Sparkling Cyanide

I saw some criticisms over at YouTube from Agatha Christie purists who resented the American location of this made for television film. I also believe that Christie novels should always be in their original settings, but this was an all right production. And Anthony Andrews as the lead sleuth in Sparkling Cyanide is as English as you can get.

Andrews is hobnobbing with the rich and somewhat famous and strikes up an acquaintance with Deborah Raffin who is visiting her sister Christine Belford who is currently married to Josef Sommer, but deep in an affair with the married David Huffman. I've already given a few reasons for a murder and others come out during the investigation by LAPD homicide detective Harry Morgan.

Belford is victim number one as she drinks some champagne laced with cyanide at a dinner party. Later on Sommer who thinks he's Hercule Poirot gathers all the suspects together at a duplication of the same dinner party and he gets the cyanide champagne as well.

A matter as simple as the seating arrangements provides the solution.

I'm sure the original English version is better, but this certainly will do for less fussy Christie fans.

......but, wow, are there any movies or TV shows that are more dated nowadays(in 2008) than movies made in the 80's? Dated hair, clothing, home furnishings...I was cringing at the bad hairstyles and clothes in this movie. It truly has little to do with Agatha Christie but the title and while it wasn't bad to watch, I just can't figure out why the producers had to transport it to Pasadena in the early 80's. Was it cheaper to film? What it reminded me of was an episode of Murder She Wrote, with the same types of actors etc. I've read lots of Agatha Christie's writing although I have to admit it's been a while and I'm sure this would have been a better movie with more period correct settings. It was nice to see Deborah Raffin, though--she did some great work in her career and I'm sad not to see her doing much acting lately.

Yeh, I know it's set in the 80's instead of the 40's or 50's but this wasn't that bad. In fact, some parts improved on the book. The narration in the book is a little over heated. Has a nice twist ending that unless you read the novel you won't see coming. A definite guilty pleasure indulgence. Come on, admit it, cheese like this is entertaining.

This is an enjoyable film...good fluff-that's about it. I don't think the writers of the script understand what Agatha Christie had in mind. I read quite a few of her novels-and I wonder if Agatha Christie's name should be taken off the title of this film. Let's call it "Sue Grafton's Sparkling cyanide"

Sue Grafton is a great writer-her novels are always best sellers, but-no female mystery writer has ever captured the time and place settings, not to mention the scene of the crime as has Agatha Christie.

I like this film, though-but it's no Agatha Christie. I like Anthony Andrews-at least they put a British actor in this film. No matter how you slice it-in order to get the feel of what Agatha Christie put into the story-you need to read "Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide" Before you bother seeing "Sue Grafton's Sparkling cyanide"

Rosemary Barton takes one sip of champagne at her wedding anniversary dinner party and then suddenly collapses dead. "Cyanide poison", the doctor exclaims. Was it suicide or murder? Rosemary certainly had her fair share of enemies. Her husband George believes it to be murder and so he gathers together the same dinner guests and recreates the party, hoping to add a surprise guest to bring the killer out in the open. Unfortunately, poor George also gets a taste of poisoned champagne and ends up taking a trip to the morgue. It is then left to Rosemary's sister Iris and private investigator Tony Browne to solve the mystery.

The suave Anthony Andrew lends a lot of charm as the sleuth who is out to catch the poisoner, and of course romances Deborah Raffin at the same time. Sparkling Cyanide might not be set in England, and of course it plays more like a soap opera, but nevertheless very enjoyable, light, brisk and there's a sense of clarity and simplicity in the execution of the story and the mystery.