THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT

US, 1989, 90 minutes, Colour.
Rue MacClanihan?, Stephanie Zimbalist, Edward Woodward, Tony Randall, Ken Howard.
Directed by Alan Grint.

The Man in A Brown Suit is an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Written in the 1920s, it is updated in a very American style. This may not please the please the purists - the style is very much American television and action adventures.

Stephanie Zimbalist (Remington Steele ) is the intrepid heroine. Other stars of popular television series appear, including Rue MacClanihan? of The Golden Girls, Edward Woodward of The Equalizer, Tony Randall of The Odd Couple and other series, Simon Dutton of The Saint.

The villain is rather easier to spot than usual, especially if the audience is alert to Tony Randall's capacity for disguises (as in The Seven Faces of Dr Lao).

Routine and broadly entertaining Agatha Christie.

1. Entertaining murder mystery in the Agatha Christie vein? Updated and Americanised? Television stars and their popularity?

2. African locations, the exotic atmosphere, hotels and mansions, the Kimberleys, the ship, the train, the waterfall? Musical Score?

3. Title, the focus on Harry and the irony that he had taken his friends identity? His continually turning up?

4. The prologue in the Kimberleys, Anita, the fight, the diamonds? The killing at the Cairo airport? The murder of Anita? The complications of the plot? Sufficient clues? Flashbacks, explanations?

5. Anne at the airport, witnessing the murder, photographs? Her becoming involved, the discussions with Colonel Race? Her decision to go on the boat, the piece of paper, on board, sick? Friendship with Suzy? Getting the new cabin, the maid, the searching of the cabin? Finding the diamonds with Suzy? The man in the brown suit and the stabbing, helping him, telling the story to Suzy, her being pushed overboard and his rescuing her, the dance? Her lists and her suspicions? The importance of the Reverend Chichester, of Underhill, of Sir Eustace? The attraction towards Colonel Race and suspicions? In the market and her being kidnapped, the escape? On the train? At the falls and her being pushed over? Saved by Harry, the reconciliation? To Cairo, the jewels, the showdown? Sir John and the happy ending?

6. Sir Eustace and Edward Woodward's style, the bully Englishman? Jovial, on the boat, snubbing Underhill, winning the prize? The train, the journey? Africa? The final revelation at the end of the line?

7. The Reverend Chichester, Tony Randall's mystery?

8. Underhill, subservient, suspicious, the black eyes? The truth about his family?

9. Suzy, the brash American wealthy woman, her many husbands, gossip, the adventure?

10. The CIA? The resolution and the plot? Harry, the fight in the Kimberleys, the deaths, on board and the stabbing? Friendship with Anne? Rescuing her twice? His being Sir John?

11. Popular characterizations? with a touch of the stereotype? Clues? Resolution?