The Mousetrap is the West End’s most famous play, and the world’s longest-running, having premiered 70 years ago. But there’s never been a movie based on the Agatha Christie favourite – until now.
The author famously disapproved of film adaptations of her stories and left strict instructions about The Mousetrap, but when producer Damian Jones discovered these constraints while trying to make a film about the play, it led him to come up with See How They Run, a cleverly comic whodunnit set around a real 1950s production of The Mousetrap.
‘Agatha’s contract said, “You can make the movie six months after the play closes”, and, of course, it never closed,’ reveals Damian, who produced the Oscar-winning The Iron Lady as well The History Boys and the 2016 Dad’s Army film.
‘At first I thought, “Well, that’s that.” But then I realised you could do a whodunnit within a whodunnit that was a homage to Christie and all the murder mysteries we love.’
Author Agatha Christie famously disapproved of film adaptations of her stories. Producer Damian Jones has come up way around these constraints and has devised a cleverly comic whodunnit set around the 1950s production. Pictured: Sam Rockwell as Inspector Stoppard and Saoirse Ronan as Constable Stalker with the rest of the cast
The result is a darkly comic tale based around plans to make a movie adaptation of the West End play, and it’s one of the funniest and most innovative films you’ll see this year.
It’s bursting with A-list talent, including Oscar winners Adrien Brody and Sam Rockwell, as well as Saoirse Ronan, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith and David Oyelowo, and as well as being a brilliant farce, a heartrending tale of friendship and a devilish whodunnit, it also plunges us into the world of some of the 1950’s most colourful real-life theatrical characters such as Sir David’s brother Richard Attenborough and legendary producer John Woolf.
Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody), a fictional American film director, arrives in London to direct a film version of the West End production of The Mousetrap, but he’s not a massive fan of the theatre and he quickly makes some powerful enemies.
‘Like any film-maker, Leo is passionate about his vision,’ says Adrien. ‘He’s very extreme, larger than life and entertaining – and probably not the most likeable guy.’
Köpernick has a very public row with The Mousetrap’s then star Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson), and a less public one with the film’s screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris, played with camp aplomb by David Oyelowo.
‘He’s wonderfully colourful, delicious, frivolous and self-important,’ says David. ‘Having worked extensively in British theatre I can say that people like Mervyn Cocker-Norris actually exist, so this was a fabulous opportunity to pay homage to them.
Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in the film See How They Run, as hilarious double act Constable Stalker and Inspector Stoppard
Trying to keep Köpernick in line is legendary film producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith), but he’s a man with secrets that Köpernick discovers.
Meanwhile, Ruth Wilson’s theatre impresario Petula Spencer – based on real-life theatre impresario Peter Saunders – fears her play will have to close if the film ever gets made. And then Köpernick is found dead in dramatic fashion. But whodunnit?
Enter Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell as hilarious double act Constable Stalker and Inspector Stoppard. Saoirse is brilliant as the enthusiastic rookie.
‘Stalker is in way over her head, she’s very green and eager,’ says the Irish actress. ‘She’s suddenly put on this massive murder case, so she’s nervous but also unbelievably excited at being surrounded by movie and theatre stars.’
Agatha’s contract said, ‘You can make the movie six months after the play closes’, and of course it never closed – Damian Jones (producer)
Sam Rockwell, best known for dark dramas including Oscar winner Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, perfects his English accent as the cynical inspector. ‘Stoppard is a drunk, sexist Scotland Yard inspector who has post-traumatic stress from the war and whose wife has left him,’ says Sam.
‘He’s a tragic, dark character in a comic arena. I was never old enough to play these kinds of characters until now, so I think I’ve been preparing all my life for a role like this.
‘Stoppard takes a journey with Stalker. He’s bored, and Stalker really awakens him.’
Filming took place at various locations around London during the second lockdown, so many of the venues were gathering dust until Damian’s team showed up.
‘Filming in an empty Savoy hotel was an eerie experience, like being in The Shining,’ he says. ‘We had free rein, but it felt strange because there were no people there.’
Exterior action was filmed outside St Martin’s Theatre, where The Mousetrap is still staged. Interiors were partially filmed at the Dominion Theatre – its dark red scheme is replicated through the film – and iconic London theatre The Old Vic.
‘It was bittersweet because those stages are usually so full of life,’ says Saoirse.
‘The film is a celebration of London too, how rich a city it is and has always been. And how there’s so much grit but grand beauty.’
- See How They Run is in cinemas from Friday
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