This British gem plays a bit like CITIZEN KANE and RASHOMON with its use of a meticulously plotted flashback structure. It accomplishes two things- helping us unravel the mystery of who killed Agnes Huston (Jean Kent); and filling in considerable chunks of her backstory.
Statements made by members of her local community suggest she was both aloof and friendly; glamorous yet seedy; as well as kind and vicious.
She was a woman that affected a lot of lives in her immediate orbit. Some of these folks have been positively impacted, while others had a more adverse relationship with Agnes, who sometimes went by the professional name of Astra. A few of the supporting characters mourn her untimely death, but the rest seem delighted that she'll no longer be around.
Several of the suspects give unflattering accounts of her life to the police. Including the neighbor lady Mrs. Finch (Hermione Baddeley), who for the most part liked Agnes and often sipped afternoon tea with her. But Mrs. Finch witnessed a lot of strange comings and goings at Agnes' flat, and she mentions these occurrences to the inspectors.
Meanwhile, the actual culprit has nothing but nice things to say about Agnes/Astra, which I find rather interesting. It is clear the killer loved her but just snapped in a moment of rage. Basically, he committed a crime of passion.
I like how Asquith and his writers connect all the main characters in the flashbacks. The woman's acquaintances are not just repeating the same story from their respective vantage points. Yes, there is a bit of that since the police do ask some of the same questions to establish a basic timeline of events and verify alibis. But each person is also allowed to add new information, and their individual recollections facilitate the introduction of other outside characters that only they know.
As a result, we see how Agnes had a direct effect on those close to her, as well as an indirect effect on a second group of locals that she may not have had much contact with or really even knew.
Also, some recounted events precede the generally accepted course of events, which lengthens the timeline constructed by the cops. Thereby adding previously unknown backstory and details.
Sometimes filmmakers get too clever with these types of narratives. But in this case, it's all logically assembled. While we still probably don't have the full picture of who Agnes Huston was and the life she led, we do have a sense of tragedy...a life that ended too soon. In that regard, it's a fascinating character study that leaves us wanting more.
Statements made by members of her local community suggest she was both aloof and friendly; glamorous yet seedy; as well as kind and vicious.
She was a woman that affected a lot of lives in her immediate orbit. Some of these folks have been positively impacted, while others had a more adverse relationship with Agnes, who sometimes went by the professional name of Astra. A few of the supporting characters mourn her untimely death, but the rest seem delighted that she'll no longer be around.
Several of the suspects give unflattering accounts of her life to the police. Including the neighbor lady Mrs. Finch (Hermione Baddeley), who for the most part liked Agnes and often sipped afternoon tea with her. But Mrs. Finch witnessed a lot of strange comings and goings at Agnes' flat, and she mentions these occurrences to the inspectors.
Meanwhile, the actual culprit has nothing but nice things to say about Agnes/Astra, which I find rather interesting. It is clear the killer loved her but just snapped in a moment of rage. Basically, he committed a crime of passion.
I like how Asquith and his writers connect all the main characters in the flashbacks. The woman's acquaintances are not just repeating the same story from their respective vantage points. Yes, there is a bit of that since the police do ask some of the same questions to establish a basic timeline of events and verify alibis. But each person is also allowed to add new information, and their individual recollections facilitate the introduction of other outside characters that only they know.
As a result, we see how Agnes had a direct effect on those close to her, as well as an indirect effect on a second group of locals that she may not have had much contact with or really even knew.
Also, some recounted events precede the generally accepted course of events, which lengthens the timeline constructed by the cops. Thereby adding previously unknown backstory and details.
Sometimes filmmakers get too clever with these types of narratives. But in this case, it's all logically assembled. While we still probably don't have the full picture of who Agnes Huston was and the life she led, we do have a sense of tragedy...a life that ended too soon. In that regard, it's a fascinating character study that leaves us wanting more.