THIRTEEN AT DINNER

US, 1985, 87 minutes, Colour.
Peter Ustinov, Faye Dunaway, Jonathan Cecil, Bill Nighy, Lee Horsely, Diane Keen, Alan Cuthbertson.
Directed by Lou Antonio.

Thirteen At Dinner is a telemovie version of Agatha Christie's Lord Edgeware Dies. It is a star vehicle for Peter Ustinov as Poirot, the role that he established (after Albert Finney in Murder On The Orient Express) in Death On The Nile and then in Evil Under The Sun. The ageing Poirot in this film is right into the television age. His old friend (the Doctor Watson equivalent) is Captain Arthur Hastings.

The film is also a star vehicle for Faye Dunaway in the glamorous, Marilyn Monroe style blonde, actress Jane Wilkinson. She has a double role, portraying a fashion designer Carlotta Adams. There is an interesting supporting cast of British actors and actresses including David Suchet as the obtuse Inspector Japp. Leigh Horsley sends up the serious moustachioed American hero of action films (in the Tom Selleck vein) as actor Brian Martin.

The film uses London locations well, is directed by telemovie director Lou Antonio. The acting tour-de-force prevents the audience, perhaps, from seeing through what is one of Agatha Christie's less mystifying mysteries.

1. The popularity of Agatha Christie? Her mystery puzzles? Clues? Solving the problem? In the form of Hercule Poirot?

2. British locations, London settings, John Addison's jaunty score? The techniques for Faye Dunaway's double role? Editing and pace for supplying clues?

3.The title and the emphasis on bad luck (especially for Donald Ross)? The more sombre title bit the original novel: 'Lord Edgeware Dies'.

4. The popularity of Hercule Poirot: Belgian, his skill as a detective, using his gre cells? His vanity? His friendship with Hastings and Hastings being the foil for him? Peter Ustinov's impersonation? Poirot in the TV age? The humour of having him interviewed by David Frost? His being lured into the mystery? Jane Wilkinson's begging for his intervention about the divorce? Brian Martin and his asking for his help? Play-acting? The visit to Lord Edgeware? The news of the death? His suspicions? The various interviews? His presence on the film set? The suspicion about Geraldine? The visit to Sir Montague - and his beating him at croquet? The discovery of Carlotta Adams' body, the spectacles? His testing them out on Miss Ellis and Miss Carroll? His phone call with Donald Ross? The discovery of the truth? His assembling all the characters in the theatre? His expose? His denunciation of Brian Martin and the satire at the expense of the so-called action actor with his work being done by a stunt man? The ingenious Poirot? Hastings and his friendship, not seeing the culprit, vocalising doubts? The foil to Poirot?

5. Faye Dunaway as Jane Wilkinson? The Marilyn Monroe-style blonde? vivacious? Watching the television? Carlotta's impersonation of Jane on the David Frost Show? The irony that Jane would use this? The dinner, the friendship with Carlotta? Imploring Poirot's aid? Her flamboyant style? Film-making? her wanting to divorce her husband, marry the Duke of Merton? The background of her affair with Martin? The death and the hostility of bar family? Her alibi? The discovery of Carlotta's death? The behaviour of Jane - the dress for mourning, the party, her flip answers? Her presence at the filming? Her being unmasked? Audience suspicions about her? The flashbacks to show the ingenious nature of her plan, the substitution with Carlotta, the tearing of the letter, the poisoning of Carlotta? Losing the glasses? Donald Ross's murder? Her being photographed at the end as a celebrity - her murders being more famous than her films? The satiric touches with the glamorous actress? The contrast with Faye Dunaway's performance as Carlotta, enjoying the hoax, friendship with Ronnie, her carrying off the hoax? Her death?

6. Audience suspicions of the minor characters: Ronnie and his drinking, escorting Carlotta, love for Geraldine, his presence at the house on the night of the murder, his arrest7.-at the hunt? Geraldine and suspicions, Jane during the jogging diverting Poirot's attention towards her? The relationship with Ronnie? Miss Carroll and her disapproval of Jane, her evidence, though not seeing Jane's face? The glasses? Miss Ellis and her work for Jane, her glasses?

7. Sir Montague and his party, guests, the croquet game - bad loser? The Duke of Merton with his so-called monkish style? His dismissal of Poirot - though Poirot reading his letter upside down?

8. Donald Ross and the dinner, the bad luck, his detecting the inconsistencies between Jane and Carlotta? His death?

9. Brian Martin and the American hunk star, the interview with David Frost, the stunt work and its ingenuity - and his appearing at the end of each scene and criticising, the frustrated director? The poking fun at film-making?

10. David Frost being himself? Successfully?.

11. The popularity of murder mysteries? Characters and stereotypes? Audiences perceiving clues? Trying to read character and motivations?