Sparkling Cyanide (1983)

Rosemary Barton, the beautiful wife of a top attorney, dies during their anniversary party at an exclusive restaurant. Later a suicide note is found along with traces of cyanide in her drink, but murder cannot be ruled out.

Director:

Robert Michael Lewis (as Robert Lewis)

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Robert Malcolm Young (teleplay)

Stars:

Anthony Andrews, Deborah Raffin, Pamela Bellwood

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Andrews	...	Tony Browne
Deborah Raffin	...	Iris Murdoch
Pamela Bellwood	...	Ruth Lessing
Nancy Marchand	...	Lucilla Drake
Josef Sommer	...	George Barton
David Huffman	...	Stephan Farraday
Christine Belford	...	Rosemary Barton
June Chadwick	...	Sandra Farraday
Barrie Ingham	...	Eric Kidderminster
Harry Morgan	...	Captain Kemp
Anne Rogers	...	Viola Kidderminster
Michael Woods	...	Victor Drake
Shera Danese	...	Christine Shannon
Ismael 'East' Carlo	...	Medical Examiner (as Ismael Carlo)
Linda Hoy	...	Boat Manager

Storyline

A socialite while having dinner with her husband, her sister, her aunt, a friend of her sister and her husband, her husband's assistant and an English reporter, dies. It is later learned that she died from ingesting cyanide, Initially it is believed she may have given it to herself because she's having emotional problems. But her husband gets a note saying she was murdered so he tries to prove it and part of his plan to bring out the people who were there when his wife died. He gives a toast then everybody gets up to dance or do something. When they return, he takes a drink of champagne and drops dead. So they wonder how the cyanide got into his glass. Her sister who has taken a liking to the reporter learns he is actually an investigator. And he works with the police to find the killer.

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Plot Keywords:

cyanide | attempted murder | political career | lloyds of london | investigation | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cianuro espumoso

Filming Locations:

Arden Villa - 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros. Television, CBS Entertainment Production, The Stan Margolies Company

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the water-skiing scene, in close-up shots Iris' hands are holding the bar with both palms facing downwards on the bar. In the long-shots, the left hand is palm facing downwards, but the right hand is palm facing upwards.

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Connections

Version of Sparkling Cyanide (2003)

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Soundtracks

I Get a Kick Out of You
(uncredited)
Performed by Abby Haman
Written by Cole Porter

User Reviews

Anthony Andrews was Hilarious!

OK, I may be biased, because I would watch Anthony Andrews read from the phone book. I thought the film was a nice bit of 80s fluff. I haven't read the book, so I can't speak to how far it ventured away from the author's intention, but it is a nice way to spend a couple of hours. No, you won't find this on PBS' Mystery! series, but its a cute little made for TV mystery. And Anthony Andrews' droll delivery is well worth the price!