Amazon.com

In the hands of Agatha Christie, the murder mystery is like a sonata crossed with a magic trick--an intricate formal structure that depends on ingenious misdirection. On top of that, the movies made from her novels are an opportunity for great British character actors to languish in icy disdain, insinuating glances, arch humor, and trembling suggestions of guilt. This set gathers together three fine BBC productions, starting with The Body in the Library (in which a blond stranger's corpse turns up in a British squire's house), A Murder Is Announced) (in which a supposed parlor game has fatal consequences), and A Pocketful of Rye (in which a nursery rhyme becomes a recipe for a series of poisonings). All star Joan Hickson as Christie's much-loved elderly sleuth, Miss Marple. The way Hickson's eyes light up at the mention of mysterious death makes her seem like a delightfully dotty old ghoul; she hovers at the periphery of investigations, noticing the telling details that police inspectors overlook. The productions lay out plot threads and clues with surgical precision, while the actors play stock characters with exquisite relish. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great fun
To begin, Joan Hickson is marvelous as Miss Marple--even better than Margaret Rutherford--no easy task!
The three story's in this set are quite good-though I found the first story-"The Body in the Library"-moved along a little too slowly for my taste. No such problem with the other two stories however. "A Murder is announced" is the best of the three episodes--in which an announcement of a pending murder is placed in the local newspaper. "A Pocketfull of Rye" is also an excellent story--which I especially enjoyed because of Peter Davison--better known as Tristan in "All Creatures Great and Small" as well as portraying "Doctor Who"
These storys are great to watch in a group setting--trying to figure out among yourselves "Who done it"

Excellent!
My Gift Set Miss Marple DVD collection is of excellent quality. Miss Marple is my favorite Christie sleuth and I am so pleased to have these episodes (Body in the Library, Pocket Full of Rye, Murder is Announced) on DVD. I noticed no grainy quality whatsoever. There are a few ads in the beginning and the episodes are individually split up into separate parts as in when they were broadcast on TV but these facts really did not bother me. I especially enjoyed the "Who's Who" feature which gave brief bios of the BBC actors. All-in-all very enjoyable!

Splendid showcase
Restricting my comments to the quality of the 3-disc release: I was very worried, based on a review published here, that the video quality of this product might be poor. It isn't; in fact, it's very good. I don't know why the reviewer would have complained about this unless his/her copy of the DVD was really as poor as described, which I have to accept that it was. All I can say is, mine isn't. A couple of nights ago, one of our Bay Area PBS channels did re-broadcast one of the 3-part episodes on this disc, and the quality of their print was awful. So, I can tell the difference between grainy and spotty on the one hand, and sharp and clear on the other...it's quite plain on my equipment, which is only average. Unlike the other reviewer's, my discs are quite sharp.

Must have for Marple fans
My 3 favorite Miss Marple programs. Video quality excellent. If they had left off all the ads at the beginning of each CD it would have been even better. A nice value.

Wonderful mysteries; horrible DVD transfers
I love the Miss Marple mysteries in both book and movie form, but unfortunately not a one of them has been transferred properly to video or DVD. While this BBC set of the longer Marple mysteries looks somewhat better than the two A&E sets, they're still pretty bad. The main reason for this (apart from the BBC's obvious indifference to whole matter) is that the transfer material is SEVERAL generations removed from the negative. The result: loads of grain, overall dark and muddy look, little detail, washed out highlights, faded color, dirt, occasional wavering picture, focus problems (except for most closeups, many long shots look as if NOTHING is in focus), contrast problems (floors and people's legs disappear into the blackness--caused by using a copy of a copy of a copy, etc.) I don't know if the BBC treats all of their projects this way or if they just have a thing against poor Miss Marple, but they need to hear from us. People should not receive defective merchandise for their money.

One of the most irritating things about this set is that each movie is split up into 3 episodes, each with the same opening and closing credits, just like they are broadcast on TV. Of course, the viewer can fastforward through this, but it was a stupid thing to do, and it's just another indicator of the lack of care in making this set of DVDs.

It's wonderful to have these mysteries available again on video, but it's aggravating to see the indifference of big business to its customers and to its own product. Buyer beware! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brew some tea and curl up by the fire for murder, intrigue, and madcap upper-class high jinks in Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans? James Warwick and Francesca Annis play plucky amateur sleuths Bobby Jones and Lady Frankie Derwent (and yes, you've also seen them paired as plucky amateur Christie sleuths Tommy & Tuppence). In the very opening scene, Bobby happens upon a dying man who whispers the mysterious title question and we're off. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? has everything one looks for in an old-fashioned bloodcurdler: murder, false identities, a mysterious institution, and even morphine addiction. Warwick and Annis have the light touch of seasoned pros and slide with ease into the period setting. The rest of the cast dives into the fun and includes such noble veterans as Sir John Gielgud and Joan Hickson, herself one of the more memorable incarnations of Christie's Miss Marple. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For Tommy and Tuppence Fans!
If you like the Agatha Christie Partners in Crime Tommy and Tuppence series, you're going to love this story! Actually, it doesn't matter because this is an enjoyable 1920s mystery romp with just enough humor and romance blended into the more serious goings-on to please most everyone. It's amazing how complex and LONG a story this is. I checked the online description and the back of the box, but I couldn't discover if this had been a television mini-series or just a lengthy made-for-TV movie. Even though it's lots of fun, it does seem to go on forever!

The lead characters, played by Francesca Annis and James Warwick, are just as attractive a couple as they are in Tommy and Tuppence, except they don't seem to realize it until they've both had romantic "flings" with other characters in the cast. The sets and costumes look authentic 1920s, and the cars are particularly interesting, especially in the used car lot.

The only reluctance I had for giving this DVD release 5 stars is because of the uneven look of the movie itself. Sometimes this looks like sharply focused videotape, and at other times it looks like fuzzy film. This is probably because of the source material from 1980 rather than the fault of the DVD production, but it still should be noted. This is the same "look" as on the earlier Upstairs, Downstairs programs.

Nit-picking aside, this is a thoroughly worthwhile DVD that should appeal to most mystery and Agatha Christie fans in particular.

A Fun Mystery Movie
And why indeed didn't they? While this long, made for T.V. movie could have been much shorter if they simply had asked Evans, it would not have been nearly as enjoyable. The script, adapted from an Agatha Christie novel of the same name, mimics the pace and rythem of the original quite well. While the quality of acting was good, the picture quality of the DVD was grainy and the sound faded in and out at times. The attempts at action and/or suspense via fights or late night escapades also did not come off very well partially due to the bad picture quality. These scenes did not in any real way hinder the movie since the real fun is trying to solve the mystery before Bobby and Frankie do. (If you find out who Evans is before they do, my hat is off to you!) The last scene with the villain is a clumsy and implausable plot device (how many times is Frankie going to fall for the same ruse?) to the viewer to get a detailed description of the plot from the villain himself but if you like mysteries in the Agatha Christie style, then you will enjoy this movie.

Nice
As an Agatha Christie fan, I love the story. You do not know the murderer till the end. The acting is wonderful, typical british. Costume and sceen is beautifully selected. The only pity is the DVD effect is not obivious, maybe because the movie is comparably old - 1981

Top notch Agatha Christie mystery thriller.
Why Didn't They Ask Evan's? is a terrific Agatha Christie mystery story (based on Christie's novel The Boomerang Clue) made into a terrific mystery movie. The plot, though a bit convoluted, is well developed and the excellent cast carries it out superbly. Although this is not one of Agatha Christie's biggest hits, it definitely is one of her best stories and as fine a Christie-based movie as I've ever seen. Now that it's available on DVD I hope it will achieve the recognition it amply deserves. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

Created in the 1920s by Agatha Christie, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford were the first to prove that two attractive and clever heads are better than one when it comes to solving mysteries. Fun-loving and flirtatious, they’d rather be working together on a tough case than doing almost anything else.

Francesca Annis (RECKLESS) stars as Tuppence, in stunning period outfits created especially for the series, with James Warwick (LILLIE) as the dry-witted and dapper Tommy. In this collection of six episodes from the popular TV series PARTNER IN CRIME, the stylish pair ply their trade as proprietors of Blunt’s Detective Agency. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not quite as good as Poirot but fine on its own terms
Thank goodness for Acorn Media, which has given us the Wimsey mysteries on tapes and DVD, the longer Poirots on DVD and the shorter ones on tape. With the arrival of "Partners in Crime" (AMP 5017), there lacks only the 12th boxed set of Poirots to more or less complete the Christie cycle as it exists on this label. (It is A&E who has begun to issue the Marple mysteries on DVD and a few of the more recent Poirots.)

The best thing about this "Tommy & Tuppence: Partners in Crime" series is the outrageous costumes Francesca Annis gets to wear, the most spectacular appearing in the last episode in this boxed set. Now this is featherlight Agatha Christie, so do not expect the complex kind of case that Wimsey always--and Poirot often--has to solve. The inside joke of the T&T novels is that in each one they emulate the techniques of a famous fictional detective. For example, in one episode Tommy (James Warwick) is dressed as Father Brown and the last mystery is described by the team as a real Edgar Wallace case.

"The Case of the Missing Lady" is probably the silliest of them all, and even Tuppence is required to do a comic turn that is frankly embarrassing. "The Unbreakable Alibi" has a solution that is utterly predictable, while the same could be said about the culprit in "The Man in the Mist." "The Crackler" is probably the most satisfactory.

All in all, good lightweight fun, but few thrills. And the Annis character can get a little "too too" now and then and start to grate in a way that she does not in the novels.
Unlike the Poirot tapes, these hold two episodes each. They easily could have gotten three onto each tape, but the people at ABC overseas seem to be able to dictate how the American distributors must package their material. So do not blame Acorn Media for that. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

An enjoyable romp through the swinging 1920s' London.
"The Secret Adversary" and the short story collection "Partners in Crime" (both from 1922) were Agatha Christie's second and third-ever book, but their quirky protagonists, Tommy and "Tuppence" (Prudence) Beresford, were not to share the eventful career of their colleague Hercule Poirot, who had debuted two years earlier with "The Mysterious Affair at Styles;" nor that of Christie's almost equally well-loved (and personal favorite) village sleuth Miss Marple, whose first adventure ("Murder at the Vicarage") would not be published until 1930. Christie only authored three more Beresford mysteries: 1941's "N or M?" (a WWII spy thriller set in a coastal guesthouse), 1968's "By the Pricking of My Thumbs" (where a visit to a nursing home prompts them to track down the real-life object of a painting, only to find themselves hunting for a child murderer) and "Postern of Fate" (1973), the last book written by Christie (although not the last one published); more a postscript to the superior earlier stories.

Not as eccentric as Poirot and Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence are nevertheless immediately likeable, and perfectly cast in this 1980 - 1982 TV series with Francesca Annis and James Warwick, reprising their successful collaboration from the 1980 realization of Christie's "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" Taking its title from the second entry in the Beresford cycle, originally only the short stories contained in "Partners in Crime" were developed for television; "The Secret Adversary," although set earlier in the literary originals' sequence and providing critical background information on the couple's friendship, was only adapted as a feature film two years later. (Fortunately, the original order is restored in this video and DVD release.)

Although "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" had already proved Christie to be a writer of exceptional talent, her first Tommy and Tuppence adventures - penned for financial reasons as much as out of a desire to write - still show her style as a work in progress, sometimes lacking certainty as to what exactly works in terms of characterization and storylines. While she succeeds, like in the first Poirot mystery, to immediately draw in her audience, and the Beresfords are presented in as much detail as the little Belgian with the many gray cells, the plotlines - particularly that of "The Secret Adversary" - sometimes stretch credibility and have a whiff of the kind of story that Arthur Conan Doyle could get away with 20 years earlier, but which Christie herself (wisely) only took up infrequently later (and generally with more solidly constructed plotlines and often with Poirot as the main character). Thus, if the televised versions of these early Tommy and Tuppence stories appear somewhat less convincing than the subsequent, more acclaimed adaptations of Christie's Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries, this is at least partly owing to the literary originals themselves: The creators of the TV series reproduced the mysteries' "swinging Twenties" setting successfully and with a fine eye for detail; and Francesca Annis and James Warwick give terriffic performances as the vivacious, hat-loving Tuppence and her (almost) equally witty, slightly more settled husband.

Tommy and Tuppence's boisterous young assistant Alfred is portrayed by Reece Dinsdale (best known, since, as Guildenstern in Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" and D.I. Scott in the mid-1990s British cop show "Thief Takers"); and there are recurrent appearances by British TV regular Arthur Cox as Detective Inspector Marriott, in the televised version chiefly responsible for establishing the couple as owners of Blunt's International Detective Agency (in the books, the agency is a cover for the Beresfords' spy activities), who informally continues to consult them whenever he feels that Scotland Yard's official capacities have reached their limits.

"The Secret Adversary" sees Tommy and Tuppence after the end of WWI, both out of work (Tommy has been an intelligence officer, Tuppence a nurse) and looking for adventure. That opportunity presents itself when, as a result of two newspaper ads, they are sent on the hunt for a lost treaty which, if published now, would cause a general strike and throw the country into turmoil, thus playing into the hands of a mysterious criminal known only as "Mr. Brown," and set on nothing less than the attainment of absolute power. The key to the treaty is believed to lie with a young American woman named Jane Finn, who has likewise disappeared and whose cousin Julius P. Hersheimer (or is he really?), Tommy and Tuppence learn, is "the third richest man in America." - Further notable appearances here include those of Alec McCowen (influential barrister Sir James Peele Edgerton), Gavan O'Herlihy (Hersheimer), Peter Barkworth (intelligence chief Carter) and Honor Blackman, as well as George Baker of "Inspector Wexford" fame, as members of "Mr. Brown"'s gang.

The shorter "Partners in Crime" mysteries have Tommy and Tuppence hunting for a vanished perl and uncovering, in turn, the mastermind behind a string of poisonings (drawing on Christie's trademark knowledge acquired when she was a nurse in WWI herself), the culprit of a murder during a masked ball, and the evil spirits responsible for a series of seemingly unearthly occurrences in an old house (again drawing on Christie's own experience, as the sleuthing couple's client is compelled - like Christie's mother periodically - to rent out rooms in her large house as a means of survival). The common trait of these mysteries is Tommy and Tuppence's repeated assumption of the roles of famous literary detectives; most obviously by attending the aforementioned masked ball disguised as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

While not quite on the level of Christie's more famous mysteries and their recent TV adaptations, this series is an enjoyable romp through the the swinging 1920s' London. And who knows - maybe 20+ years after its initial airing we'll see a realization of one of Tommy and Tuppence's later adventures? Annis and Warwick might be about the right age for "N or M" now ... or even better, "By the Pricking of My Thumbs," which unlike the earlier mysteries easily stands up with the best of Christie's other works!

Great Content, Awful Presentation
The stories are wonderful. The acting is cute and campy in a very good sense. Unfortunately, the DVD encoding leaves a lot to be desired. The main problem is that the 2 channel surround shunts all sound to the rear speakers (except for the first episode which is encoded properly). If you cannot turn off the surround sound on your system, this will become annoying quickly! It is very much worth purchasing, but be aware of the sound problems.

Nice work if you can get it
Think "Remington Steele" rather than "Hercule Poirot" for these, primarily, Art Deco stories. Tommy refers to mystery writers rather than movies but the idea is the same--well-dressed amateur pretending, comically, to be a professional private detective. In this case his partner, Tuppence, is even more expensively dressed, and hatted, and another complete novice. Upper crust Tommy has a background in Intelligence in WWI, when Tuppence, a clergyman's daughter and Tommy's childhood chum, was a nurse. It is true some of the mysteries aren't very mysterious but the series is impeccably staged, T & T are highly watchable and seem very much in love, young Albert is a lot of fun, and you get to imagine what you would do with a detective agency and a steady stream of money from your family. (You can also try to spot Britcom actors in the casts, or the times Britain's alleged xenophobia is brought up.)

"Secret Adversary" is a puzzle to me. I've read the book and studied the period but I can't imagine what unsigned treaty with the US when we were neutral, if it turned up some six years later in the UK, would be inevitably cause a general strike and a revolution. (The Atlantic Charter didn't do that in WWII.) And it's unsigned so why not just deny, deny, deny? Throughout the T & T series in the spy stories Christie hints but doesn't give us enough information to understand, all these years later and an ocean away, the gravity of the situation. Apparently Christie felt the UK was teetering on the brink of a Communist coup. She may have been warning the British public,--which is odd, really, in a book that spun off short stories that are lighthearted and humorous.

Lighthearted And Delightfully Charming Adventures
I had never read any books by Agatha Christie, but I was familiar with two of her famous sleuths, Poirot and Miss Marple, mostly through their televised adventures. But they really didn't appeal to me too much. Then I discovered Tommy & Tuppence, and I was just in love. the reason I love this series is because the characters AREN"T Poirot or Miss Marple. The concept intrigued me, the lighthearted adventures of a husband and wife detective team. The show is amazing, it's funny, witty, thrilling, and absolutely charming. Francesca Annis is simply divine as Tuppence, and James Warwick is simply suave as Tommy. Both have a tendency of hiding their brilliant minds beneath an aura of frivolity and from a sense that maybe they're not entirely sure what they're doing or how to get out of their situation. The flirtatious wit and charm and chemistry between the main characters is a delight, as is how they employ their skills to unravelling the various mysteries that land on their doorstep. Highly recommended.

Not up to the Other British Mystery Series
We love the different British mystery series such as Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, Poirot, & Midsomer Murders, but Tommy and Tuppence just aren't as good. Entertaining? Yes, but not worth owning. We recorded them off British TV, and after watching the series, recycled the tapes. ... Read more

Description

A lavish weekend party in a venerable old house promises to be frightfully jolly. Punting and pranks top the agenda until one morning a late sleeper doesn’t wake up at all. Another death, whispers of a secret society called the Seven Dials and stolen state secrets thicken the plot. Feisty Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent (Cheryl Campbell) runs her roadster right into the middle of the mystery and teams up with charming "man about town" Jimmy Thesiger (James Warwick) to find the fiends. Full of sly Christie wit, this ingenious mystery also features Sir John Gielgud in top form as Bundle’s distracted but indulgent father. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another great Christie DVD Whodunit
This 133-minute London Weekend Television production, based on Agatha Christie's novel, is in the best classical mystery tradition, starring a cast of lesser known but fine British actors. Principal performances are Cheryl Campbell as the enthusiastic protagonist Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent; James Warwick as Jimmy Thesiger, the "man about town"; Christopher Scoular as Bill Eversleigh; and Harry Andrews as Superintendent Battle (whose personality dominates every scene he's in). Other principals include Terence Alexander as George "Cotter" Lomax with his comically sincere but whory pursuits of Bundle's affections; Leslie Sands as the strangely suspect Sir Oswald Coote; James Griffiths as Rupert "Ponger" Bateman, Oswald's administrative assistant; Joyce Redman as fading flower Lady Coote; Rula Lenska as the mysterious Countess Radzsky; John Vine as an earnest Ronny Devereux; and Lucy Gutteridge as Loraine Wade. John Gielgud, in a minor supporting role, makes an atmospheric contribution as Lady Eileen's father. Lesser suspects abound.

Acorn Media states that due to age deterioration of the original 1981 TV materials, image and audio flaws were beyond their ability to correct. Indeed, pronounced image grain exists, especially in low-light and frequent night-time scenes; full-light scenes are somewhat better. Occasional color fidelity flaws and slight audio-volume fall-out also occur. While this reviewer considered these flaws a nuisance, their endurance is the price of having this otherwise great production available.

Christie afficianodos may notice plot devices she used elsewhere. Adapted by Pat Sandys, the script has only trivial variations from the original novel. The large cast makes the opening scenes a little confusing as to the characters' relative importance, the several locations involved, and the convoluted plot elements. But it's all there from the book. Those encountering this mystery for the first time must either pay very close attention, especially initially before things sort out or, as this reviewer did, enjoy a repeat performance of this imminently re-watchable production. Attractively, in the denouement critical scenes are re-played in flashback; events being shown as they "really happened", including critical details necessarily omitted previously.

The extravagant multitude of ticking and chiming clocks (even a giant clock tower); the lush room set interiors and period dress; the building exteriors, ivy, grounds and countryside; and the perfect-condition period cars generate a classic and satisfying atmosphere. For American audiences: diction is clear, accents presenting no problem. Great fun and highly recommended, essential for classic mystery lovers and collectors. Also included are cast filmographies and a Christie biography. Acorn Media strikes again in their commitment to great British material on DVD. ... Read more

Description

A forbidden love affair blossoms on the gorgeous Caribbean island of St. Martin in this juicy tale of two feuding families vying for control of the island. Family patriach Cristof Philips (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) attempts to bring the Philips and Sommers families together, but tempers flare when sparks fly between hunky island adventurer Ocean Sommers (Michael McLafferty, General Hospital) and exotic beauty Maxine Philips (Michael Michele, E.R.) newly engaged to another man. Maxine's family warns her: "This Ocean has a riptide and he will drag you under!," but nothing can stop her from running out in a hurricane for a secret, rain-soaked night of passion! Tensions grow when Ocean is accused of murdering Maxine#s brother Chris in a scuba-diving mission for a cursed treasure, while her fiance is determined to see Ocean behind bars for the rest of his life. Now Maxine will do anything -make any sacrifice - as chaos erupts when the shocking truth behind Chris' death and long-hidden family secrets are revealed. ... Read more