Why Didn't They Ask Evans? [1980] [VHS]

VCI/Cinema Club does these Agatha Christie adaptions justice, and with this story as we see Lady Frances Derwent, superbly played by Francesca Annis, and Bobby Jones, played by James Warwick, being led into a world of multiple identities, drugs, and deception. This is where the vital scenes which were cut by Plus are essential for instance the introduction of Badger (Robert Longden), plays a very important part in the proceedings, so it didn't make any sense whatsoever to make cuts, and edits to this story. This destroys the enjoyment of viewers. Of the supporting cast : Connie Booth is wonderful as Sylvia Bassington-FFrench, as are Sir John Gielgud, Bernard Miles, Lynda Marchal (LaPlante), Joan Hickson, James Cossins, but the best performances come from Eric Porter as the mysterious, Dr Nicholson, and Leigh Lawson, as smoothie villain Roger Bassington-FFrench, and one notable scene is when Lady Derwent, and Bobby Jones, are gagged by Dr Nicholson (Bassington-FFrench in disguise, with accurate synch voice over by Eric Porter to follow Lawson's mouth movements which is used to great effect here), and are told how they're going to die. Cue Badger Beadon to the rescue. Madeline Smith is also superb as the conniving wife of Dr Nicholson, who is unmasked by Frances Derwent as a drug pusher. Who was Evans?. Well, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Filmed in the summer of'79, it took a superlative effort of two, not one directors, Tony Wharmby, and John Davies, who would helm the later PD James stories. This story took just 12 weeks to complete. This is definitely my favourite of the AC adaptions. Next stop : The Seven Dials Mystery.

From here characters pore in from all sides and you need to keep a score card and there are several doctors and mysteriously guilty looking people. You may guess some of the story but not all as they hold back most of clues until the last moment.

Once again Britton has excelled in bringing a great Agatha Christie story to life. They did not try to overstate or rush through the story. Also true to Christies writing they left in the characters instead of trying to homogenize them into fewer numbers for TV's sake.

We recognize the actors for other such stories:

James Warwick who trained at the Central School in London also played Tommy in Agatha Christie's "Partners in Crime" series.
Francesca Annis was Tuppence in the "Partners in Crime" series. But where I remember her most as Lady Jessica in "Dune" (1984).
Sir John Gielgud, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic arts in London played Hamlet on the stage.
The big surprise is the late Joan Hickson who made her stage debut in prudential theater in 1927 and played the best Miss Marple in the Agatha Christie series of movies. You may not recognize her but she was also in "Eye of the Needle" (1981).