Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar

I couldn't help but think of the many Poirot movies set in the middle east. Those were imbued with sound, heat, mystery, etc. Of these exotic locations. Poirot always insistent on pursuing his british/belgium idiosyncrasies while trying to enjoy his "vacations " which was always interrupted by a wonderful murder. (See Death on the Nile).

This is the complete opposite. The first part of the movie focuses on christie trying to imbue her novels with "romance." She is encouraged by new friends to go to Iraq, and it is downhill from there. The Christie actress is bland, the murder of someone is not clear...apparently the monkey imbibed the poison.. The rest of the ensemble (except for young Max) is boring and unforgettable. Even the scenery is dusty and boring. There didn't seem to be any music or sound effects to heighten our attention to murders or significant scenes.

Watch the first of these Christie driven movies. The one that depicts Christie when she disappeared for a few weeks, made a couple of years back. That actress successfully depicted Agatha as a serious author, but with a lovely sparkle underneath. There is no sparkle here.

This was slow and plodding. It managed to make 95 minutes feel like 3 hours. The main actress playing Agatha lacked charisma and it had a bit of an amateur feel to it, although it was made as a TV movie. On the plus side, the production values were very good, so it was a shame that it wasn't a better script with a bit more drama and played less flat. This is probably the dullest Agatha Christie related movie that I have ever seen. At least the ones made in the 80s were entertaining.

I had some expectations for this, largely due to Ms Marshal's presence, and it does indeed have several high values.

But it has three features which spoiled it for me: the weirdly soporific sound quality; the dismal pacing; the, let's face it, dreadful script; the cringe-inducing stabs at romance for the lead character; these four chief weapons; -- yes, after watching it, one feels one has been entertained by the Spanish Inquisition.

... can't cover the tackiness and silliness swirling in by the minute.

Another contrived and pretentious mess.

Well, I have to admit I didn't really have to see Agatha Christie getting it on. Not in this film, not ever. Sort of like seeing your parents having sex. I expect. This is the second film produced by Darlow Smithson Productions for British television that purports to tell a missing story in the life of Agatha Christie. The first one was Agatha and the Truth of Murder (2018) in which the true life disappearance of Christie for 10 days is explained. She solves a real life murder of course. There is I see another one planned for release in 2020. She is back though with a different actress playing her - an older actress and less attractive that is closer to real life.

After her disappearance (no explanation was ever given) and then divorce, Christie needed to get away from all the publicity and depression and so went off to Iraq in 1928 at a friend's invitation to stay with them at an archeological dig in Iraq. That is the premise behind this film that then veers wildly away from fact to have Agatha get caught up in a few murders and be romanced by a young archeologist named Max Mallowan. There is loads of skullduggery going on at the dig - stolen artifacts, a dying man talking about the Curse of Ishtar, a hanged monkey, secret affairs and lots of very catty talk. Funny, I worked on an archeological dig one summer and we had none of that. But that was in England where nothing improper happens.

The mystery is actually very solid - something Christie could have written - the big manor styled house, a house full of suspects and the final declamation with the remaining people around a table. By that time I had it figured out but there were a lot fewer suspects to choose from! Christie is well played by Lindsey Marshall (lots of TV) and Max by Jonah Hauer-King. As in real life he is much younger than Christie - by 12 years - but that didn't stop them from being married for 46 years until her death. Christie was to fall in love with archeology as well as her husband and went on his digs with him - perhaps to keep an eye on him after the first failed marriage - and she was to set a few books in the Middle East. If you are a Christie fan, this is an enjoyable stop along the way. There seems to be a never-ending need for all things Christie these days.