In theaters since Wednesday, “Coup de théâtre” takes us behind the scenes of a play by Agatha Christie, “La Souricière”. A real challenge for the screenwriter of the film…
Tom George’s twist
With Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody…
What is it about ? In 1950s London’s West End, preparations for the film adaptation of a hit play are cut short by the murder of its Hollywood director. In charge of the investigation, Inspector Stoppard – jaded and completely broke – and Agent Stalker – a zealous young recruit of the genre – find themselves immersed in the heart of a glamorous and sordid behind-the-scenes investigation of the theater. They will try to elucidate this very mysterious crime at their own risk…
The Mousetrap
An unsuitable piece
Oscar-winning British producer John Woolf had optioned to acquire the rights to the play but, as Jones explains, “There was a clause in the contract that he could adapt the film to the cinema, six months after the end of the room. And of course she never left the poster […]. To circumvent this problem, screenwriter Mark Chappell imagined a meta story, a police investigation taking place behind the scenes of the play, a whodunit within a whodunit.
gender change
The benefits of containment
Thus, real London rooms from the 1950s served as sets, such as the Old Vic, Hoxton Hall or the Dominion Theater. “The shooting of the film saved the lives of these theaters, by injecting a little money into their coffers”, underlines actor David Oyelowo. The Savoy Hotel, a luxury palace, was also used for the filming.