Summary
Shortly after visiting their elderly aunt in a luxury retirement home, Bélisaire
and Prudence Beresford are surprised by her sudden death. Prudence becomes convinced
foul play is at work when she learns that one of the other old women she met in the home
has mysteriously disappeared. In her aunt’s possessions, Prudence comes across a
painting of a country house, a painting which awakens some dormant memory. Despite
her husband’s objections, Prudence sets out to unravel the mystery...
Review
Something wicked this way comes... Pascal Thomas’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s
novel "By the Pricking of My Thumbs" feels more like a slightly embarrassing murder mystery
weekend than a serious reinterpretation of a classic English thriller. Whilst the
film is pretty faithful to the novel on which it is based, Pascal Thomas gives it a far
from subtle comic twist which dilutes the sense of menace and intrigue without adding
much in terms of entertainment value.
The film’s main draw is Catherine Frot’s spirited portrayal of an amateur sleuth. It’s the third time the actress has worked with Pascal Thomas – their most successful collaboration being La Dilettante (1999). Although Frot handles the comedy brilliantly, a lacklustre, cliché-heavy script prevents her from making her character particularly convincing. Likewise, Thomas’s direction lacks the discipline and maturity of many of his previous films, even if the end result is mildly entertaining, if only as a half-hearted send-up of a popular genre. Playing the part of Catherine Frot’s daughter in this film is Sarah Biasini, the daughter of the iconic film actress Romy Schneider.
© James Travers 2007
Write a review for this film...
The film’s main draw is Catherine Frot’s spirited portrayal of an amateur sleuth. It’s the third time the actress has worked with Pascal Thomas – their most successful collaboration being La Dilettante (1999). Although Frot handles the comedy brilliantly, a lacklustre, cliché-heavy script prevents her from making her character particularly convincing. Likewise, Thomas’s direction lacks the discipline and maturity of many of his previous films, even if the end result is mildly entertaining, if only as a half-hearted send-up of a popular genre. Playing the part of Catherine Frot’s daughter in this film is Sarah Biasini, the daughter of the iconic film actress Romy Schneider.
© James Travers 2007
Write a review for this film...
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Useful links
- Best French films of 2011
- Best French films of the 2000s
- Best of the French New Wave
- Best of French film comedy
- The best 100 French films
- The most successful French films
- Great French filmmakers
Related links
- Other French films of the 2000s
- The best French films of the 2000s
- Other French comedy-thrillers
- The best French comedy-thrillers
- Biography and films of Pascal Thomas
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Credits
- Director: Pascal Thomas
- Script: François Caviglioli, Nathalie Lafaurie, Pascal Thomas, Agatha Christie (novel)
- Photo: Renan Pollès
- Music: Reinhardt Wagner
- Cast: Catherine Frot (Prudence Beresford), André Dussollier (Colonel Bélisaire Beresford), Geneviève Bujold (Rose Evangelista), Laurent Terzieff (Maître Anet), Valérie Kaprisky (Françoise Blayes), Bernard Verley (Le général), Alexandra Stewart (Mme Boscovan), Sarah Biasini (Marie-Christine), François Bettens (Rudi), Françoise Seigner (Tante Ada)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 105 min
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- Le Paltoquet (1986)
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Comedy / Crime / Thriller






