VHS : Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery [1980] (Tv-Film)

Rating: - Why is Lady Eileen Brent called "Bundle"?
The era 1920’s the plays a country house where diplomats are staying. Soon a mission to evaluate a new material that is vital to aviation.

Gerry Wade (Robert Longden) seems to be a late sleeper it makes one thing that he may be dead when the story starts. Well his friends with the help of an extraordinarily smart Rupert 'Pongo' Bateman (James Griffiths) bring in eight alarm clocks to help Gerry wake up. Looks like they may have been a tad late with their scheme.

People are starting to die. Marquis of Caterhan (John Gielgud) wants to know why his daughter Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent (Cheryl Campbell) ran over a man and shot him. As the man is dying he mentions “the seven Dials” and Jimmy Thesiger (James Warwick). She assumes that she is meant to tell Jimmy of the something or someone called the seven dials. From there the plot thickens.

The seven dials theme plays through the whole story. We see it in clocks and clock towers; it turns up on paper and dieing breath. Is it a location or a cabal and does it really have something to do with the mystery?

As with many of Agatha Christies stories there are so many characters that you need a score card. Also there seems to be plots inside plots. Everyone could have done it and yet it is always the last person you suspect; or should I say usually the last person you would suspect. The film was adapted from the Novel by Pat Sandys, has the added benefit of the feeling that it is a play.

The film is packed with well known British actors and sometimes it is hard not to think now where have I seen this person before. Noticeably absent is Francesca Annis, yet the main female character player Cheryl Campbell is well remembers for her role in The Murder at the Vicarage (1986). John Gielgud excelled in his part as Marquis of Caterhan.

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Rating: - A charming and glittering murder mystery
This is a charming film with plenty of atmosphere and amusing moments - although there are also a number of sinister murders. The production style may be "made for TV" rather than slick, but I think this produces a certain texture that adds to the viewer's pleasure. The film's presentation of a glittering, treacherous world is certainly memorable. There are some good performances, including from John Gielgud and James Warwick; Cheryl Campbell as Lady Bundle is a little OTT - in a rather marvellous sort of way. Rula Lenska also appears. The production and cast are similar to "Why didn't they ask Evans?", and this film is of a similar quality.