't appear on the list.

Why bother calling it an Agatha Christie adaptation? Sarah Phelps has obviously messed around with the murderer as well.

It's a totally different story with several key characters missing or totally changed.

Thank goodness it is only in two parts, I don't think I could stick with more.

Over the years I’ve e joyed all the AC adaptations on TV. They’ve often been on Sunday evenings and are firmly in my category of Good stylish Sunday Evening Non Challenging TV
It’s years since I actually read her and I didn’t read everything. Anyway, the point is, I can’t remember much. What I think is true though is that the various adaptations have made for far more nuanced and interesting character developments than the books ever did.
I thought Pale Horse ticked all the boxes last night apart from the ridiculous use of the Cotswolds for Surrey. Really silly.
Her works are still in copyright by the way ( until 70 years after her death). Her family own 36% and the rest has been bought and sold by various companies over the years. In 2014 the latest corporate owner sold the exclusive TV rights to the BBC of the works they own. So I guess they can do what they want with them as long as long as they make money.

You’re welcome kitty all yours, he doesn’t float my boat

Er, I'd just like to say that it is an established fact that Rufus Sewell ins MINE!

Haven't watched it yet and this thread hasn't helped the decision!

Who saw The Pale Horse last night? I found it spooky and didn’t really enjoy it. I will watch the final episode next week to try to get to grips with it.