The series "And there was nobody": reviews, plot, actors and roles

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The British mini-series "And Then There Were None" was filmed in 2015 in the genre of drama and thriller based on the immortal work of Agatha Christie "The Ten Little Indians" by BBC One. Atmospheric, colorful, truly British show is a brilliant adaptation of a literary work. Even knowing the denouement of the story transferred to the screen, it is impossible not to admire the excellent acting, tense atmosphere and gorgeous landscapes of a deserted island that has turned into a death trap. And Then There Were None (2015) has an exemplary high rating of 8.00 and overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Keeping political correctness

And Then There Were None is the first English-language film adaptation that retains the original ending of the novel and the political correctness of recent reprints of the work. The fact is that the original novel has two official titles - “And there were none” and “10 Little Indians”. In the process of writing, Christy initially called her characters “blacks”, but later the publishers, fearing resonance and accusations ofprejudicial attitude towards African Americans, convinced the writer to change the title. The book became known as "And there were none." In the text, the negro children were first replaced by Indians, and then completely by the faceless figures of soldiers.

Storyline Summary

The plot of the TV series "And there were none" begins with the arrival of eight characters unfamiliar with each other on the Soldier Island, remote from the mainland. They all received anonymous invitations from the owner of the castle. However, instead of an extravagant owner, they are greeted by servants. The return trip soon becomes impossible due to the bad weather of Northern Britain. The dreary pastime of the guests soon turns into a terrible nightmare. On the very first evening, a dry, mysterious voice announces a death sentence for all the assembled heroes for their long-standing crimes. And immediately one of them dies a painful death. There can be no tragic coincidence of circumstances, the guests understand that they have become victims of malicious intent, which does not provide for pardon and preservation of life.

Reference to the Soviet masterpiece

The works of Agatha Christie, like Arthur Conan Doyle, with all the variety of detective literature, occupied a special place in the USSR. The queen of the detective in her novels rarely focused on the peculiarities of the social system, but in any plot she skillfully demonstrated the convex characters of her characters, amazed with ingenuity and retained the unique British spirit. The climax of recognitioncompatriots to Mrs. Christie was a brilliant adaptation of the consummate master Stanislav Govorukhin. The brightest movie stars of the 80s were involved in the picture. By the way, Govorukhin's work is perhaps the only full-fledged film adaptation of "10 Little Indians" in the world. Therefore, many critics in reviews of the TV series "And Then There Were None" sincerely wonder why the British waited so long for the right moment to kill their colorful compatriots on screen.

By the way, in the British version, the episode in which Philip and Vera meet clearly indicates the authors' acquaintance with the Soviet two-part film of 1987, in which, unlike the book, a romantic connection arises between the victims.

Three hours of viewing

Critics in the reviews of the series "And there were none" praise the authors of the BBC channel for their careful preparation and responsible approach to the film adaptation. Thanks to their efforts, the audience sees the detective story the way Agatha Christie intended it, in the same atmosphere, in the colors, in the scenery that are described in the book, and also played by wonderful actors.

The reading public is well aware of who the killer is in this colorful novel, especially since the British TV crew went all the way and left the ending as close to the literary original as possible. But this, according to the authors of the reviews for the series “And There Were None,” does not at all reduce the tension that prevails during viewing. Three hours of running time fly by unnoticed, even if the viewer read the original,watched "10 Little Indians" and perfectly remembers the sequence of events. This is the merit of the creative team of directors and screenwriter Sarah Phelps. Film experts compare the structure of the narrative to climbing a steep staircase, and the culmination, although obvious to detective fans, excites so much that it seems that you will learn about the killer's cunning for the first time.

Acting Ensemble

Among the main advantages of the project, highlighted by critics in reviews of the TV series "And there was nobody", the cast. It's easy to list the actors who played the characters who went on a deadly rendezvous, and their track record is really impressive.

Starring:

• Burn Gorman ("Torchwood") is convincing in the image of William Blore, who beat a prisoner to death in a cell.
• Douglas Booth ("Worried About Boy," "Great Expectations") plays driver Anthony Marston, who hits kids.
• Maeve Dermody ("Beautiful Kate") shines as the unfortunate governess Vera Claythorne.
• Strictly judge Lawrence Wargrave was played by Charles Dance ("Game of Thrones").
• Ethel Rogers is portrayed by Anna Maxwell Martin (Doctor Who), her husband Thomas Rogers is played by Noah Taylor (Edge of Tomorrow).
• The part of General John MacArthur went to Sam Neill ("Jurassic Park").
• Evil and indifferent Emily Brent was played by Miranda Richardson ("Sleepy Hollow").
• Toby Stephens ("Black Sails") successfully revealed the image of Dr. Edward Armstrong abusing alcohol.
• RolePhilip Lombard was played by Aidan Turner (The Hobbit).

Experienced actors in the frame staged a real competition, trying to single-handedly capture the attention of the public, which, according to the unanimous opinion of the reviewers, made the production brighter.

Example of perfect staging

"And there was nobody" - these are far from the traditional forty-minute American procedures, set according to the usual pattern, stretched out for many years. The BBC mini-series is an example of a near-perfect atmospheric production that plunges you into the charming darkness of madness. It is possible that some viewers may spoil the viewing experience with a spoiler picked up from Govorukhin's film or a literary source. But the pleasure of the beholder will be received in any case - this is true Britain, which it is impossible not to admire even in its most bloody manifestations.