The Untold Truth Of See How They Run

"See How They Run" is a comedic mystery film starring Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell as two London police officers trying to crack the murder of a film director living in London after being ousted from Hollywood. Set in the early '50s, the film takes place in the world of English theatre, more specifically, during the glory days of Agatha Christie's legendary whodunit "The Mousetrap" (the world's longest-running play). It features both historical and fictional characters embroiled in a twisty murder plot that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.

Written by Mark Chappell ("Flaked") and Directed by Tom George ("This Country"), the film deals heavily with the real-life story that inspired Agatha Christie's play while fudging many of the details to make sure they fit into a satisfying romp of a movie. There is a palpable metatextuality to the proceedings as it openly examines the tropes of a typical murder mystery while actively subverting them whenever necessary to keep the audience on their toes.

It is a tricky balancing act that the filmmakers and stars all pulled off with flying colors. To celebrate the work that went into making the movie, we'll dive into some behind-the-scenes information and shed light on all the important factors that went into making "See How They Run" what it is.

There has never been a film adaptation of "The Mousetrap." In some ways, "See How They Run" seems to attempt adapting it without actually doing so. Making a movie about a murder centered around a production of the play and involving the true story that inspired it may be the closest we ever get to seeing it on the silver screen. The reason for this is actually clearly stated in the film: the play has to stop running before anyone's allowed to adapt it.

The way it works is that the play has to stop running for six months before a film can be made. That was the deal producer John Woolf agreed to when he first acquired the rights in 1956 (three years after the events of "See How They Run"). The problem is that the play is still running. However, that hasn't stopped "See How They Run" from being a sly, tangential adaptation.

Again, the film uses the play as a plot device, as well as the story that inspired it. It also brings in actual actors who appeared in the original cast like Richard Attenborough (played by Harris Dickinson) and Sheila Sim (played by Pearl Chanda). The title itself is a reference to the play, as well. The original title of "The Mousetrap" was "Three Blind Mice," the same nursery thyme that features the words "see how they run."

Sometimes, before a filmmaker starts production on a movie, they will turn to other movies for inspiration. Steven Spielberg mentioned to the American Film Institute that he watches David Lean's "The Bridge on the River Kwai" before shooting any movie with an adventure element. Based on the fact that "See How They Run" is a classic murder mystery set around the time of the golden age of crime fiction, you would imagine that director Tom George would reference films that personify the genre like "Murder on the Orient Express" or "And Then There Were None," but he went in a slightly different direction.

According to Sam Rockwell, when being interviewed by Screen Rant Plus, it was suggested that the cast watch "The Big Lebowski" and "Death of Stalin." While this might confuse you at first, it actually makes some sense. Both films are deeply satirical and play with some pretty heavy subject matter in a light-hearted way. "The Big Lebowski" even has a mystery in it.

On "The Next Best Picture Podcast," the director listed a few other movies he turned to for tonal inspiration since the tone of "See How The Run" is so specific and delicate. He mentioned "Memories of Murder" directed by Bong Joon Ho, "Fargo," "Kind Hearts and Coronets," and the works of Edgar Wright, Alfred Hitchcock, and Pedro Almodóvar as overall influences.

Even though Charlie Cooper had been extensively involved with the production of the comedy series "This Country" for three seasons (he co-created, co-wrote. and co-starred in it alongside Daisy May Cooper), that didn't prepare him for working with the likes of David Oyelowo, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, and Adrian Brody. Being on a big movie set with big movie stars was a surreal experience for him, as he told IGV Presents, he spent most of the time afraid in a corner.

"I just must have come across like a complete rabbit in headlights," Cooper said. "Because 'This Country' was so sort of insular, and we had a lot of our family members in it, so it never felt like we were doing a TV show. It just sort of felt like messing around at home." The experience was so different that he couldn't think of anything to talk to anyone about. While they had funny stories to exchange, he asked questions like, "How did you get here today? Did you drive?" Luckily, he says they were all lovely and they didn't bully him.

Whether or not a director uses storyboards is their choice. If it helps them visualize the entire movie, great. If it just gets in the way, they don't bother. Usually, though, action sequences tend to be storyboarded regardless because they are so technically challenging and dangerous. Everything will go much smoother and the chances of anyone getting hurt decrease if there is a detailed plan everyone can follow.

While working on "See How They Run," director Tom George told "The Next Best Picture Podcast" that he only used storyboards for particular sequences. The question was brought up because there is a scene in the film where storyboards factor heavily. During a flashback, director Leo Kopernick pitches his idea for a new finale for 'The Mousetrap" that would be more exciting for film audiences. To demonstrate what he means, he employs the use of storyboards.

The interesting thing is that the boards he used were based on actual ones used during the pre-production of the film. However, they had to be augmented to fit the time period. So, they took the original boards and sent them to the art department to make them look more like the kinds of storyboards Alfred Hitchcock used.

Although "See How They Run" is a work of fiction, it weaves elements of fact into its narrative in such a way that telling the difference between the two becomes a difficult task. While much of the information we're given regarding the production seems authentic, some of it was made up to fill the screen with Hollywood glamour rather than West End reality.

In his piece for The Guardian, writer Michael Billington brought some of these changes to light and points out how such inaccuracies actually undermine what made the play so unique and successful to begin with. For instance, he mentions that the film depicts "The Mousetrap" being produced in a massive palace of a theater, when it actually opened in the Ambassadors, one of London's smallest theaters. This meant that only 453 people could see it at a time, rather than the thousands who could attend in the film. With smaller audiences, it takes longer for everyone to see it.

Billington also pointed out that the film never acknowledges the role radio played in promoting the play. He writes, "A big factor in 'The Mousetrap's' early success was that an extract from it featured in a radio program called Henry Hall's Guest Night. I know because I heard it and was immediately fascinated by Christie's play."