El hombre del traje marrón

Uneven Agatha Christie adaptation with great locales, a swift adventure pace, and an odd assortment of acting styles from an equally odd assortment of then popular TV stars. Ken Howard ("The White Shadow") does a Humphrey Bogart spoof, Tony Randall ("The Odd Couple") does comedy skit impersonations, Rue McClanahan ("Golden Girls") plays her familiar Blanche character, Edward Woodward ("The Equalizer") is doing light theater, and Stephanie Zimbalist ("Remington Steele") at times looks like Pinocchio with wooden legs trying to balance on her two feet. I can't tell if the film was badly miscast (Tony Randall's role should really been done with an unknown unrecognizable actor), badly scripted, or just bad direction choices. My guess, a little of each. Imagine the director telling each of his actors that they were in a different type of film (spoof, mystery, adventure, drama, comedy, etc...) and you get an idea of what happens on screen. Still, the pace, humor, and locales actually make this one of the most enjoyable Christie inspired efforts and one you won't likely be nodding off to. Maybe there is a method to the madness afterall, or at least a purpose. I taped this film during it's original broadcast in 1989 and still watch it from time to time as a guilty pleasure. Go figure.

"The Man in the Brown Suit", a made-for-TV movie adapted from an Agatha Christie novel, is lightweight entertainment. While its not quite in the same league as the great 1978 theatrical release "Death on the Nile" or even 1974's "Murder on the Orient Express", it's still an interesting murder mystery. Stephanie Zimbalist stars as a woman looking for adventure in Egypt. She stumbles across an accident that is linked to a recent murder. She follows a clue onto a cruise ship that features the usual assortment of odd, colorful characters. Among the passengers she meets: Edward Woodward as a man of English royalty; Rue McClanahan as a southern belle (who at times seems to be playing her "Golden Girls" character Blanche); Tony Randall as a reverend with a awkward speaking voice; and Ken Howard as a CIA operative who's tracking the mystery himself. She also meets the mystery man of the title. Most of the performances are good except for Randall who's miscast badly (especially when he turns up in a couple of different roles that I won't go into), and the film for the most part is entertaining. Worth a look if you can find it on TV.

*** (out of four)

The advantage of seeing this film in 2005 is that although it isn't the the 1930s period piece it should be, it's so screamingly outdated 1980s through-and-through that you still enjoy quite a "vintage" feel.

Various plot details have been adjusted, but it's still fairly true to the text. The back-story is properly there, nicely simplified. Zimbalist (Anne Beddingfeld) isn't quite gamine enough for Beddingfeld, she looks rather motherly against Dutton (The Man in the Brown Suit) in several scenes, but all in all gives a solid performance. Dutton is good eye-candy and is properly brooding, like his book version, but his voice is disappointingly light and he's not the most credible action hero. You can't really imagine him doing it tough in the Brazilian jungle, at any rate. Pedants will note that he is also not "markedly brachycephalic".

McClanahan (Suzy Blair) is basically replaying "Blanche" from the Golden Girls here, and as such is outstanding, possibly the most enjoyable thing in the film. Ken Howard (Gordon Race) isn't quite what one imagines from the book, and his romantic intentions have also been realigned, but in a way that makes for a more satisfying ending.

No surprise they change the ending vis-a-vis The Man's inheritance to please an American audience, however. It is arguably more fairy-tale like the way the film has done it.

Getting hold of this film was a nightmare, after having only seen half of it on TV years back. In the end I got it via Sendit.com, but it took nearly a year on their Search list before a copy came in, and then was only available in VHS format. I actually had to go and buy a player just for this film, (which luckily was worth it). It would be brilliant if some company could start printing DVDs-on-demand for minority interest/cult films such as this.

The Man in the Brown Suit is the last of some 1980s TV movies made as US/UK co-productions for CBS TV. Changing the location to Cairo (the film was actually shot in Madrid and Cadiz) does the story no harm. Ken Westbury's beautiful photography of cascading waterfalls and other lush scenery is certainly an asset, and Alan Shayne's high production values make the film worth watching. The script is fairly well-written by Carla Jean Wagner.

Once again, second-tier American TV actors associated with current or recently past CBS productions, are included (as well as Tony Randall). Stephanie Zimbalist is a little too cutesy at times, while Rue McClanahan thinks this film is another episode of The Golden Girls. Ken Howard is bland and mediocre at the best of times.

On the other hand the aforementioned actors' British counterparts show them what acting is all about. Best in the cast is Edward Woodward, a great talent who gives a splendid performance. Woodward had just finished a five-year run on CBS as Robert McCall in "The Equalizer," and that may have had something to do with him being in this film (lucky for us!!!). Simon Dutton, who was starring as Simon Templar in TV films of "The Saint" at this time (1988-89) is quite good as "the man in the brown suit." And Nickolas Grace is also quite effective as secretary Guy Underhill.

Warner Brothers' TV policy was to cast actors who were identifiable to TV audiences in the U.S, which does not mean they chose people of great talent or suitability to the roles. They should have taken a lesson from the BBC, Thames TV, London Weekend TV and ITV, all of whom flawlessly cast their productions with actors reflecting the character of their parts, capturing the wonderful flavour of Agatha Christie's writing.

Not all Agatha Christie movies are written true to form of her books. Of course, what movie is really? This is a charming adventure with a young woman tired of her humdrum life looking for more excitement. She soon finds it with a romance and a mystery. The gorgeous leading man and the cute leading lady (Stephanie Zimbalist) make for a cute couple. Had me guessing things until the very end the first time I saw this, and I have a taped copy (wish I had the original now). Interesting not to have the typical Miss Marple or Hercules Poirot characters and yet lends one to wanting to read the book. Tony Randall was quite funny with his different characters. I believe this is well-worth the viewing.