In Dead Man’s Folly, Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) and Hastings (Jonathan Cecil) head to a small island where Adrienne Oliver (Jean Stapleton) has set up a murder hunt game but fears a real murder is in the offing. Her fears are confirmed and Poirot investigates to solve this real-life crime.
This was a decent made-for-television film, carried as usual by the talents of Sir Peter Ustinov and the mystery as told by Agatha Christie. Jean Stapleton was kind of hard to believe as Oliver, but perhaps that’s because she’s been typecast in my mind as Edith Bunker. However, that doesn’t detract much from an enjoyable mystery.
It’ll be interesting to see David Suchet’s version of this story next year as it is one of few Poirot mysteries he hasn’t done. Filming is set to begin in May 2013.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5.00
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Conrad’s great overarching claim to radio fame is a significant one. He played the role of Marshall Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke for its entire 9 year run. Gunsmoke began its run after radio in 1952 after television had eclipsed radio as a profit making enterprise Nevertheless, Gunsmoke began its long run and also spawned a slew of new adult Westerns in the latter 1950s and Conrad played a large part in that. He also became a symbol of television’ shallowness when he was denied the ability to continue in the Dillon role on television due to his weight.
