Stylish Films: See How They Run
See How They Run, which opened in the UK last Friday, is a delightful tribute/pastiche to Agatha Christie, and is a total delight for Agatha Christie fans, with a murder set right in the heart of theatreland at the party for the 100th performance of ‘The Mousetrap’. It has a stellar cast, shocking murders, brilliant staging and yet plays it all with its tongue firmly in cheek. Agatha would most definitely approve.
It’s 1953 and The Mousetrap is celebrating its 100th performance. Its stars Dickie Attenborough and Sheila Sim attend the starry party given in honour of the occasion, as does Hollywood director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody). He is tasked with bringing an adaptation of the play to the big screen, once its theatre run has ended, but feels that the staging is all wrong and that it needs to be bought up to date for modern 50s audiences, with at least a murder of the most hated character within in the first few minutes. Well, be careful what you wish for, as there is indeed a murder in the opening scene of See How They Run, that of Leo Köpernick himself. Cue the arrival of the drunk Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and Constable Stalker, played with wide eyed innocence by the always brilliant Saoirse Ronan, complete with an ever present notebook.
The beauty of this film is that it always has its tongue firmly in cheek, particularly regarding Agatha Christie. Those who have seen The Mousetrap (no spoilers here), will be pulled in one direction in their thoughts of who the murderer could be, as the clues are used to mislead and misdirect. Ruth Wilson is great as theatre impressario Petulla Spencer, complete with her ageing mother, selling the rights to The Mousetrap, complete with that clause that meant it couldn’t be filmed until it left the theatre (of course, it never has), whilst Harrison Dickinson is charm itself as the ultimate luvvie Dickie Attenborough, who indeed did play the original role of the inspector in The Mousetrap.
The fabulous bright colours and the gorgeous 50s costumes make See How They Run a visual treat, a real feast for the eyes.
This is a film to wallow in and enjoy – a little bit Knives Out, a little bit The Moustrap, and a whole lot of Agatha. Bliss!