Agatha Christie- Social Realist

[poliphilo]

Our neighbour from the big house came round yesterday evening and wanted to know if my mother was entering any produce- flowers, fruit, jam- into competition at the village fete. Lee is American, married to Jeremy who is probably a banker, with two children at Oxford and a third at public school.

This evening our neighbour who lives in the cottage at the entrance to the big house's drive came by in her little car to take my mother to the W.I. meeting. The chairwoman's nephew- a policeman- is giving a talk. Mary is single, bustling and acerbic. I imagine no sparrow falls within a radius of a couple of miles without her knowing who pushed it.

Both these ladies are pillars of the local church.

Earlier this evening, the Moleman- a cheery cove- appeared unannounced at the living room's picture windows and said he was going to be laying his traps. He referred to my mother as "a game old bird".

I've just finished reading The Murder at the Vicarage. It may be over 80 years old but- apart from the disappearance of domestic servants and the fact that the vicar is now a woman- Agatha Christie's picture of village life in the Home Counties still rings true.

Comments

[artkouros.livejournal.com]

I love Agatha Christie! I guess everyone does.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There must be some who don't...

[resonant.livejournal.com]

"no sparrow falls within a radius of a couple of miles without her knowing who pushed it"

I like this.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I love the dramatization of Murder at the Vicarage with Joan Hickson. I imagine I'll like the book just as much when I finally get around to reading it. I finished Nemesis the other week.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The BBC keeps remaking the Marple stories. I don't see the necessity. They've had two actresses playing the role since Hickson died.

Murder at the Vicarage totally surprised me. I didn't come near guessing the solution.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

I loved the Hickson versions. A Murder Is Announced is particularly good.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I missed most of them, I'm afraid.

I am, however, a huge fan of David Suchet's Poirot.

[ooxc.livejournal.com]

I've enjoyed most of the Marples - several times - although it's slightly annoying when she is introduced into stories that she wasn't written into.
I keep trying to watch Poirot - I enjoy the stories and the filming, but I find Suchet intensely irritating - in ways that I don't think are intended. Was it david Kossoff who once played him? Anyway,it was a long time ago - his Poirot seemed irritating in the right way

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm very fond of Suchet's Poirot. The character has aged with him and has become wiser, sweeter, kinder, less annoying.

I don't remember Kossof in the role, but I can see he would have been well cast.