The first episode of Agatha Christie's Queen of Crime Collection is "Sparkling Cyanide" and features the investigative skills of secret service agents Col. Geoffrey Reese (Oliver Ford Davies, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and Dr. Catherine Kendall (Pauline Collins, Upstairs Downstairs), an elderly couple employed by the Prime Minister to investigate unpleasant business that could possibly be embarrassing and compromise Britain's politics.
The young and beautiful wife, Rosemarie Barton (Rachel Shelley, The Children), of an aging multimillionaire George Barton (Kenneth Cranham, Valkyrie) while surrounded by specially invited guests of her husband's dinner party, drops dead after partaking a champagne toast given in her honor by her adoring husband. Investigation reveals that Mrs. Barton had been depressed and could have taken her own life, but was covering up the fact that she and young, handsome politician James Wilby (Stephen Farraday, Howard's End) were having a secret affair. As the lies are revealed, Mr. Barton plans a duplicate dinner party to re-enact the death of his wife; but to the surprise of the attending guests, he substitutes an imitation Rosemary to startle a confession out of the murderer.
Episode Two, "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" of Agatha Christie's Queen of Crime Collection combines the acting talents of the mystery marvel's later series Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime: The Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries featuring James Warwick (Lillie) and Francesca Annis (Reckless) appearing as amateur sleuths Bobby Jones and the Lady Frances "Frankie" Derwent in this 1981 television adaption. Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH (Brideshead Revisited) appears as Bobby's father. In an effort to unravel the mystery, Bobbie and Frankie find a drug rehabilitation center hiding not only secrets but people, the photograph of a mysterious woman found in the pocket of the dead man, the search for someone named "Evans," and infatuations by our investigators Bobby and Frankie. This case is complete with murder, suspense and false identities as our detective duo probe into the mysterious and untimely death of a man who has fallen off the Welsh coastal cliffs -- whose last cryptic question was "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?"
The third episode in Agatha Christie's Queen of Crime Collection is the "Seven Dials Mystery," again featuring James Warwick as Jimmy Thesiger with Cheryl Campbell (Pennies From Heaven) as the vivacious sleuthing aristocrat Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent, and Sir John Gielgud as the Marquis of Caterham. A party at the luxurious country manor, "Chimneys" offers a delightful group of young adults a somewhat fun-loving and festive weekend. However, the gaiety comes to a screeching halt when the group play a comedic prank on an habitual late-sleeper friend who is later found dead in his bed. Feisty Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent, overanxious to unravel the crime, entices man-about-town Jimmy Thesiger to join in the adventure as they unravel government secrets, foreign plots and hidden identities.
True to the Agatha Christie signature, the stories of Agatha Christie's Queen of Crime Collection are full of energy, suspense, comedy with charming settings, a bit of glitz, and unsuspecting but detailed explanations. The overall visual of the film may be less than the quality you might expect today, but if you're a true aficionado of this genius writer, they will keep you so entertained that this will be basically unnoticeable. The feature-length episodes are a bit long and their invigorating antics strive to keep you planted in your seat, but anything Agatha Christie, in my mind, is worth collecting and is great family fun!
