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Reviews
The Mrs Bradley Mysteries: Speedy Death (1998)
Entertaining, If Not Faithful
The first of the "Mrs. Bradley Mysteries", "Speedy Death", based on the 1929 (first) Gladys Mitchell novel, was adapted for TV by the BBC, starring Diana Rigg ("The Avengers", "Evil Under the Sun") as Mrs. Adela Bradley - note that in the books she was Mrs. (later Dame) Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, an elderly woman resembling a pterodactyl with the smile of a Cheshire Cat - not at all like Rigg.
The plot itself is reasonably faithful - Mrs. Bradley, accompanied by her chauffeur George (in the TV series, a romantic lead - in the books, a faithful servant), arrives at Chayning Court, to visit her god-daughter's engagement party. Her god-daughter's fiance, Everard Mountjoy, dies - drowned in the bathtub, and ... a woman. Mrs. Bradley investigates, and after two attacks - one on the god-daughter Eleanor Millicent Bing, the other on a young woman staying at the house - apprehends the killer. The famous trial scene (one of the best parts of the book) is missing from the film, unfortunately.
The acting is well done - Rigg excels as Mrs. Bradley, as do the actors playing Arthur Bing, Eleanor Bing, and Bertie Philipson. The story is full of action, the suspicion is well spread, and the denouement is surprising. Excellent.
Evil Under the Sun (1982)
The Sun is Shining, The Sky is Blue ... But Remember: Evil Under the Sun is Ustinov's Masterpiece
Yes, "EUTS" is Ustinov's best film, on an equal par with "Death on the Nile". While the plots are somewhat similar, (and some of the actors), the film is an excellent and high-spirited intermingling of murder, murder, bloody murder (actually no blood - the crime was strangulation of Diana Rigg's glamorous (what else?) Mrs. Arlena Marshall, the actress and vamp) and humour - Maggie Smith's Daphne Castle is brimming over the top with multiple solutions for the murder (her nut-cracker theory is best). The two leading ladies, Rigg and Smith, have excellent scenes together - and the music (Cole Porter) sets the scene exactly. Masterpiece!
Death on the Nile (1978)
Classic Christie
This is one of the three best films (as opposed to TV - David Suchet and Joan Hickson are the best portrayals of the sleuths imaginable) of Christie ever done - "Evil Under the Sun" and "Ten Little Indians" are also excellent. Ustinov's Poirot, Niven's Col. Race, and the rest of the cast, all perform magnificently. Note that several of them were to appear again, with Ustinov, Maggie Smith and Jane Birkin all appearing in the sequel "Evil Under the Sun" - giving strength to the theory that great actors give great films... The Egyptian locale is very well portrayed, as is shipboard life. John Dickson Carr was correct in calling this Christie's masterpiece (though "Cards on the Table", "Murder on the Orient Express", "Evil Under the Sun", and "Ten Little Indians" come close).
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Disappointing
"Murder on the Orient Express" has been much touted as the best Christie adaptation. Sadly, this is not the case. While most of the actors are good, and the scene of the crime (the legendary Orient Express) is fantastic, it is let down sadly by Albert Finney's portrayal of Hercule Poirot - a portrayal which conforms to all the worst ideas of "furriners". Thankfully, the series was to improve dramatically with Peter Ustinov ("Death on the Nile" and "Evil Under the Sun" were excellent).