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By
FRANK BEHRENS
Agatha Christie wrote a
great many mystery novels that do not feature Miss
Marple, Hercule Poirot or Tommy and Tuppence.
These less known tales tend to be lighter, even a
bit tongue-in-cheek, and make for very nice
television versions. Not too long ago, Acorn Media
released on DVD the British television version of
"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" and it suffered only
by being given a 3-hour running time, too long for
such slight material.
Now we have "Seven Dials Mystery" and it is a bit
more satisfactory with a running time of 133
minutes. The star is Cheryl Campbell as
"Bundle"—the nickname for the bundle of energy
Lady Eileen Brent. (This character was played by
Francesca Annis in the "Evans" film.) Her co-star,
familiar to Christie viewers from the "Partners in
Crime" series and the "Evans" feature film, is
James Warwick. He is a lightweight actor and fits
nicely into noncomplex roles such as this one—but
this time with a twist.
Among the supporting cast, John Gielgud gives us a
memorable portrait of Bundle's father, who cannot
keep a thought running in his mind for more than a
moment and gives a truly comic performance. Harry
Andrews is physically imposing as the Inspector
who appreciates amateur sleuths.
The plot involves a secret organization called
Seven Dials. But since anything I say will only
spoil your enjoyment, suffice it to say that
Christie has given us more than the usual serving
of red herrings and some plot twists towards the
end that will really surprise you. On the whole,
the production lacks the polish of most films; but
in a way, that only adds to the period charm of
this corny but likable tale from a bygone age.
The bonus material consists of some printed
biographies of author and cast. The picture is as
it was when first shown in 1981 in full-screen
format. |
