Murder in Three Acts

Murder in Three Acts is a British-American made-for-television mystery film of 1986 produced by Warner Bros. Television, featuring Peter Ustinov as Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot. Directed by Gary Nelson,[1] it co-starred Jonathan Cecil as Hastings, Tony Curtis, and Emma Samms.

This article is about the television mystery. For the book published under the same name, see Three Act Tragedy.

Murder in Three Acts
GenreCrime
Drama
Mystery
Based onThree Act Tragedy
1934 novel
by Agatha Christie
Written byScott Swanton
Directed byGary Nelson
StarringPeter Ustinov
Tony Curtis
Emma Samms
Fernando Allende
Diana Muldaur
Jonathan Cecil
Theme music composerAlf Clausen
Country of originUnited Kingdom
United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerPaul Waigner
Production locationAcapulco
CinematographyNeil Roach
EditorDonald R. Rode
Running time94 minutes
Production companyWarner Bros. Television
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 30, 1986 (1986-09-30)
Related

The film is based on Christie's book Three Act Tragedy (1934), published in the US under the title Murder in Three Acts. It was Ustinov's third and last portrayal of Poirot on television.

Background

In 1974, Murder on the Orient-Express was released, starring Albert Finney as Poirot. As Finney was unable to reprise his role for the sequel, Death on the Nile (1978), Peter Ustinov was cast in the part and reprised it for Evil under the Sun in 1982, Thirteen at Dinner (1985), Dead Man's Folly, and Murder in Three Acts (1986).[2]

Another screen adaption in 1988, Appointment with Death, was Ustinov's last portrayal of the Belgian detective.[3]

Outline

Poirot joins his assistant Hastings in Acapulco, Mexico, where Hastings is staying. They go to a party at which the other guests include the writer Janet Crisp, the American actor Charles Cartwright, a clergyman called Babbington, Daisy Eastman and her daughter Egg, Dr Strange, and Ricardo Montoya. Babbington dies of poisoning, then Strange is poisoned, too, and Poirot hunts the murderer.

The main change from the original story is the relocation of the action from London to Acapulco. In the book, Poirot's assistant is Satterthwaite, replacing Hastings, but in the film Hastings is reinstated in his usual role. Christie's English theatrical actor Sir Charles Cartwright turns into Charles Cartwright, an American movie star.

A version made in 2010 in the long Poirot series starring David Suchet restored the title "Three Act Tragedy", as well as reinstating Sir Charles Cartwright (played by Martin Shaw) as an English stage actor.

Cast

The cast consisted of:[4]

Notes
  1. "Murder in Three Acts". TCM database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  2. J. C. Bernthal, Agatha Christie: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (2022), p. 398
  3. "Peter Ustinov" in Steven H. Gale, ed., Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese (1996), p. 1161
  4. Matthew Bunson, The Complete Christie: An Agatha Christie Encyclopedia (2000), p. 413


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