DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS: Accounts of alternate crime, mystery & thriller adaptations.🕵️‍♂️

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

And now, my inaugural post:
(Poster to be added at a later date.)

Murder on the Orient Express (1940)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Written by Seton I. Miller, Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein
Adapted from the novel by Agatha Christie
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Music by Max Steiner
Cinematography by Sol Polito

CAST:

• Greta Ohlsson (Greta Garbo)
• Hildegarde Schmidt (Marlene Dietrich)
• Ratchett (Edward G. Robinson)
• Hercule Poirot (Bela Lugosi)
• Mary Debenham (Olivia De Havilland)
• Countess Andreyni (Myrna Loy)
• Col. Artbuthnot (David Niven)
• Count Andreyni (Basil Rathbone)
• Foscarelli (Don Ameche)
• Cyrus Hardman (Warren William)
• Pierre Michel (Erich Von Stroheim)
• Masterman (C. Aubrey Smith)
• Princess Dragomiroff (Maria Ouspenkaya)
• McQueen (Dwight Frye)
• Dr. Constantine (Edward Van Sloan)
• Bouc (Harold Huber)

The film received critical acclaim for its pacing, direction and faithfulness to the text, with the performances of the multinational ensemble cast receiving particular praise. The casting of Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi as the iconic Belgian sleuth (in a then rare heroic role, no less) was met with many a raised eyebrow. Nevertheless the actor proved himself up to the task, delivering a gleeful energetic performance, soaked with poise and command. Whilst the film alone was not enough to break Lugosi free from the shackles of his typecasting as one of "the faces of horror", it did showcase to audiences his versatility, and capability to be the hero. His career would soon change for the better.

Christie herself was pleased with the final result. Although taking umbrage with the quality of Poirot’s moustaches in the film, she found Lugosi’s performance to be “pleasantly adequate”. It satisfied her enough to ensure that the door remained open, regarding future screen version of her work.

The film is widely considered to be the best adaptation of the book, (rivalled only by Sidney Lumet's also excellent 1974 effort), and among the best overall dramatisations of Christie's work.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

Jack Reacher: One Shot (2012)
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Written by Christopher McQuarrie
Adapted from the novel by Lee Child
Produced by Don Granger, Paula Wagner, Gary Levinsohn and Dwayne Johnson
Music by Joe Kraemer
Cinematography by Caleb Deschanel

CAST:

• Jack Reacher (Dwayne Johnson)
• Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike)
• DA Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins)
• Zek Chelovek (Werner Herzog)
• Det. Calvin Emerson (David Oyelowo)
• Charlie (Jai Courtney)
• James Mark Barr (Joseph Sikora)
• Martin Cash (Robert Duvall)
• Linsky (Michael Raymond-James)
• Jeb Oliver (Josh Helman)
• Sandy (Alexia Fast)
• Rob Farrior (James Martin Kelly)
• Nancy Holt (Nicole Forester)

The first in a series of films based on the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

The Bone Collector (1999)
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Directed by Phillip Noyce
Written by Jeremy Iacone
Adapted from the novel by Jeffery Deaver
Produced by Martin Bregman, Michael Bregman, and Louis A. Stroller
Music by Craig Armstrong
Cinematography by Dean Semler

CAST:

• Lincoln Rhyme (Christopher Reeve)
• Officer Amelia Sachs (Angelina Jolie)
• Thelma Reston (Queen Latifah)
• Det. Howard Cheney (Michael Rooker)
• Det. Kenny Solomon (Mike McGlone)
• Det. Eddie Ortiz (Luis Guzmán)
• Peter Taylor (Leland Orser)
• Dr Barry Lehman (John Benjamin Hickey)
• Steve (Bobby Cannavale)
• Det. Lon Sellitto (Ed O'Neill)
• Lindsay Rubin (Olivia Birkelund)
• Alan Rubin (Gary Swanson)

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

The Cadfael Chronicles (1992-98)

• Brother Cadfael (Philip Madoc)
• Sheriff Hugh Beringar (Douglas Hodge)

A sumptuously lavish BBC adaptation of the medieval murder mysteries of Ellis Peters.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

I know this belongs more to the comic book genre than crime, but it still fits somewhat into the parameters of this thread, i.e. noir, thriller etc.
Anyway here are some actors who I think could have been great as the Shadow:
Vincent Price:

Willem Dafoe:

Christopher Walken:

And an actor who would be perfect for the role today:
David Dastmalchian:

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

The Cash Carter Mysteries (1999-2001)
(2 Seasons, 18 episodes, 2 TV movies)
Aired on the A&E network
Created by Gilbert Pearlman and Gene Wilder
Produced by Craig McNeil, Steven Paul and Antony Root
Music by John Morris

CAST:

• Larry "Cash" Carter (Gene Wilder)
• Det. Tony Rossini (Mike Starr)
• Mimi Barnes (Cherry Jones)

A short lived A&E period mystery series, co-created by Gene Wilder. Set in 1930s Connecticut, the series focuses on Cash Carter, a veteran theatre director turned amateur sleuth.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

A BBC Television series starring Donald Sinden as Dr. Gideon Fell, based on the stories by John Dickson Carr.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

(Casting for Troughton and Whitehead is courtesy of Guajolote.)

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

Endeavour (2012-2021)
(8 Series, 33 episodes)
An ITV Production
Devised by Russell Lewis
Based on characters created by Colin Dexter
Produced by Dan McCulloch
Music by Barrington Pheloung and Matthew Slater

CAST:

• Endeavour Morse (Charlie Cox)
• Inspector Desmond McNutt (Ray Stevenson)
• Jim Strange (Sean Rigby)
• Dr. Max DeBryn (James Bradshaw)
• Chief Superintendent Reginald Bright (Anton Lesser)

A prequel to the long running Inspector Morse. The focus is on Morse's origins as a copper under the tutelage of the gruff, but fair Inspector Desmond McNutt, and shows his progression from a bright eyed, innocent Detective Constable in 1965, to a cynical, introspective Detective Inspector in 1974.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

An entertaining b-grade Universal serial based on the classic character, with Bela Lugosi giving a gleefully macabre performance as Lamont Cranston, and Keye Luke as the charismatic and sophisticated criminal mastermind Shiwan Khan.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

Paul Temple (1968-1971)
(4 Series, 11 serials, 86 episodes)
A BBC Series
Created by Francis Durbridge
Produced by Derick Sherwin
Theme music: Coronation Scot by Vivian Ellis

CAST:

• Paul Temple (Denholm Elliott)
• Louise "Steve" Temple (Honor Blackman)
• Sir Graham Forbes (Richard Vernon)

High paced, action packed, and well acted adaptions of the classic radio series.

SERIALS:
Series One (1968)
The Sullivan Mystery (8 episodes)
A unremarkable pair of spectacles create intrigue and danger Paul and Steve on a trip to Egypt.
The Madison Mystery (8 episodes)
A deceased millionaire and an enigmatic watch-chain sends the Temples in pursuit of a vicious gang.

Series Two (1969)
The Gilbert Case (8 episodes)
Howard Gilbert, is set to hang for his girlfriend's murder. But her father is convinced of Howard's innocence. Can the Temples unravel the mystery in time?
The Lawrence Affair (8 episodes)
While staying in the fishing village of Downburgh, the sleuths faces peril linking mysterious deaths with a disappearance.
The Spencer Affair (8 episodes)
When drama student Mary is found murdered in her flat, her father instantly sends for Paul Temple. There appears to have been no struggle, no robbery, no motive.

Series Three (1970)
The Vandyke Affair (8 episodes)
A cryptic telephone message is the only clue to the disappearance of an eighteen-month-old baby and her caretaker.
The Conrad Case (8 episodes)
An English schoolgirl goes missing in Bavaria, and the only clue to her whereabouts, is a cocktail stick found in her bedroom.
The Margo Mystery (8 episodes)
A twisted web of deceit and murder awaits Paul when Steve disappears.

Series Four (1971)
The Jonathan Mystery (8 episodes) (yes)
After meeting an American couple on a flight, Temple is soon investigating the murder of their son.
The Geneva Mystery (6 episodes)
A woman thinks her late husband is still alive, while someone else would prefer the Temples dead.
The Alex Affair (8 episodes)
Temple is called in when three murders occur with a link to a mysterious 'Alex'.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

A short lived, but fondly remembered anthology series from Showtime that presented some of American fiction’s most popular detectives in a series of 45-60 minute episodes (including a few 80 minute specials), with each episode based off a pre-existing short story or novella.

The first and second seasons primarily features stories written and/or set during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction (with one episode set in the mid 19th century), whereas the third and fourth seasons were set in the present day, and showcased more recent works from contemporary authors like Robert B. Parker, and rising talent such as Lee Child.

Some episodes were created with the intention of spinning the characters off into their own series. Three such shows were ultimately produced, although none of them were long lasting.

(More to come soon...)

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

(A follow up from this post.)
After the success of Murder on the Orient Express, Warner Bros. immediately set about producing a series of Poirot films, starting with the excellent adaptation of Death on the Nile. Bela Lugosi left after The ABC Murders, recognising from prior experience that it was best not to be tied down to any one role for too long. Peter Lorre subsequently took over the part. By this time, Christie (who had obtained a considerable amount of creative control, so as to ensure faithfulness to her text) wanted attention to be given to her other non-Poirot works (especially her Miss Marple stories). Warner Bros. acquiesced; the Poirot films had been less successful since Lugosi left, although Lorre was well liked in the part. The series soon winded down, although dear old Hercule would not be absent onscreen for long. After a short lived radio series starring Adolphe Menjou, and an even more brief television run with Charles Boyer, the next Poirot film would arrive in 1955, with Ealing Studios' exquisite adaptation of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd starring George Sanders as Dr. Sheppard, and Bela Lugosi in his fourth, and final performance as the ageing Belgian sleuth.

LIST OF HERCULE POIROT FILMS (1941-1944)
Death on the Nile (1941)
Starring Bela Lugosi
with Richard Greene as Simon Doyle, Gail Patrick as Linnet Ridgeway, Lana Turner as Jackie de Bellefort and Nigel Bruce as Colonel Race

The ABC Murders (1942)
Starring Bela Lugosi
with Donald Crisp as Captain Hastings, Victor McLaglen as Inspector Japp and Laird Cregar as Alexander Bonaparte Cust

Lord Edgware Dies (1942)
Starring Peter Lorre
with Constance Cummings as Lady Edgware, Donald Crisp as Captain Hastings and Victor McLaglen as Inspector Japp

Cards on the Table (1943)
Starring Peter Lorre
with Billie Burke as Ariadne Oliver, Sydney Greenstreet as Superintendent Battle, Aubrey Mather as Colonel Race and Akim Tamiroff as Shaitana

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1943)
Starring Peter Lorre
with Maria Montez as Pilar Estravados

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

The Cadfael Chronicles (1991-1997)
(7 Series, 20 serials, 42 episodes)
A BBC Series
Based on the novels by Ellis Peters

CAST:

• Brother Cadfael (Donald Pleasence, Series 1)
• Brother Cadfael (Philip Madoc, Series 2-7)
• Hugh Beringar (Douglas Hodge)
• Prior Robert (Michael Sheard)
• Brother Jerome (Clive Francis)
• Abbot Heribert (Peter Copley) (Series 1)
• Abbot Radulfus (John Castle)
• Brother Oswin (Mark Charnock)

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

I know this belongs more to the comic book genre than crime, but it still fits somewhat into the parameters of this thread, i.e. noir, thriller etc.
Anyway here are some actors who I think could have been great as the Shadow:
Vincent Price:

Willem Dafoe:

Christopher Walken:

And an actor who would be perfect for the role today:
David Dastmalchian:

Following up from this...

The Shadow (2013-2014)
(1 Season, 22 episodes)
An NBC series
Based on characters created by Walter B. Gibson

CAST:

• Lamont Cranston/The Shadow (David Dastmalchian): An enigmatic vigilante with the power to cloud men's minds.
• Margo Lane (Morena Baccarin): A socialite and philanthropist who develops a relationship with Cranston.
• Commissioner Ralph Weston (Wendell Pierce): An NYPD veteran and beleaguered bureaucrat.
• Harry Vincent (Michael Ealy): A well-to-do playboy and ally of Cranston, who often uses his connections to infiltrate the more corrupt echelons of high society.
• Shiwan Khan (Mark Dacascos): A mysterious master criminal, who claims to be the last living descendent of Genghis Khan.
• Dr. Roy Tam (Tzi Ma): A physician turned therapist for Cranston.
• Det. Jo Cardona (Alana de la Garza): A cynical cop, and reluctant agent of the Shadow.
• Moe Shrevnitz (Abraham Benrubi): A snarky NY cabbie who provides transport for the Shadow's agents.
• Martin Burbank (Michael Dorn): A radio personality, in league with the Shadow.
• Kent Allard (Julian Richings): Cranston's estranged father, the original Shadow.
• Clark "Doc" Savage Jr. (Dave Bautista): A mysterious adventurer.

A short-lived TV adaptation of the classic pulp character, set in contemporary times. Cancelled after one season due to poor ratings, but has gained a small cult-following due to it's pulpy atmosphere, engaging performances, colourful dialogue and self-aware, fun nature.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

A spin-off of the BBC's Father Brown series, The Eyes of Kalon stars Michael Maloney, reprising his role as the former cult leader and repentant murderer Gerald Firth, alias Kalon. Eager to make up for his past sins, Firth, now resident in the peaceful village of Hambleston, undertakes careers in criminology and criminal reform. He often becomes embroiled in solving murders, much to the chagrin of the local police who often attempt to arrest him for the crimes.

Like it's parent series, The Eyes of Kalon is set in the Cotswolds during the 1950s, although the tone is somewhat more sombre.

The Eyes of Kalon (2023-present)
(1 series, 10 episodes)
A BBC series
Based on characters created by G. K. Chesterton

CAST:

• Gerald Firth/Kalon (Michael Maloney): A former cult leader and convicted murderer turned criminologist, prison reformer and amateur sleuth. He often attempts to redeem the criminals he faces and has to frequently cope with the PTSD and guilt of his past actions. His past proclivities provide him a keen insight into the minds of murderers and obsessive personalities.
• Ms. Agatha Eden (Mina Anwar): Firth's landlady, who begrudgingly becomes wrapped up in his sleuthing.
• Freddy Pickering (Elliot Barnes-Worrell): A small-time pickpocket who Firth takes on as an assistant.
• WPC Hillary Crawford (Alexa Davies): A new addition to the local force; constantly fighting to prove herself in the male-occupied station.
• Inspector Murchison (Paul Kaye): A former Special Branch detective, banished to Hambleston after a prior investigation went awry. He looks upon Kalon with disdain and suspicion.
• Alexander De Vernier (Anton Lesser): A sociopathic criminal mastermind, with designs on reawakening Kalon's murderous tendencies.
• Zuzanna "Susie" Jasinski (Kasia Koleczek): A polish refugee, and a former near-victim of Kalon.
• Father Brown (Mark Williams): An eccentric Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective from the neighbouring village of Kembleford. He is responsible for catching and rehabilitating Firth.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

A collaboration between the BBC and RTÉ, based on the 2000-2010 BBC Radio series created by Barry Devlin. The series focuses on Father Paolo Baldi, a Franciscan priest on sabbatical from the order. He has become a lecturer at a Dublin university, and often becomes embroiled in amateur sleuthing.

Baldi (2015-2017)
(3 series, 18 episodes)
A BBC-RTÉ production
Based on the BBC Radio 4 series created by Barry Devlin

CAST:

• Father Paolo Baldi (Aidan McArdle)
• DI Tina Mahon (Charlene McKenna)
• Superintendent Rynne (Conleth Hill)
• Father Troy (Stanley Townsend)

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

Morse (2021-2023)
(4 series, 13 episodes)
A BBC Radio 4 series
Dramatised from the novels by Colin Dexter

SERIES ONE (September-October 2021):
Last Bus to Woodstock
Last Seen Wearing
The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn

SERIES TWO (February-March 2022):
Service of All the Dead
The Dead of Jericho
The Riddle of the Third Mile

SERIES THREE (November-December 2022):
The Secret of Annexe 3
The Wench is Dead
The Jewel That Was Ours

SERIES FOUR (February-March 2023):
The Way Through the Woods
The Daughters of Cain
Death Is Now My Neighbour
The Remorseful Day

CAST:

• Detective Chief Inspector Morse (Samuel West)
• Detective Sergeant Robbie Lewis (Owen Teale)
• Chief Superintendent Strange (Roger Ashton-Griffiths)
• Dr. Max DeBryn (David Timson)

A series of faithful dramatisations of all 13 of the original Morse novels by Colin Dexter. Notable for including elements omitted from the TV adaptations: i.e. Morse driving a Lancia instead of a jaguar, and Lewis being an older Welshman. Much like the TV series, most episodes feature at least one prominent guest star.

 

[WhovianHolmesianChap]

SELECT AGATHA CHRISTIE FILMOGRAPHY

Dame May Whitty as Miss Jane Marple in The Body in the Library

WARNER BROS:
Murder on the Orient Express (1940), with Bela Lugosi as Hercule Poirot
Death on the Nile (1941), with Bela Lugosi as Hercule Poirot
The ABC Murders (1942), with Bela Lugosi as Hercule Poirot
Lord Edgware Dies (1942), with Peter Lorre as Hercule Poirot
Cards on the Table (1943), with Peter Lorre as Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1943), with Peter Lorre as Hercule Poirot

Murder at the Vicarage (1944)
Starring Dame May Whitty as Miss Marple
with Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Rev. Leonard Clement and Frieda Inescort as Griselda Clement

The Body in the Library (1945)
Starring Dame May Whitty as Miss Marple
with Beulah Bondi as Dolly Bantry, C. Aubrey Smith as Colonel Melchett and Edward Arnold as Inspector Slack

The Moving Finger (1945)
Starring Dame May Whitty as Miss Marple
with Raymond Massey as Jerry Burton

PARAMOUNT:
N or M? (1944), with Ray Milland as Tommy and Paulette Goddard as Tuppence

MGM:
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (1945), with Cary Grant as Bobby Jones and Donna Reed as Lady Frances Derwent

RKO RADIO PICTURES:
The Secret of Chimneys (1946), with Barbara Hale as Eileen Brent and Roland Young as Superintendent Battle