The Witness for the Prosecution

This 2016 version of the classic Agatha Christie drama returns to the original 1925 short story to create a telefilm that is very different from the famous play and film versions. The Witness for the Prosecution is set in post-World War I London, where Leonard Vole (Billy Howle), a former soldier struggling to get by, is taken as a lover by a rich woman (Kim Cattrall) and is arrested for her murder. Toby Jones plays barrister John Mayhew, also a former soldier, who believes the key to Vole's defense lies in the testimony of Romaine (Andrea Riseborough), an Austrian showgirl who lives with Vole as his common-law wife—until she turns on him and testifies for the prosecution. Just when it looks like her testimony will destroy his chances, evidence that undercuts both her story and her credibility surfaces. This production, a collaboration between Acorn (majority owner of the Agatha Christie estate) and the BBC, upends expectations with a grim, serious tone and a story that surprises audiences with a very different third act. Directed by Julian Jarrold, the film contrasts the decadence of the wealthy few with the desperation and poverty of the rest of the nation. And unlike the witty, brilliant barrister played by Charles Laughton in the great 1957 film, Jones's Mayhew gets no respect from his boss and struggles in an unhappy marriage. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)