Search - Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans? on DVD


Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Agatha Christie's Why Didn't They Ask Evans
Actors: Francesca Annis, John Gielgud, Bernard Miles, Eric Porter, Leigh Lawson
Directors: John Davies, Tony Wharmby
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Television, Mystery & Suspense
NR     2003     3hr 0min

In a classic 1930s country house francesca annis & james warwick portray another delightful crime solving couple created by agatha christie. Amateur sleuths bobby jones & lady frankie derwent his aristocratic childhood fri...  more »

     
4

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Francesca Annis, John Gielgud, Bernard Miles, Eric Porter, Leigh Lawson
Directors: John Davies, Tony Wharmby
Creators: Mike Humphreys, Tony Wharmby, Ray Helm, Jack Williams, Agatha Christie, Pat Sandys
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Television, Mystery & Suspense
Sub-Genres: Indie & Art House, Love & Romance, Family Life, Television, Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Acorn Media
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen
DVD Release Date: 04/08/2003
Original Release Date: 05/21/1981
Theatrical Release Date: 05/21/1981
Release Year: 2003
Run Time: 3hr 0min
Screens: Color,Full Screen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 6
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English

Similar Movies


Similarly Requested DVDs

Gosford Park
Director: Robert Altman
   R   2002   2hr 17min
   
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Full Screen Edition
Director: Ken Hughes
   G   1998   2hr 24min
   
Amazing Grace
Director: Michael Apted
   PG   2007   1hr 58min
   
My House in Umbria
Director: Richard Loncraine
   UR   2003   1hr 43min
   
Mansfield Park
BBC, 1986
   NR   2004   5hr 12min
   
Rize
Director: David LaChapelle
   PG-13   2005   1hr 26min
   
Ladies in Lavender
Director: Charles Dance
   PG-13   2005   1hr 44min
   
The Bourne Ultimatum
Widescreen Edition
Director: Paul Greengrass
   PG-13   2007   1hr 56min
   
 

Movie Reviews

Three hours of twists and turns in a Christie whodunnit
Darren Harrison | Washington D.C. | 08/13/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)

"In 1981 London Weekend Television presented a three hour adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? (starring two actors who would go on to play Tommy and Tuppence in another series of Christie mysteries) James Warwick and Francesca (DUNE) Annis. In this adventure the two play amateur sleuths Bobby Jones and Lady Frankie Derwent in a 1920s murder investigation caper.
The story opens with Jones tackling a game of golf on the Welsh coast. Playing his ball onto the edge of a cliff he comes across the body of a man lying on the rocks below and his companion (the local doctor) goes to fetch help (seems a little backwards, but no matter). Regaining consciousness briefly the man utters the cryptic words `Why didn't the ask Evans?' and then passes away. Jones finds a copy of a ladies picture in the man's pocket - a woman he feels an obvious attraction towards.
Passing on the role of watcher over the dead body to a passing man so he can keep an appointment, Jones takes of without thinking anything of it but that it was a tragic accident.
However his suspicions are raised when the man's body is identified by means of the police tracing the girl depicted on the photograph they find on his body. However, this girls photograph is of a different person than that which he discovered.
What follows is an intriguing and well acted made-for-television feature. I did not notice any particular problems with the picture as was noted in other reviews, but the sound level did fade in and out and was at times distracting. This is not the best DVD transfer I have seen, but it also is far from the worst either.
Overall this comes recommended for Christie fans, not the best of her stories, but certainly one with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing to the very end."
Top notch Agatha Christie mystery thriller.
D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 05/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."
Is there really an Evans?
bernie | Arlington, Texas | 11/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bobby Jones (James Warwick) is pitifully attempting to play golf on ground above the cliff to the sea. He would most assuredly hit someone if the ball just gets that far. He hears a cry but just plays on. That is until the search for the ball takes him to the edge of the cliff where it appears that a hiker fell on the rocks below. Bobby rushes to the aid of the fallen man. The fallen man come conscious just long enough to say "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" then expires.

From here characters pour 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 the landlady in "The Man Who Never Was" (1956)
"
A Fun Mystery Movie
kakcent | Cold Spring, KY USA | 07/21/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."