There have been plenty of great Agatha Christie movies over the years, but the author’s influence on cinema extends beyond adaptations of her own books. Many mystery thrillers have been inspired by Christie’s style over the years. Some of these movies are fairly straightforward with their allusions to Christie, from their settings to their eccentric detectives, but others are more subtle.
Agatha Christie is one of the most popular authors of all time, so it’s no surprise that she has reshaped the mystery genre in both literature and cinema. Her whodunnit mysteries often seem like they work from a simple formula, but a cast of enigmatic suspects, a charming sleuth and a memorable puzzle don’t necessarily mean that a movie will be as intriguing as Christie. Filmmakers still need their own unique ideas to put a spin on the genre.
See How They Runis a must-watch for Agatha Christie fans, as it features a Christie-style murder mystery that unfolds on the set of the West End playThe Mousetrap.Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell play a couple of mismatched detectives, with Ronan as the overzealous youngster and Rockwell playing her jaded, streetwise superior. They strike up a hilarious comedic dynamic, and there are plenty of laughs as they dig deeper into the mystery.
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Ronan and Rockwell are supported by a delightful ensemble cast which includes Adrian Brody, David Oyelowo and Harris Dickinson. Each actor in the stage adaptation of Christie’s work becomes a potential suspect when one of them is found dead. The mystery is just as twisted and surprising as Christie’s are, butSee How They Runalso takes a lovingly satirical view of the whole mystery genre.
Alfred Hitchcock had a flair for mystery thrillers, although he also produced classic movies in the horror, drama and action genres.Rear Windowis one of his very best murder mysteries, along with the likes ofRopeandDial M for Murder.One key difference inRear Windowis that Hitchcock doesn’t reveal the solution too early. His other mysteries often used dramatic irony, so that the audience would know the answers that the characters are reaching for.
By examining voyeurism and obsession,Rear Windowreflects the audience’s dark appetite for true-crime stories.
Rear Windowrevolves around two captivating performances from James Stewart and Grace Kelly, two of the biggest movie stars of their time, and for good reason. By examining voyeurism and obsession,Rear Windowreflects the audience’s dark appetite for true-crime stories. Just as Jeff peers at his neighbors through his window, Hitchcock asks his audience to interrogate their love for watching murder mysteries on-screen.
Quentin Tarantino has made no secret of his cinematic influences, whether it’s the nods to Asian martial arts movies inKill Billor the remixing of old war movies inInglourious Basterds.The Hateful Eightis clearly inspired by gritty, blood-soaked westerns, but it also has a lot in common with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries and single-setting stage plays by the likes of Harold Pinter and Edward Albee.
The Hateful Eightis clearly inspired by gritty, blood-soaked westerns, but it also has a lot in common with Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries.
Quentin Tarantino toys with this audience inThe Hateful Eight,choosing carefully when to reveal new pieces of information. It’s a rather unusual mystery in the sense that it’s not just about when different characters learn new details; it’s also about when the audience are permitted to see events unfold from a different angle. Even ifThe Hateful Eightrarely ranks as one ofQuentin Tarantino’s best movies, it’s definitely up there with his best scripts.
The Last of Sheilawas written byPsychostar Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, who based the story on the murder mystery parties they used to have with their friends. Hopefully, these games were a lot less intense thanThe Last of Sheila,which follows a group of friends spending a week together on a luxury yacht while they uncover each other’s clues and gradually find out new information about a suspicious death.
Like many of the best Agatha Christie stories, it’s an infectiously fun game that has dangerous implications for the participants.
The Last Sheilais a beautifully written puzzle, and it’s helped along by a great cast which includes James Mason, Ian McShane and Raquel Welch. Like many of thebest Agatha Christie stories, it’s an infectiously fun game that has dangerous implications for the participants. Every member of the group is a suspect, but as the game drags on, they also become potential victims. The twist is brilliantly done, earningThe Last of Sheilaa place in the heart of mystery fans.
Screamis one of the defining movies of the slasher genre, polking fun at the tropes and strange rules of the horror movies from the inside. It’s also a surprisingly clever murder mystery, as the teens of Woodsboro, California scramble to figure out keeps picking off their classmates one by one. TheScreamfranchise has had its ups and downs, but the original is widely considered to be the best of the bunch.
Screamkeeps its audience guessing, and its mystery has intense personal stakes for everyone involved.
Scream’s iconic opening scene kicks things off in style, as Casey Becker is slaughtered in her own home by a masked man. This sets the tone for the gory slasher, and it tees up a compelling mystery. As Sidney and her friends push further into their investigation, potential suspects become victims and close friends become suspects. This all leads to a satisfying twist ending that the franchise is yet to beat.Screamkeeps its audience guessing, and its mystery has intense personal stakes for everyone involved.
Clueis based on the murder mystery board game of the same name, but it’s clear to see the Agatha Christie influences shining through too. Just like the board game,Cluesets up a playful mystery with several mismatched characters in a large, opulent manor. Tim Curry plays the butler, who also acts as a conduit for the audience. He’s the closest thing to a detective inClue,but the suspects have to work among themselves to decide who the guilty party is.
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Clueis famous for its multiple endings. When the movie originally played in theaters, audiences got to see just one ending, depending on which screening they were at. This is a unique gimmick, butClueis better with each ending playing consecutively.The solution to a mystery is rarely as satisfying as the game of piecing together the details, soCluefinds a brilliant way of keeping the mystery going forever.
4Sleuth (1973)
Sleuth Is A Captivating Two-Hander
The cast ofSleuthincludes Alec Cawthorne, Eve Channing and Teddy Martin, but none of these people exist. These fake names were added to the credits by the studio to deceive audiences into thinking thatSleuthwasn’t just a two-hander starring Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier. This may have been a marketing trick to begin with, but it highlights the twisty, deceptive nature of the plot.
The cast ofSleuthincludes Alec Cawthorne, Eve Channing and Teddy Martin, but none of these people exist.
Sleuthis an adaptation of Anthony Shaffer’s 1970 play, with Shaffer himself writing the screenplay. It’s an intoxicating drama that features a man who invites his wife’s lover to his estate for an intense conversation.AlthoughSleuthis limited to just two actors and one location, it’s never boring, with elements of horror and comedy dropped in expertly to keep things lively. The 2007 remake stars Jude Law, with Michael Caine playing the older of the two characters on this occasion, but the original remains the best.
Most people knowThe Third Manas an Orson Welles film, but he doesn’t show up for a long time. The story begins with Joseph Cotten, who plays an Englishman searching for his friend amid the rubble and corruption of post-war Vienna. He is told when he arrives that his friend has died, but some details about the story don’t quite add up, and this leads him to begin his own amateur investigation.
The Third Manis a film noir masterpiece, buoyed by two gripping performances.
Once Welles makes his first appearance, illuminated by the accusatory glow of a streetlamp, the investigation follows a series of dangerous twists and turns.The Third Manis a film noir masterpiece, buoyed by two gripping performances and a script that manages to be both exciting and precise.The final chase in the sewers of Vienna is iconic for good reason, but it works best when it’s seen in the context of the entire story.
Gosford Parkis probably the most surprising movie to have no connection to the works of Agatha Christie. It’s a cunning mystery that takes place at an English country manor in the 1930s, with a cast of eccentric characters with various motives for murder.Gosford Parkwas inspired by Christie’s stories, but it’s far from a hollow, derivative copy. There are plenty of unique techniques in the story, like the conflicting accounts of the murder.
Gosford Parkis probably the most surprising movie to have no connection to the works of Agatha Christie.
Gosford Parkfeatures a remarkable ensemble cast, with some legendary British actors, including Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon and Stephen Fry as a bumbling investigator. The performances are a key part of what gaveGosford Parksuch a stellar critical reputation, but the true magic lies in the script. The social commentary is deftly woven into the story, as the murder exposes some pre-existing wounds.
At first glance,Knives Outlooks very much like a classic Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. There’s a dead body in a locked room, a mansion full of suspects, and one eccentric sleuth who has to find the holes in the stories he hears. However, Benoit Blanc is no Hercule Poirot, andKnives Outhas plenty of surprises in store for anyone expecting a standard murder mystery narrative.
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Knives Out’s midpoint twist changes the complexion of the entire case, and it suddenly becomes much more dangerous. While a lot of Christie’s stories end with the detective discovering the identity of the murderer,Knives Outshows that this is just one step in delivering justice. After 2022’sGlass Onionprovided another intriguing mystery, Benoit Blanc is set to return once more forWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,where he will no doubt be joined by another cast of shifty characters.
