petervintner
(Contains a couple character development spoilers)I'm perplexed by all the negative reviews here. I liked this very much. It's very good film, beautifully written, filmed and acted in gorgeous locations and on realistic sets. And Tuppence Middleton is excellent and believable in the leading role. In fact I liked her character from the start. Iris is a complex character whose story is revealed slowly - she has no family, she knows she is usually selfish (because that's the nature of the company she usually keeps), but she can empathise with Mrs Froy, and this is because she lost her own family when she was very young in the 1918 flu epidemic. I'd say the dialogue and plot development were very well done. And it's a great cast. It kept my interest throughout, and I'd happily watch it again.Maybe part of the problem some people are having is in the title, leading viewers to expect something akin to the Hitchcock movie (which my wife tells me is a parody rather than an adaptation of the original story). I haven't seen the Hitchcock movie anyway so I had no such expectations. I've seen some criticism of the audibility of the dialogue, and I just don't think it's valid. I could hear it all just fine and without the benefit of subtitles.This is a fine movie and an excellent adaptation of the original story, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to any one anyone who likes period drama thrillers.
michelesofaraway
I'm writing this review because I really enjoyed this remake of "The Lady Vanishes" When I looked it up on IMB it had a low rating and not very kind reviews,after watching it i wanted to let others know Its very good. British TV at its best with an excellent performance from Tuppence Middleton as the socialite Ms Carr and the wonderful Tom Hughes. The Vicar and his wife were also very convincing and very real performers. This is my favorite period in history, just before the war, the clothes are wonderful with the young people rich and glamorous seemingly having it all with there frivolous fun filled holiday in Italy, with the other hotel members frowning on there loose morals, Ms Carr the rudest of them. This is all very well set up as the train journey begins the story twists and turns with everyone playing there part so well as the suspense is building. Its a top notch remake of a great story with the best ending! Very well done by all the actors involved.
Rich Wright
I think I may have seen the Hitchcock original, in the dim and distant past, round my grandparents house while playing Kerplunk. Needless to say, my memories of it are hazy at best, so I can hardly compare it to this made for TV modern version.Keeley Hawes plays the heroine who eventually feels the whole world is conspiring against her, and although I think there may be a few more clues to the solution compared to the 1938 classic, this doesn't make the frustration we feel for her predicament or the confusion as to what the hell's going on any less palpable.Online talk has dismissed this remake as a cheap copy, but you know what? Judged on it's own merits, it's a super piece of entertainment, and all the moaners can get a life. NOTHING these days is unique, everything has been ripped off and imitated to the ninth degree, so why waste time worrying? ENJOY YOURSELF!! 7/10
blakedw
I don't know if this is more faithful to the original book than the famous Hitchcock version. But if it is, it shows extraordinary vision of him to have seen the material for a good movie in this boring nonsense. Wholly without humour or tension, I see it has an estimated budget of £1850. Even at that priced, the BBC was swindled. This is one of those films where it is a real strain to write the required 10 lines of comment because all one can say is it is boring. The events before the start of the train journey are truncated so we get no sense of the purpose underlying the plot. Nor is there any sexual tension in the relationships. Although too long, it feels that some key scenes necessary to understanding the role of some characters must be missing. Or maybe those characters have no role and are just there to pad out the numbers. The actors cannot be blamed for any of this. Tuppence Middleton is beautiful and makes the best of her part. Others are either competent or better, with none of the odd comic standup turns which often disfigure remakes like the ITV Marple series. So all the blame has to go to the writer, Fiona Seres and the director, Diarmuid Lawrence. And to the BBC for not throwing this in the bin rather than on to our screens. Whatever you do, do not let this tedious waste of time discourage you from finding and watching the brilliant Hitchcock original.
AD
