The Witness for the Prosecution (2016) User Reviews

A Different Take on a Classic

[Derek117 · 8/10 · 12 February 2017]

The Charles Laughton/Tyrone Powers/Marlene Dietrich/Billy Wilder 1957 film of "Witness for the Prosecution" has been one of my favorite films since I was in high school. So, watching this Toby Jones version--that follows Agatha Christie's original short story--comes as quite a surprise. Mostly the same characters, but with a decidedly different take on the story of love & guilt. The two "Witness" films are like watching the Kurosawa film "Rashomon"--the guilt lands on different characters.

That said, and because I'm a student of film, I liked the Toby Jones version, too; and don't feel like it's inferior to the Billy Wilder film. The photography and set designs are all shadows, fog and smoke; just the right mood for a story that is does not reveal itself and fools the eyes. The acting is all excellent, which is in keeping with all British productions. And, the pacing of the narrative is accomplished with no tech or CGI--which is refreshing in this age of SuperHero films.

Bottom line: if approached without bias, this film of Agatha Christie's "first draft" of Witness for the Prosecution is rewarding on it's on merits.

Nuanced, Thoughtful, Riveting and Fresh

[vicstevinson · 8/10 · 27 December 2016]

This version of Agatha Christie's WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION shakes off what can often be goofy about Christie's stories and treats the characters as fully-formed individuals in an historic setting. It's an impressive effort with a shocking cast who inhabit their characters.

This is awards season in the U.S. and studios trot out their best efforts in a last minute bid to garner accolades. Were this a feature film, it would surpass many mega-budget films.

Director Julian Jarrold -- THE CROWN (2016), BECOMING JANE (2007) and KINKY BOOTS (2005) -- utilizes the strong talent assembled and tells an intriguing story of characters and conflict.

Billy Howle as the accused is convincing, constantly eye-catching, fully immersed and impressive. I've seen him in several other projects, including the miniseries GLUE, and he bares great vulnerability on screen, and it's believable.

Toby Jones is reliable at being superior and nuanced, he is a huge asset to this series.

Andrea Riseborough is enigmatic and surprising. I am accustomed to seeing her in contemporary dramas, and she delivers this character like placid waters with a shark circling beneath, ready to emerge and strike.

This version is so satisfying and memorable, I'm almost dreading the big screen, and likely big budget, version coming from Ben Affleck in 2018. His Oscar-bait 2016 film LIVE BY NIGHT shows a love for period pulp, but an inability to stitch it together. This version of WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION should be the standard against which his is judged.

Very uneven adaptation, not awful, not great

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 5 January 2017]

Can definitely see the polarising opinions, the virtues being brought up are understandable and every bit as understandable are the complaints.

Of the adaptations of 'Witness for the Prosecution' it is this 2016 adaptation that fares the weakest, despite being closer to the short story than the play it is not a patch on the brilliant 1957 Billy Wilder film. Also preferred the 1982 version. It is not awful, and there are worse Agatha Christie adaptations around, a most notable recent example being 'Partners in Crime' with a woefully miscast David Walliams. But after being so impressed by 2015's 'And Then There Were None', I was honestly expecting much more.

There are strong things here. Apart from going overboard on the grimness sometimes, particularly in the first half, 'Witness for the Prosecution' is very pleasing to look at, being beautifully shot and with costume and set design that are both handsome and evocative. The music is unobtrusive but still has a presence.

Parts of the storytelling are very compelling, the whodunit and legal stuff is mostly quite riveting, while the conflict of WWI is powerfully evoked and the relationship between Mayhew and his wife having moments of tender pathos. There are some great twists, especially the very clever (though the one of the 1957 film had more edge) final reveal.

'Witness for the Prosecution' benefits from a great cast as well. A brilliant performance from Toby Jones is particularly note-worthy, and more than up to his level are Andrea Riseborough, who captivates in bringing an enigmatic quality to a character that you are not sure whether to trust or not. Billy Howle's performance is enough to make one convinced of his innocence. David Haig and Tim McMullan excel as morally devious barristers, as does a venomous Monica Dolan and a touchingly subtle Hayley Carmichael. Kim Catrall is luxury casting, and is a dream.

It is a real shame however that 'Witness for the Prosecution' is let down significantly by pacing issues, especially for a lot of the first half, which takes too long to set up with scenes that feel over-stretched and go on longer than needed, and the seemingly endless and melodramatic stuff after the final reveal, like there was an indecisiveness as to how to end it. The second half is more gripping and better paced, but again the pace does drag and scenes and subplots feel like padded filler.

Really it would have been better to do 'Witness for the Prosecution' as a one off lasting an hour or something, because the story just doesn't feel long enough to sustain two hour long episodes. So it felt like there was too much padding and stretching in an attempt to sustain it. There is stuff included to give the story a darker tone, but it did feel too often too gratuitously grim and anachronistic, and over-darkened and overshadowed a story that didn't need it.

A few scenes between Mayhew and his wife, despite some tender pathos in others and great chemistry between Jones and Carmichael, felt soapy and overwritten, and personally am another person who found the sex scene unnecessary and in poor taste.

Concluding this review, not an awful adaptation and production, not as bad as said by some, but could have been much better and comes off as uneven. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Witnessing the prosecution.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 18 January 2017]

Seeing a number of fine adaptations on stage in 2015,I was disappointed in missing out on a new mini-series version of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.Planning to catch up on films during the Christmas/New Year holiday,I was intrigued to find that a new mini-series of a lesser-known Christie was being shown,which led to me taking a seat in the witness box.

The plot:

Returning from WWI after joining the army with his son (who died in battle) solicitor John Mayhew goes round the prisons offering to work on cases at a low fee. Sticking his hands out of the bars, Leonard Vole cries for help. Struggling to cover costs with his wife Romaine Heilger,Vole becomes a "paid lover" for heiress Emily French,who has been found murdered. Seeing his son in Vole,Mayhew takes on a case where he will be judged by a prosecution on what he left behind.

View on the mini-series:

Coughed up in the aftermath of WWI, director Julian Jarrold lines the first ep and the outdoor scenes of the second in a thick green tint,which whilst subtly expressing the green with envy hidden in some and offering a touch of BBC Victorian Costume Drama atmosphere, drowns out all that try to rise above it. Playing on how people are perceived, Jarrold's green smog blocks out much of the facial details of the cast and the scope of the setting. Bringing a focus as Mayhew lays out the case,Jarrold peels away the green for a stylish gold which shines on the wealth that blinds Mayhew from the decayed envy retained underneath.

Sending this adaptation to post-WWI,the screenplay by Sarah Phelps brilliantly dips into Film Noir pessimism,as Mayhew's battle to bring justice to this world can't stop him being wrapped with the shadows of failure from the past. Keeping Christie's original ruthless ending sharp,Phelps wonderfully lays out the entangled relationships between Mayhew,Vole & Heilger,which are deliciously twisted into a final that recalls the Giallo sub-genre corrupt bourgeoisie.

Joined by a glamorous Kim Cattrall taking the Sex and the City socialites to a brutal death as French,the elegant Andrea Riseborough gives a fantastic performance as Heilger,whose brittle dialogue Riseborough smartly uses to carry an ambiguity with the character. Unable to free himself from the horrors of WWI, Toby Jones gives an excellent performance as Noir loner Mayhew,via Jones giving any sign of hope in Mayhew's life a harsh,isolated bitterness,as Mayhew becomes a witness to the wrong prosecution.

Disappointed (spoilers)

[carollaw51-41-56256 · 6/10 · 28 December 2016]

I found this version rather gloomy and a bit depressing to say the least.Agatha Christie adaptions are usually quaint ,classy and clever this lacked any of that.And i couldn't see the point in adding unnecessary sex scenes,swear words and hints of lesbianism to do with the maid,what was the point of that other than to try and appeal to a modern audience in which case it fails,as we all prefer Christies original style of writing. Other than that i found the acting very good especially from Toby Jones who like the maid deserved a better ending like in the original 1950s and 1980s versions.These earlier versions were more true to Christies style. After watching this two part series i came away thinking that this has to be an anti-capital punishment version where miscarriages of justice could so easily have been prevented in the past if courts hadnt just relied on circumstantial evidence If this is the point the director was aiming at then it works,other than that i didn't find it comfortable viewing

Very different Agatha Christie adaptation

[catnapbc · 7/10 · 20 January 2024]

This is one of those productions that combine really interesting characters within a story that has enough twists and turns to hold your interest, despite its rather tenuous link to real life events. What really drives this show along are the period details, the 'mood' and feel of the thing, and the solid acting by almost everyone involved. I felt 'Leonard' was the least effective character and the actor wasn't that convincing either. But Toby Jones and Ms Riseborough were too-notch in their performances. The pace was slow, filled with tension and showed how the various stratas of society dealt with the aftermath of a devastating war. The psychological damage was the most obvious, resulting in murder and an almost carefree attitude about the whole process and planning of it. This is a short story that is probably one of Ms. Christie's most damning condemnations of war and although adapted by Sarah Phelps, has definitely stayed true to the original intent. It's not light entertainment but worth watching, despite the fact that the lighting was just a bit too obvious in trying to create a certain 'atmosphere'.

BBC you've done it again

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 26 December 2016]

My anticipation for Witness for the Prosecution has been enormous since reading about its announcement. As a huge Agatha Christie fan I was gutted to see the end of Poirot and to some extent Marple. The BBC dazzled us this time last year with their stunning adaptation of And then there were none, and if we're using that as a benchmark then the bar is set very high.

Witness for the Prosecution was one would expect has beautiful production values, it looks suitably gloomy, yet meticulously detailed from the sets to the fashions.

So very different from the excellent adaptation featuring Marlene Dietrich and Tyrone Power, it felt very dark, atmospheric and full of genuine intrigue, had you not read the book, you'd be constantly asking yourself is he guilty or innocent.

Wonderfully acted, huge plaudits for Billy Howle, Toby Jones and Andrea Riseborough, all showing just how good they are. Lovely to see the glamorous Kim Cattrall back in a British production, a historical piece in particular. As a huge fan of Monica Dolan, I must admit it was her I enjoyed enormously, such a venomous performance as Janet McIntyre.

Based on a short story, it's one of Agatha Christie's less well known works, but I felt this adaptation has brought the story very much to life once again.

BBC you've sorted a Christmas mystery for us once again. Please continue this trend. 9/10

At times it is overcompensating with its grimness, but ultimately justifies it even if the script is often weak as a result (SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS)

[bob the moo · 29 December 2016]

Although difficult, I approached this BBC version of the story by trying to put the Billy Wilder one as far from my mind as possible. Of course that is not easy, and it is obvious from the get-go that this version is much different from the 1950's film of the same name. The way it comes through is very much in the grittiness and darkness of this version; there is no comedy lawyer, no light tone to draw you in – from the start it is a sordid relationship, a dirty piece of rough, stinking jail cells, and a lawyer servicing deadbeats for minimum wage. To be fair, maybe this is what it took to shake off the Wilder memory, because it is very dark throughout.

In some ways this is a bad thing, but not many. The strength of this approach becomes clearer as the second part plays out (and this does play better with them back-to-back). The dark tone of everything is paid off with a tremendously impacting ending which not only hits the main mystery, but gives revelation and resolution to the main character too (okay based on an absurd coincidence, but I forgave it that). This had the added advantage of giving something for the viewer who already thought they knew it all, as well as justifying how dark everything had been up until that point. And it had been dark. Indeed, the first episode was almost tiresomely so – I found it to be a real drag as everything seemed aimed at showing how awful everything was. Like I said, this is justified in the end, but I still think it was laid on a bit heavy.

In all areas this is the case, but the cinematography is the main one; it looks so murky to the point where it feels like the DOP slapped on an Instagram filter. It felt so heavy handed in this way that it did turn me off a little – and it seemed to highlight how hard everything else was trying to be down and dirty too. Jones' performance is the same in some ways; it works in the entirety, but for a while he feels like he is just playing to the lowest point in a deliberate way. He is still very good though, and the rest of the cast match him, with good turns from Riseborough, Howle, Cattrall, and Dolan (who has the darkest moments with her "not today thank you" denials). As a fan of Utopia, Ready was a surprise find in a small role.

Overall this version initially seems to be overcompensating with its darkness at first, but in the end it is more than justified and works really well, even if it makes that first hour a bit harder to get through than it needed to be.

Atmospheric filming, excellent acting

[Marlburian · 7/10 · 27 December 2016]

Just a few comments, rather than a full review.

TWFTP was not the sort of Agatha Christie that we're used to. It was darkly realistic, whereas with most of her books and films one knows that the plot just couldn't happen in real life and the final denouement stretches credibility.

Talking of darkness, comments elsewhere criticise the continuous gloom of the first episode. But the "atmosphere" was terrific, as was the acting, especially Toby Jones'. Andrea Riseborough was also effective, but perhaps a little old (at 35) to play Romaine; I would have liked to have seen a younger actress in the part.

Not having read the short story,I don't know how much the plot was stretched to fill two hours. There was a big jump from Leonard's first tryst with Emily to his appealing to her so much that she re-wrote her will in his favour. Perhaps the opening sequence of Leonard stumbling across the battlefield could have been trimmed and more time given to his developing relationship with Emily.

And one had to think hard during the murder scene - perhaps that was the intention? At first I wondered whether the two men were the murderers, though it transpired that they were policemen. (The scenes with the cat were very sinister and well done.)

TWFTP is the sort of drama that might merit a second viewing, to better appreciate some of the nuances.

I'm looking forward to tonight's concluding episode, though not with bated breath.

Agatha Christie's original short story

[sjanders-86430 · 10/10 · 2 November 2021]

This is an excellent production on all levels. The story line is Christie's first draft. The second draft is the Charles Laughton 1959 version. The first draft is a better plot than the second. Leonard Vole dies by the hand of ... in version two.

But here he lives on in luxury. The plight of the defense here is very good. The connection is made between the defense and the killer. I much prefer this version.

Toby Jones versus Charles Laughton is the problem. There is no comparison. The plot here is better, but no one can top Laughton..and Marlena Dietrich.

Both versions are tops.

Slow and Plodding

[daniele-iannarelli · 6/10 · 27 December 2016]

Overall *reasonably* well done. An - 'authentic' - production. Well produced and directed and acted. Costumes and period atmosphere captured and presented well. I felt the script was good but somewhat lacking and slow, although it did give (in some ways unnecessarily) an insight to the backgrounds, inadequacies and shortcomings of the main four protagonists. The original movie didn't venture so far into personal backgrounds... it wasn't necessary with its sharp and captivating pace.

Interesting that *this* screenplay was written by a woman, and it does tactfully shine through although I can't quite (right now) put my finger on examples of exactly what that flavour is.

Although the acting, I thought, was pretty truthful... I don't think it was a patch on Tyrone Power, Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich and Elsa Lanchester (the latter, interestingly, Laughton's real-life wife at the time), and the dynamics between the characters.

There was a blandness that the original didn't have. The fullness and dominance of Sir Wilfrid Roberts (Charles Laughton) in the original 1957 movie was somewhat missing in this TV adaptation. In fact, the character's name seems to have been changed for this... Heaven knows why! Andrea Riseborough (Romaine) and Billy Howle (Leonard Vole) were very, very good... but perhaps too good? Liars (particularly in serious cases such as murder) are rarely good as an actor/actress... regardless of their thespian training. However, for me, Dietrich captured the character more securely - although with a slightly different slant - and with a more 'devil-may-care' and arrogant attitude.

Now, not having read the book, it could be argued that my review is slightly myopic. However, I can only compare with the greatness of the original movie, direction, production, screenplay and actors and actresses therein.

The final 'twist' was somewhat a disappointment. It just didn't seem to have the cutting edge of the original movie.

Overall, a good adaptation hindered by a languid and plodding pace. Very disappointed that it failed captivate me and make me incessantly keep watching. I was easily distracted by external events such as messages coming in on my 'phone... and had to rewind more than a few times.

The original 1957 movie was a masterpiece. This wasn't.

Tasty Version of Classic Christie Short Story

[rhcm-03473 · 9/10 · 25 April 2020]

Tightly written and beautifully directed, a complex mystery, with enjoyable twists throughout. Artfully expanding on the original short story, but don't read it ahead of time! Ignore the negative comments and enjoy a very classy movie-length period mystery. Wonderful, distinctive and nuanced performances by the cast as well, especially Toby Jones and Andrea Riseborough, with Julian Jarrold's meticulous direction.

Very nice movie!!

[alexmelillo · 7/10 · 6 March 2019]

Good movie, even better than another old one of the same name. Of course, any Agatha Christie film will make the viewer walk side by side with the investigator for some crime that will occur. And this little jewel is no different. Arches of the well-built characters, villains shifting positions with good guys, beautiful environments and frames. Anyway, all the instruments needed for good fun. Enjoy!!

Grim

[Parks · 4/10 · 1 January 2017]

I suppose it's a question of taste, and some people may find the BBC adaptations more realistic than the ITV Poirot & Marple adaptations, but I'm afraid both this and last year's "And Then There Were None" just leave me thoroughly depressed.

While both have been well-acted and well-directed, there seems to be an insistence on making things as bleak, miserable and depressing as follows, from the coughing-fit sex scene to the muted colours with no really likable characters at all.

Perhaps it is wrong to expect stories of murder to be fun. And maybe shows like "Midsomer Murders" cater for the likes of me.

I just find it irritating that in order to gain critical respectability, the BBC feels a need to pour a thick layer of dismal over their Christie adaptations. As excellent an actor as Toby Jones is, I found myself longing for Charles Laughton's bombast and energy.

And yes, I must admit, I miss the flashy, cartoony ITV Marple series. What a shame the BBC now has the rights to those stories too.

Agatha Christie and the BBC; a perfect marriage

[Coventry · 7/10 · 26 December 2018]

The work of Agatha Christie is amazingly addictive! Regardless of how many times you read the original novel/short story, or how many different screen adaptations you already watched, you will always still look forward to the next big film or TV version! That's the case for me, at least, I'm sorry if I tend to generalize! But, seriously, the woman was brilliant, and the good people at the BBC seem to share this opinion, since they produced a few nicely sophisticated, well-budgeted and glamourous mini-series of Mrs. Christie's most famous and legendary stories lately. I, for one, am truly grateful they did, because I can only applaud that the work of my favorite writer of all times continues to reach wider and younger generations of audiences! "Witness for the Prosecution" was originally a short story and a stage play, and it hasn't been turned into film versions as often as, say, "Murder on the Orient Express" or "And then there were None". Of course, there's the phenomenal Billy Wilder classic from 1957. More than sixty years old, but that film still stands as one of the greatest and most influential courtroom dramas/thrillers in history, with intimidatingly bombastic courthouse settings and fascinatingly eccentric lead characters. A very praiseworthy innovation in this BBC version is the complete altering of the personas of the pivot characters, and it works perfectly. Mayhew, as depicted by the great Charles Laughton in 1957, was a self-confident and charismatic barrister, whereas Tobey Jones puts him down as timid, humble, sickly and highly insecure counsellor. Romaine Heilger, once portrayed by Marlene Dietrich as a cold and heartless shrew, is here a sensitive and introvert young lady. But, as to be expected in the universe of Agatha Christie, perhaps nothing and nobody is what they seem.

Kim Catrall has a splendid supportive role as Emily French; a lewd and eccentric heiress who likes to toy around with men that are much younger than her. She falls for the handsome Leonard Vole, and even changes her entire will in favor of him. When Emily is found brutally murdered at her home, the jealous and possessive maid Janet is quick to accuse Vole, and admittedly all the evidence does point in his direction. Barrister John Mayhew, struggling with his health as well as with his own guilt, believes in Vole's innocence and centers his defense around the testimony of his wife Romaine who can confirm Leonard was at home at the time of the murder. But then the loving wife suddenly and unexpectedly turns against Leonard. "The Witness for the Prosecution" wondrously recreates the 1920s and the depressing post-WWI era. BBC writer Sarah Phelps turned the short story into a totally different version than the 1957 classic, but it's an equally hypnotizing thriller with great performances, decors and photography.

A Very Efficient Remake of a Great Classic

[formationlc · 7/10 · 26 January 2019]

I have just watched this new version of the 1957 classic and I must say that I was impressed with its quality. The set, ambience and the attention to little details; all of them very thorough. The acting is superb, gripping, intense and makes you believe each of the characters portrayed. Scenes are dramatic and poignant without being overdone but with just the right amount of spices to make you truly enjoy and appreciate.

A very honest and well nicely woven tribute to Mrs. Christie's play and to the classic cinematographic version and doing so all the while by keeping its own distinct identity. Very refreshing in this day and age where everything is based on computer graphics and action/violent scenes.

Two thumbs up for Mr Julian Jarrold! Job well done!

An adaptation with real teeth.

[LW-08854 · 7/10 · 28 December 2023]

After last year's success of the adaptation "And then there were none" the BBC have returned to another equally bleak story with menacing overtones from Agatha Christie. The Witness for the Prosecution is 120 minutes long rather than 180 minutes like last year though. Gone now are the days of an old fashioned jolly good fun whodunit.

The premise begins with a rich widow who enjoys seducing younger men finds herself rather nastily knocked off, just like a game of Cluedo it looks like it was the candlestick in the lounge. The prime suspect in the case is her latest lover, perhaps he snapped after being treated like a pet or did he become enraged after she allegedly tried to end the relationship? To make things worse a witness claims she can place him leaving the murder scene moments before the body is discovered. Things ought to be okay for him though, after all he does have an alibi....

Other suspects in the story include a resentful maid and possibly even the young man's jealous "wife" who maybe killed her and then allowed her cheating partner to take the blame. Or did the two of them plan the murder together in order to get her money and now the wife has double crossed him? Or will we find out the dead lady had a string of jealous ex lovers, any of whom might have come back for vengeance? Personally I think it was the cat.

Our protagonist (a solicitor) is played by Toby Jones (That chap who's in everything, including a recent adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.) We don't meet him until were about 30 minutes into the story, he's the one character we have who comes off as unquestionably genuine and caring, his home life is rather tragic and to say the least he has some health problems also.

The cinematography is worth mentioning too. Nearly everything is filmed with a horrible greeny/yellow tint, perhaps designed to emphasize the sickness and despair for many of those who'd experienced the Great War. Levels of detail in the picture are also very soft and often hazy, again deliberately I'm sure, as if a fog of confusion has descended over a world where things were once so clear cut and well defined. Personally I did find it a bit distracting at times. The smog finally lifts near the end as things become clearer and the truth is revealed.

Don't go into this hoping for a simple Miss Marple structured story with 6 or 7 suspects, all equally shifty and up to no good and lots of clues lying about for our charming investigator to stumble upon. The Witness for the Prosecution is more an intense study of the horrors of war and it's effects on the living. At it's bottom the story is about evil, deception, tragedy, guilt and the futility of life. Perhaps with 2016 being such a year of unpleasant shocks, divisions, upheaval and unrest the BBC decided to release an adaptation which would match the public mood...

BRILLIANT......LOVED IT!

[lyninbyron · 9/10 · 12 June 2018]

If you love a good "whodunnit " crime drama then you'll enjoy this. It's well casted and brilliantly acted. Don't read too many reviews or plot spoilers, just watch it. You won't be disappointed. Pass the popcorn please!

Superior plot, though gloomy and with somewhat forced WWI subplot

[perica-43151 · 7/10 · 27 May 2022]

The original Agatha Christie short story, which this follows, is far superior in terms of internal logic to its moralistic and illogical-extra-twist later version of forced serving of the justice which does not ring true. This is much more realistic. Done during the WWI 100 year obsession hysteria of the 2010s, it forces some subplot with questionable narrative about survivor's guilt and youth dying and ageism to the point of euthanasia, as well as some off-putting elderly lovemaking scenes. The acting is mixed, can't compare to ms Dietrich but the Romaine role is well done here too, with its own nuances. Vole character is much better played here than in the overrated 1957 film, whose main advantage is the incomparable, brilliant Charles Laughton, in role played here in completely different tone quite depressingly by fittingly off-putting, both inside and out, actor. This mini-series has however a very convincing lesbomaid cat-killer played by Monica Dolan, cat killers do indeed deserve a noose even if they did not kill a rich lady, as cats are infinitely more worthy than rich English gigolo-users. Overall, a gloomy but different take on the piece, whose weakest link is inferior Toby Jones (as ugly as old Laughton, if not much, much worse, but with zero redeeming charm and sickeningly boring gloominess), and the strongest point is getting rid of an extra contrived twist that Agatha put into her story so for "justice" to prevail. As for the WWI subplot, it is not bad, some say it adds to the story, other notice that it in fact takes a bit from it. The letter-twist part was also a bit weaker here but otherwise plot and acting wrt twist and repeated viewings are much better than in the 1957 movie, that is otherwise more entertaining, if a bit overrated - here we have gloomy nauseating realism vs flashy twisty captivating but illogical movie-making of 60 years before.

The Witness for the Prosecution

[tr91 · 8/10 · 28 December 2016]

I haven't read the original from Agatha Christie, nor have I seen any other adaptations there might have been before this so I had no idea how the story was going to play out.

Following the success last year of And Then There Were None, I was very much looking forward to this years BBC adaptation. I find that when shows like this are shown over consecutive nights rather than weeks, it's much easier to follow. It's easier to get more involved in the world on screen whereas sometimes when a show is weekly you may forget key parts (especially, if like me you watch a large variety of different things).

I had read a few reviews and comments from various sources of social media and there seems to be a lot of complaints about the sex scene and also the green mist, with people claiming they struggled to see what was going on. I personally found the picture to be perfect and the green mist gave the show a real gloomy atmosphere.

The story was intriguing with plenty of twists and turns over the two episodes. The acting from all the cast was very strong also, Andrea Riseborough in particular was impressive yet again.

The 1st episode was excellent and really set up the 2nd episode nicely. It kept me guessing all the way through. There was a slight lull in the 2nd episode but towards the end when the main reveal happened I was left satisfied with how it all turned out.

Overall a strong mini series that is well worth catching up on if you missed it. Highly recommend and I'm hoping that there is more of this type of drama to come in the near future.

Much Better than Recent American Versions of Christie

[thalassafischer · 7/10 · 7 August 2023]

This is a surprisingly strong and dark interpretation of Agatha Christie. In fact even TV versions of her novels I love - like David Suchet's Poirot - rarely come close to how cynical the real Agatha Christie as an author actually was about humanity. Some of her books are downright bone chilling for the nastiness of the characters considering how long ago they were written and ironically fans like me still cheer on the slightly toned down and charming, cozy PBS or A&E versions of Ms. Marple and Hercule Poirot.

The Witness for the Prosecution is a solid reminder of how the lurid Italian giallo sub-genre is ultimately a product of the original Agatha Christie novels from the early to mid 20th century. In Italy in the olden days mystery novels had yellow covers (giallo). Christie is not the only influence on the 1960s and 70s art house flicks but she's named more frequently as a giallo influence than Raymond Chandler etc.

I was actually a bit taken aback at ho dark this ended up being at the twist, but I have nothing but praise for this attempt.

Superb...in every way

[rebeccax5 · 10/10 · 18 April 2017]

This incredible version of the famous Witness for the Prosecution is completely mesmerizing. Atmospheric, spellbinding, surprisingly well done and eclipses the classic Billy Wilder film. Based on the A Christie short story not the play.

The 1920's, post WWI brought to life with beautiful cinematography, great acting and seamless direction.

Those panning this film must have been asleep at the wheel. For me, I was immediately caught up in the story, as If i'd never seen the Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton version. It was a big surprise and I've never appreciated A Christie as much. She was like a Alfred Hitchcock alter ego. The production value of this film was light years above the usual humdrum, A Chritie parlor mysteries.

The film was offered as part of a free one week trial of "Acorn TV" on Amazon. Glad I stumbled onto it because I really needed to see something unexpectedly good tonight. Flipping through new films on Amazon or Netflix looked grim, but then this free trial popped up on Amazon..

Rather than saying anything more specific about the performances which are stunning, that might lead to expectations let me just recommend seeing this devoid of expectations.

JOLLY GOOD TIME

[anitalansing-40-581915 · 7/10 · 27 February 2021]

I enjoyed this version of the movie, The Witness for the Prosecution, even though there were a few flaws. However, the acting was superb and the storyline did have some suspense. I was shocked when certain characters were not who they had pretended to be. A Jolly Good Time.

Not Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution

[mweratcliffe · 4/10 · 1 December 2017]

I would vote lower and say that this was awful- however the acting and much of the production was excellent. Where this effort goes off track with me is the title Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution. It may have been based on or inspired by - but it is defiantly not her story. Miss Christie's story focused on the mystery surrounding the truth about whether or not a man had committed murder and just exactly who was telling the truth. This production focuses on a solicitor grieving the death of his son and how because of that grief he deluded himself into believing lies on all fronts. His delusions result in the freeing of the guilty the death of the innocent and even to his own suicide. This is a completely different story. Not a bad story but certainly one that did not require the complete bastardization of Miss Christie's original work to tell. Any effort that could have been made by the BBC to not delude the audience that this is Miss Christie's story would have been a help to this story - but the BBC chose not to make any effort in order to capitalize on the Christie name and draw an audience. Shame on the BBC. Badly done.

Good in its way, but not authentic Agatha Christie by a long shot

[Nozz · 7/10 · 27 April 2018]

It was a mistake to advertise this version as a return to Agatha Christie's original short story. The script does jettison at least one memorable addition that was not in the original, but it also adds a great deal of extra material. Some of the material harmonizes very well with the story, and it has to do with a look, from here in the future, back at things that, during the period in which Christie was writing, were taken for granted. The indelible trauma of the First World War, the yawning gap between the haves and have-nots. The actors help sell the point that these are not just reminders of history but also reminders of human nature. The fleshing-out draws the viewer into the story more deeply than many playful or even mechanical Christie-inspired movies have done, but ultimately it wanders into territory that Christie herself, I suspect, wouldn't have entered and perhaps wouldn't even have endorsed.