AGATHA CHRISTIES THE WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
UK, 2016, 120 minutes, Colour.
Billy Howell, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones, Monica Dolan, Kim Cattrall, David Haig, Robert East, Paul Ready.
Directed by Julian Jerrold.
Agatha Christie was one of the bestselling authors of the 20th century, setting a pattern for many murder mystery writers, her standalone novels, novels with Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple.
Her books have led to many films, many television films, perhaps more than for any other authors.
In the 1950s, she wrote The Mousetrap which has been on the London stage continually since 1952. She also adapted one of her short stories, Witness for the Prosecution as a play and it was filmed 1957 by Billy Wilder with a star cast led by Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power. This was remade in 1982 for television with a cast led by Ralph Richardson and Deborah Kerr.
This 2016 production is not based on the play but rather on the 1923 short story. It differs in many ways from the later play and film.
The central character, Leonard Vole (Billy Howle) has been in the trenches in the war, has rescued an Austrian girl, Romaine (Andrea Riseborough) and brought her to England. She works as a singer and dancer in the theatre. He tries to hold down jobs but is unsuccessful. A wealthy widow, Emily French (Kim Cattrall) takes a fancy to him, eventually leaving everything to him in her will. She is bludgeoned to death, her maid who was infatuated with her mistress, denounces Leonard and he is arrested.
An interesting character is John Mayhew (Toby Jones) who works as a solicitor, loves his wife who is cold towards him since the war and her accusing her husband being responsible for their son’s death in the war. He believes Leonard, gets testimony from Romaine, is disturbed when she seems to change her testimony during the trial. This is so important that the jury finds Leonard innocent.
Leonard asks Mayhew to sell Emily French’s house and take 40%. In the meantime, the maid is accused of the murder, arrested and tried and is about to hang.
By chance, Mayhew sees Leonard and Romaine at a wealthy resort, realises that he has been taken in, is disappointed with his wife’s stands – and walks into the sea. The guilty couple stay to enjoy their wealth – justice is not seen to be done.
The film is directed by Julian Jarrold who directed such films as Kinky Boots, Becoming Jane, A Royal Night Out.
1. The popularity of the plot? The short story of 1923? Further editions? The play in the 1950s? The film by Billy Wilder? The television remake? Audience knowledge of the plot – and the variations from the original short story?
2. World War I, the credits, blended in the trenches, saving Romaine?
3. 1923, London society, the wealthy, upper-class, mansions? The clubs? Police precincts? Prison? The courts? The final lavish resort at the seaside? The musical score?
4. Emily French, widow, in society, the devotion of Janet McIntyre? Her going out, the club, on the prowl, seeing Leonard and the accident, inviting him home, his becoming her escort, her leaving everything to him in her will, her reaction against Janet’s trying to protect her? Her dance, the transition of time, her death, on the floor, bludgeoned, the blood, the cat walking and the blood and the paw prints?
5. The police, the examination of the body, the scene, Janet’s testimony, blaming Leonard, going to his house, the arrest?
6. Mayhew, the detective, the small man, in himself, love for his wife, his son dying in the war, his feelings of guilt, his wife’s coldness towards him, his trying to love her, do everything for her, her suggesting that they keep a surface relationship? His loyalty to Leonard, his dislike of Romaine, during the case, his going to see Romaine at the club, the song and his tears? His being left the money, selling the house, the 40%, discovering the couple at the resort, the truth, this shocking him, his disillusionment, walking into the
sea?
7. Leonard, age, character, interrogation, his fears, his relationship with Mrs French? Romaine, the work of the theatre, their life together? Emotions?
8. Romaine, her testimony about the time? Her later going back on this?
9. In the court, to judge, the prosecutor and his rhetoric? The defence and the extravagant claims, dramatically, about Leonard and his innocence? The cross-examination of Janet, her venom, her being coached?
10. Romaine in herself, the rivalry with Christine at the club? Singing in her place, Christine, disfigurement, pregnant? Romaine turning on Leonard, in the court, spitting at him, spite, her condemning him?
11. The jury, the influence of remains testimony? Leonard not guilty? Romaine and her being guilty of perjury, to prison?
12. the money, Leonard wanting to sell the house, the offer of the percentage to Mayhew?
13. Mayhew and his antagonism towards Janet, the aftermath of the trial, her blaming Leonard, her arrest, the accusations, to be hanged? Her madness?
14. Mayhew discovering the couple, the resort, the well, Romaine and her performance, saving Leonard, covering the murder, the money and their relationship?
15. The pessimistic ending – that crime could pay? And Mayhew and his disillusionment?
