Murder in Three Acts (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Gary Nelson

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Scott Swanton (teleplay)

Release Date:

30 September 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Hercule Poirot's assistant, Hastings, calls him down to Acapulco in Mexico where he can write his memoirs...

Plot Keywords:

Poisoning | Hercule Poirot | Mexico | Intrigue | Private Detective

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Peter Ustinov	...	Hercule Poirot
Tony Curtis	...	Charles Cartwright
Emma Samms	...	Egg
Jonathan Cecil	...	Hastings
Fernando Allende	...	Ricardo Montoya
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Col. Mateo (as Pedro Armendariz)
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Cynthia Dayton
Dana Elcar	...	Dr. Strange
Frances Lee McCain	...	Miss Milray
Marian Mercer	...	Daisy Eastman
Diana Muldaur	...	Angela Stafford
Nicholas Pryor	...	Freddie Dayton
Concetta Tomei	...	Janet Crisp
Jacqueline Evans	...	Mrs. Babbington
Ángeles González	...	Housekeeper (as Angeles Gonzalez)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Murder in Three Acts (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The first murdered victim is named "Stephen Babbington". However, when Mrs Eastman is talking with Mrs. Dacres in Mrs. Dacres' shop, he is referred to as "Richard".

Movie Connections:

Follows Thirteen at Dinner (1985) (TV)

If you had cast Angela Lansbury in this movie................

........it could have passed as an episode of "Murder She Wrote" in the 80's. They could have made the movie with her in the lead and it would have played just Murder She wrote. Jessica solved mysteries sort of like Poirot does here and this movie was populated with B-movie TV stars like most of the Jessica Fletcher eps. Marian Mercer-Frances Lee McCain-Diana Muldaur and Dana Elcar.

What was the point of trying to update Poirot to the 80's? Were Agatha Christie's stories not elegant and well written enough that a movie could have been made of the original story instead of set in the 80's.

Tony Curtis? What a bad acting job--although I'm not sure he was really ever any better than this--sort of hamming it up as he did in most of his roles. Sorry, Tony. I'm sure you're a nice guy.

The only saving grace was watching Peter Ustinov do his thing--but sadly, doesn't make the worth watching. Good thing I got it from my local library and it didn't cost me any money.