"Laurels Are Poison", the fourth episode in the "Mrs. Bradley Mysteries" series, is easily the best one since the first, for several reasons: a) the return to the large-manor-large-family-with-large-skeletons-in-its-closet setting, b) a new, serious side to George the chauffeur, who discovers that he has a personal connection to this particular case, and c) a pleasurably complex story, so complex in fact that Mrs. Bradley doesn't really "detect" all that much; events mostly play out by themselves. The tone is more somber than usual, which is fitting for this story and the topics it deals with, and the casting is excellent all around. Definitely one of the finest episodes. *** out of 4.
5 Reviews
Secrets and lies.
Sleepin_Dragon2 May 2020
Mrs Bradley accepts an invitation from an old friend, Lady Isobel Marchant, after a frosty reception it seems the servants are running the household.
I'd put this on a part with the opening episode as being the top of the pile, as a story it has more meat on the bone than the others. There is a real sense of mystery here, it works very well as a conventional whodunnit, but we're also given more depth, we learn for example more about George, and the date of his poor brother.
Dorney Court looks wonderful, as it always does, so often used in dramas, it's a gorgeous place.
Phyllida Law was wonderful, Michelle Dotrice also was, for the time she was in it that is.
Very good, 8/10.
I'd put this on a part with the opening episode as being the top of the pile, as a story it has more meat on the bone than the others. There is a real sense of mystery here, it works very well as a conventional whodunnit, but we're also given more depth, we learn for example more about George, and the date of his poor brother.
Dorney Court looks wonderful, as it always does, so often used in dramas, it's a gorgeous place.
Phyllida Law was wonderful, Michelle Dotrice also was, for the time she was in it that is.
Very good, 8/10.
'I hear the gamekeeper did it, madam' - Mrs Bradley, Lady Chatterley and a ghost or two...
rhysmann200827 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is the fourth Mrs Bradley mystery, and is not quite as good as the other four. The humour is significantly lacking in this episode, and the mystery is not so good. There is a sad tone throughout, particularly the subplot about George's brother and Phyllida Law not even cracking a smile for the duration. Blackmail features in this one, but the answer to the riddle is still a fairly good one. Ghosts feature too-who IS the mysterious soldier with the lamp?
'Laurels are Poison' has been somewhat significantly altered from Gladys Mitchell's original; but don't let that put you off. Diana Rigg is simply marvellous as Mrs Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, so it is well worth a watch.
'Laurels are Poison' has been somewhat significantly altered from Gladys Mitchell's original; but don't let that put you off. Diana Rigg is simply marvellous as Mrs Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, so it is well worth a watch.
Heroes and cowards
Tweekums23 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
When Mrs Bradley accepts an invitation to visit her old friend Isabella Marchmont she finds the reception she and George receive is rather frosty; her friend had forgotten the invitation and the servants are less than welcoming. They haven't been there long when the cook dies; at first it looks like a heart attack but some things aren't quite right; she isn't wearing her corset and there is an arrow missing from a case. It turns out she was poisoned but there is no obvious motive despite the house being full of secrets dating back to the Great War. Isabella's three son's all died in the trenches but their friend Douglas Prideux survived and married there sister. As it turns out George knows of Captain Prideux; he was the officer in charge of his brother's unit and it was he who wrote to George's mother when his brother died.
This episode was quite different to the last one; it was much darker in tone and the motivation for the murder was more run of the mill; surprisingly it wasn't the revelation of the murderer and the motive that was the most interesting part of the story; it was the revelations concerning the various tragic family secrets. The acting was solid; especially from Ronan Vibert who did a fine job portraying George Prideux; a man suffering from shell shock in an era where such things were considered shameful. While much tragedy had clearly happened to the family in the run up to the story it was nice to see it implied that things would get better for them; although not in the way one might have expected.
This episode was quite different to the last one; it was much darker in tone and the motivation for the murder was more run of the mill; surprisingly it wasn't the revelation of the murderer and the motive that was the most interesting part of the story; it was the revelations concerning the various tragic family secrets. The acting was solid; especially from Ronan Vibert who did a fine job portraying George Prideux; a man suffering from shell shock in an era where such things were considered shameful. While much tragedy had clearly happened to the family in the run up to the story it was nice to see it implied that things would get better for them; although not in the way one might have expected.
The Curare Cure
tedg9 May 2006
Of the four Mrs Bradley mysteries that were made before the series was canceled, this is the best. I don't recommend any of them, but if you must, watch this one.
It has a real mystery, not a hoked up Hardy Boys adventure. It actually exploits the period well, in fact better in terms of aura than any of these cookiecutter period mysteries from the UK. We still have that awkward device of the butler-bedcompanion to the aged flapper, but he is more real here than in the others.
There is still a lot of lazy writer's crockery: poisoned arrows, blackmail. But let that pass and you find a story every bit worthy of Dorothy Sayers. And at the end, you'll still have a mystery unresolved, one that makes things seem more human than otherwise.
Its not enough, wasn't enough for them to keep making the series, nor me to actually recommend it to you. But pay attention at the beginning to the state of the hurried maid and let that work on you a bit.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
It has a real mystery, not a hoked up Hardy Boys adventure. It actually exploits the period well, in fact better in terms of aura than any of these cookiecutter period mysteries from the UK. We still have that awkward device of the butler-bedcompanion to the aged flapper, but he is more real here than in the others.
There is still a lot of lazy writer's crockery: poisoned arrows, blackmail. But let that pass and you find a story every bit worthy of Dorothy Sayers. And at the end, you'll still have a mystery unresolved, one that makes things seem more human than otherwise.
Its not enough, wasn't enough for them to keep making the series, nor me to actually recommend it to you. But pay attention at the beginning to the state of the hurried maid and let that work on you a bit.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
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