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And then there were none - BBC1

310 replies

VeraClaythorne · 26/12/2015 21:24

Anyone watching?

OP posts:
IjonTichy · 29/12/2015 01:18

I also find it fascinating how social mores change. Agatha Christie never seems to find child deaths in her books very serious - Anthony Marston in mowing down two children is judged by Wargrave to have been the least culpable in his murders. Although Vera is judged harshly, it is more the cold blooded calculation that is against her rather than the fact her victim is a child. I also noted that although they bunged in some extra antisemitism (with Miss Brent's comments about 'Jews') they decided to leave out Vera's excusing Lombard's crime with 'they were only natives'. Not to excuse any of this at all, but I do find it interesting what they decide to include - would have thought Vera's comment would have added to her unlikeability.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 29/12/2015 07:28

In the book, the judge says that Marston is stupid and completely amoral and will never learn or understand the full horror of what he has done, so he regards him as more of an animal than a human and eliminates him first. The others are worse in his view because they did know what they were doing, or should have done.

That was the book ending. The play/film ending is significantly different - bit of a cop out, actually.

Clawdy · 29/12/2015 09:17

Yes,the play version I saw a few years ago had a silly happy ending where Vera and the Aidan character both apparently were really innocent and ended up in each other's arms, joking about the noose and playfully putting it round each other's necks!!

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 29/12/2015 10:13

Presumably she sent the boy to his death because she thought that would mean the uncle inheriting the house and her getting to live like lady muck beside him.

Dowser · 29/12/2015 10:16

I believe Vera hanged herself because she was becoming more and more unhinged.

1 the terrors of the 48 hours. Seeing one person die is bad enough but 8 and then you'd killed one yourself. Look at the effect that would have.

2 After she killed Lombard she saw the figures had been removed. So now she's killed the only person she had a chance of survival with.

3 so, there was still a killer on the loose. therefore he'd killed 8 , her one so her chance of survival was slim and then she had to get off the island.

4 if she survived all of that, she was never ever going to be rid of the guilt of what she did to Cyril. She was never going to be allowed to forget hugo's last words to her.

5 with all of that going on in her head , the fact that the killer was on the loose which she knew when she entered her room and saw the noose, she saw her opportunity to escape the torture of her mind and took it.

Dowser · 29/12/2015 10:18

That's right adora

Davros · 29/12/2015 10:30

The bbc I player radio, which I have on my phone, is brilliant. There is some Agatha Christie in her own words. There is also Miss Marple and Poirot, it does tend to be MM. And HP. You can listen immediately or download for later

absolutelynotfabulous · 29/12/2015 11:27

Well, that was clear as mudConfused. I must be thicker than I thought, or missed bits.

What had the Rogers' done to deserve their deaths?
How did the judge fake his death, complete with blood and gore, then come back to life unmarked?

How did he kill the one found in the cellar( ?) and yet have no blood on him? How could he have done it if he was frail physically? Why didn't he just use his gun?

I can't remember what each person had done, either. How were they all connected?

Did Vera lead Cyril to his death in the hope of getting her hands on her lover's fortune?

Siwi · 29/12/2015 11:44

Absolutely, Sparknotes gives a detailed account that will answer all of your questions.

Samantha28 · 29/12/2015 11:45

Mr Rodgers suffocated the old lady they worked for. Mrs Rodgers witnessed this .

The judge used the lover and kidneys stolen from the meat press . The doctor collided in this .

I wondered about the lack of blood in the cellar killing and his frailty , another poster said it was an axe to the head

I don't think the murderes were connected in any way

IjonTichy · 29/12/2015 11:59

You lose a bit by not having the judge's detailed explanation as in the book. Had to clear some things up for DH. Still think they could have done it as a voiceover or something, perhaps as the crimes were discovered...

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/12/2015 12:01

Yes Vere lead Cyril to his death so the man she was in love with would inherit his wealth and then be wealthy enough to get married (not sure why he would have received the money guess it was left to the males in the family)

absolutelynotfabulous · 29/12/2015 12:19

siwi thanks. What a great site!

I think the weakness of the adaptation is that there isn't really enough time for the characters to develop, so difficult to understand a motive for killing them.

So the doctor was "in" on Wargrave's "death"...Judge then kills himself with the "missing" bullet.

That was clever!

Siwi · 29/12/2015 12:31

I don't know why Agatha didn't bump off her first husband because I am sure she would have got away with it.

But apparently she 'didn't approve of murder'.

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/12/2015 13:49

Maybe that was her plan when she went missing

She was found too soon

Siwi · 29/12/2015 14:05

She was hiding in plain sight.
I think that she publicly humiliated the pair of them?
More satisfying and less 'bad' than murder?

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/12/2015 14:33

I only know a little about the story wasn't it made into a play recently

She certainly had a vivid imagination it's interesting how writers come up with ideas or do we all have them but suppress them

Siwi · 29/12/2015 14:56

Film and book, I think.

I think that I have two fail safe ways to murder someone.

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/12/2015 14:58

I haven't given it much thought Wink

BathshebaDarkstone · 29/12/2015 15:09

I just discovered this thread! I loved the book and the programme, but for completely different reasons! I was a bit meh about the ending of the programme, I prefer the book.

Siwi · 29/12/2015 15:09

I don't usually, but I can't help it after an Agatha Christie binge.
She must have thought the same thing constantly.

Actually, I have three but only two involve 'getting away with it'.

DNA has done for the good old fashioned Christie murder.

:)

Siwi · 29/12/2015 15:11

Bath, look at the Sparknotes site.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 29/12/2015 21:44

Just binge watched this. Loved it, one of the books I haven't read. The house was amazing as well. Was properly spooked in some places.

Trills · 30/12/2015 12:46

Just finished!

My friends who watched it in real time advised against watching at night (wimps Wink )

Davros · 30/12/2015 14:38

I heard on the radio this morning that Radio 4 Extra is doing an AC season to mark the 125th anniversary of her birth.
I also love the Doctor Who episode that freestyles AC Xmas Blush

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