Seven Dials Mystery (1981)

Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent a pert, aggressive young aristocrat insinuates herself into a series of murders, stolen state secrets, and a mysterious secret society.

Director:

Tony Wharmby

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Pat Sandys (adapted from the novel by)

Stars:

John Gielgud, Harry Andrews, Cheryl Campbell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Gielgud	...	Marquis of Caterhan
Harry Andrews	...	Superintendent Battle
Cheryl Campbell	...	Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent
James Warwick	...	Jimmy Thesiger
Joyce Redman	...	Lady Coote
Leslie Sands	...	Sir Oswald Coote
Lucy Gutteridge	...	Lorraine Wade
Terence Alexander	...	George Lomax
Rula Lenska	...	Countess Radzsky
Christopher Scoular	...	Bill Eversleigh
James Griffiths	...	Rupert 'Pongo' Bateman
Brian Wilde	...	Tredwell
Hetty Baynes	...	Vera (as Henrieta Baynes)
John Vine	...	Ronny Devereux
Robert Longden	...	Gerry Wade

Storyline

When Gerry Wade sleeps in and is late for breakfast, his friends find that he has a very good reason - he's been murdered. Lady Eileen Brent, known to her friends as Bundle and in whose bed Wade died, returns home and decides to investigate. When a second man is killed, he mentions something about " ...seven dials...tell Jimmy Thesiger..." but Thesiger has no idea what he was talking about. What they learn is of the existence of a secret society and of a hugely valuable formula for making a specialized form of steel. But who exactly is behind the two murders and why were they killed?

---

Plot Keywords:

secret society | state secret | father daughter relationship | whodunit | suspect | 

---

Genres:

Adventure | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The roman numeral for the "eleven" o'clock position on the hoods is reversed reading 'IX' instead of 'XI'. Later in the movie it is corrected but they didn't make new hoods; instead they inked over the leading 'I' and added an 'I' after the 'X'.

---

Quotes

Marquis of Caterhan: Inconsiderate, that's what I call it, distinctly inconsiderate.
Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent: People have to die somewhere.
Marquis of Caterhan: Well they don't need to die in my house.
Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent: Lots of people have, masses of stuffy old great grandfathers and grandmothers.
Marquis of Caterhan: That's quite different. Of course I expect family to die here. But I do object to strangers!

User Reviews

Charming bit of fluff

I saw this version of one of Agatha Christie's earliest, and fluffiest, stories when it was first broadcast in 1982, and remembered it so well as an adult that I was delighted to find it in a video store.

The plot doesn't recount well - basically, several outrageously wealthy young aristocrats amuse themselves by chasing after a secret society called the Seven Dials. But the pace moves right along, and the oh-so-British styling is wonderful, including discreet foreign policy dealings amid cards and cocktails at country house parties (populated by perfectly-coiffed young ladies in flapper dresses, of course).

Not for everyone, but British mystery buffs will eat it up. 1920's obsessives will also want to see this one just for the gorgeous costuming and a series of stunning vintage cars that look as though someone raided a Concours d'Elegance just for this film.