Ordeal by Innocence: It's not just the ending that's changed in the Agatha Christie adaptation #book2movies

Meet the Argyll family

“I took this idea of this f**ked up family and thought about the 1950s and to the horror of devotees, I’ve changed the ending. I’ve changed quite a lot.’’ Sara Phelps on adapting Agatha Christie’s Ordeal by Innocence for television. 

Set in 1954 the series follows the murder of wealthy philanthropist Rachel Argyll (Anna Chancellor), which arouses suspicion among her husband Leo Argyll (Bill Nighy) five adopted children, and significant others.

Speaking of f**ked up, it’s not just the ending that’s changed since I first posted about the series and pulled the photo above of the original cast of Ordeal by Innocence months ago: Luke Treadaway, Alice Eve, Anthony Boyle, Anna Chancellor, Bill Nighy, Ed Westwick, Matthew Goode, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ella Purnell, Morven Christie, and Crystal Clarke, photographed at the Ardgowan Estate, in Inverkip, Scotland.

The original photograph by James Fisher for Vanity Fair must be something of a collector’s item now. You see Ed Westwick was recast AFTER production wrapped, when allegations against him of sexual assault came to light. The actor insists on his innocence but the BBC decided to recast and reshoot his scenes anyway. Westwick was replaced by Christian Cooke shooting 35 scenes in just 12 days. 

The first episode airs on Easter Sunday, April 1st in the UK. Here in the US, we have to wait a bit.  Not sure when, in the meantime this short short trailer will have to do. 

It's a large cast but I'm in it for Matthew Goode. How about you?

Posted for British Isles Friday