SnoopyStyle

It is 1940 Paris. Self-absorbed socialite Michele de la Becque (Joan Crawford) is rubbing elbows with the over-confident French elites. Her boyfriend Robert Cortot is an important industrialist. As the tide turns against France, she becomes more patriotic. She is shocked to find Robert co-operating with the enemy. She encounters downed American RAF pilot Pat Talbot (John Wayne) who is desperate for help.

It never feels dangerous. That's the problem. From her confrontation with the German Karen to all her manipulations, she just doesn't play fear enough. As for John Wayne, he is only a side character and also so very American. Something does occur to me. He could have taken his papers with him. All he probably needs is a fake entry stamp on his real passport. After that, he should be able to walk right out of the country. I don't know the system back then. I do get the needs of propaganda movie. They need the French underground to save this American icon. It would make more sense if he's not American. This has some propaganda value, good star power, and a functional story.

Eddie (Haley Joel Osment) struggles to get a teaching job. He takes charge and gets a job in an inner city school in the Cuban neighborhood. After one incident, he realizes that his young students need sex ed.

My big takeaway is that this isn't funny. Part of that is Haley Joel Osment. Part of it is also how Eddie is written. Another part is all the kids. That takes me to the tone. It's trying to take a serious stand on sex ed and at the same time, it makes all the juvenile sex jokes. One can get whiplash from the wild swings. Maybe the audience could feel for Eddie and just ride along with him. The problem is that the guy is so clueless at times. He is one frustrating character. I do like parts of this, but the various bits keep stepping on each other.

It's 1917. Lieutenant Hastings (Hugh Fraser) is home sick from the front. He is invited by his friend John Cavendish to stay at Styles Court in Essex. The wealthy matriarch Emily Inglethorp dies probably from strychnine poisoning. Hastings recruits his friend Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) who happens to be staying nearby as a war refugee.

I'm not a big Agatha Christie fan, but I do catch most movies. This is a solid version. This is a superior TV movie. Suchet is the Poirot that I picture most. As Agatha Christie's introduction of Poirot, this is a good watch for any newcomer or passing fan.