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.
