Film Adaptations of Works of Agatha Christie – AALL Course
Dale Kennedy, An avid mystery reader! (and biologist—being a scientist is being a detective)
Thursdays, 2:00-4:00 pm. May 7, 14, 21, 28. Bohm Theatre. Class size unlimited. There is a $10 charge to help cover the cost of the theatre rental.
Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is the greatest mystery writer of all time. Her publications include 66 detective novels, 20 original plays, 153 short stories (compiled in 14 collections), and 13 plays adapted by her from several of her novels and short stories. She is the third best-selling author in the world, behind The Bible and the works of William Shakespeare, and is the most translated individual author (over 1 billon copies published in English and another billion in more than 100 languages). She authored the world’s best-selling mystery, And Then There Were None, published in 1939. Her play, The Mousetrap, opened in 1952 in London’s West End and continues to run today, the longest-running play ever. In London, it has had more than 30,000 performances and has been seen by more than 10 million people, who are sworn to secrecy not to reveal the play’s ending.
Christie’s first published book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920), introduced Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. She went on to publish 34 novels and many short stories featuring Poirot. In 1930, she published The Murder at the Vicarage, her first novel featuring Miss Jane Marple and the village of St. Mary Mead; Christie wrote 12 novels and many short stories featuring Miss Marple.
We will watch four films based on Christie’s work:
And Then There Were None (1945) – the first film adaptation of the world’s best-selling mystery. Based on a stage play adapted by Christie from her 1939 book. Directed by René Clair, the actors include Walter Huston and Barry Fitzgerald.
Murder, She Said (1961) – based on the 1957 book, 4.50 From Paddington. First film based on a Miss Marple novel. Directed by George Pollock, features Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, with Arthur Kennedy and Stringer Davis.
Murder on the Orient Express (1974) – based on the 1934 book of the same title. Features Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot and a star-studded cast. Directed by Sidney Lumet, nominated for six Academy Awards (won one) and 10 BAFTA Awards (won three).
Witness for the Prosecution (1957) – based on a short story by Christie published in 1925 as Traitor’s Hands, turned into a play by Christie that premiered in 1953 with the same title as the film. Actors include Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Powers, and Elsa Lanchester. Directed by Billy Wilder, nominated for six Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards (won one).
Albion Area Lifelong Learners Membership & Registration Information
While members must be 55 or older, younger partners are also eligible to join. Annual dues are $30 per person, with the membership year running from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Dues are prorated based on when a member joins:
- $30 for the full year
- $20 if joining after one academic session
- $10 if joining after two academic sessions
Members may take one free course per term (fall, winter, and spring). Additional courses in the same term cost $10 per course. Some classes may have extra charges for materials or transportation.
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