ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE
UK, 1984, 86 minutes, Colour.
Donald Sutherland, Faye Dunaway, Ian Mc Shane, Sarah Miles, Christopher Plummer, Annette Crosbie, Michael Elphick, Diana Quick.
Directed by Desmond Davis.
Ordeal By Innocence is a routine Agatha Christie thriller. While the film has an excellent name cast and a competent director (Girl With Green Eyes, Clash of the Titans, The Country Girls), it never rises above the ordinary. In fact, many critics condemned it as banal.
However, the film follows the style of Agatha Christie's novels: establishes a group of characters, shows them tin sketchy fashion, highlights aspects of their interaction indicating clues, collects them all for a revelation of the truth after several have disappeared. The major strength of the film is the beautiful city of Dartmouth and its waterways which are well-used. Quite incongruous is the jazz score for the film composed and played by Dave Brubeck and his Quartet.
1. The popularity of Agatha Christie murder mysteries? Audience entertainment? Puzzle, clues, characters?
2. Colour photography, the use of Devon and Dartmouth locations, the old town, the waterways? Light and dark, night and day? The use of the monochrome flashbacks? The incongruity of the jazz score?
3. The way murder mysteries work: the puzzle, clues, psychological plausibility? Audience sharing the role of investigator with the central character?
4. The film's reflection of Agatha Christie's style: the English country town, the range of characters, their sketchy characterisation and motivation, sometimes stilted? The stars performing in these minor roles?
5. The structure: the-basic situation, the flashbacks, momentum, the echo of the voices in Arthur Calgary's mind, the parallels with the murders, the clues, the confrontation? The hanging of Jacko and Kirsten's fall? Arthur Calgary moving in and out of Dartmouth?
6. The title and the indication of the mystery - reference to the characters and their alleged innocence, Jacko's possible innocence after hanging? Ironies?
7. The theme of the absent witness, the mistake in justice, fate, ironies, conscience, the responsibility of Arthur Calgary to expose the truth? The consequent deaths and unhappiness? Was he right?
8. The flashbacks of Jack, the hanging, the solemnity of the prison sequences, the Chaplain, the actual death? His alibi? The bad administration of justice? The irony of the set-up of the alibi? The real plot?
9. Annette Crosbie's strong performance as Kirsten: her role in the household, servant, part of the family, her concern about its privacy, work in the kitchen, supplying of information to Calgary, the encounter at the library, the encounter at the end, the revelation of the truth, her love for Jacko, his betrayal of her, her allowing him to die? Sending Hester back? Her own death?
10. Rachel as the evil mother - and Faye Dunaway's Mommie Dearest style? The family situation, the relationship with Leo, the adoption of the orphans, paying off their mothers, her financial arrangement, plans, Jack? Murderable?
11. Leo and his relationship with Rachel, the affair with Gwenda, the working relationship, his interest in guns, the shooting of the rabbits in the fields? Gwenda and her devotion to Leo? Strong attitude towards Calgary?
12. Mary, her drinking, her affair? Clash with her mother? Philip as war hero, crippled, tending his orchids, watching - and therefore to be killed?
13. Hester and her watching, her place in the kitchen, friendship with Calgary, her running away and his urging her back, her being at the cinema?
14. Jack's wife, the theatre usherette, her sexy attitude, going to Calgary's room, supplying him with the final clue?
15. Mickey and Tina and their relationship, their anger with the rest of the family, brother and sister, Tina's death, Mickey in jail?
16. The Inspector, his antagonism towards Calgary, his being in charge of the investigation? Blaming Calgary for the consequent suffering?
17. Donald Sutherland as Arthur: coming into the town, his conscience about the address book, the clash with Kirsten, the. interview with Leo, the discovery of the execution? His staying at the hotel, the clashes with the police, his searching out the clues, the range of interviews, the car chasing him in the town, Mickey and Tina and Tina's death, the discussion with Phil, his working out the truth? The confrontation with Kirsten? His taking the blame? Leaving?
18. The murder mystery as a popular way of focusing on complexities of human character, strengths and weaknesses? Crime, guilt, responsibility?
