Agatha (1979)

Synopsis: In December 1926 famed mystery writer Agatha Christie disappeared, setting off speculation that she had either committed suicide or had been murdered. When she was found 11 days later, she claimed to have suffered amnesia, which many did not believe. AGATHA imagines what might have... In December 1926 famed mystery writer Agatha Christie disappeared, setting off speculation that she had either committed suicide or had been murdered. When she was found 11 days later, she claimed to have suffered amnesia, which many did not believe. AGATHA imagines what might have happened in those "lost" days. Vanessa Redgrave subtly portrays the shy Christie, while Timothy Dalton gives a creepy performance as her philandering, arrogant husband. Dustin Hoffman plays an ace American reporter determined to track down the mystery writer by any deception necessary. An effective re-creation of 1920s England, AGATHA unfolds like the best of Christie's mysteries, with Hoffman as the Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple character. Although many of the incidents in the film stretch the imagination, some of the details have been confirmed by statements from Christie's relatives and recent books published on the subject; AGATHA is based on a book of the same name by Kathleen Tynan. For director Michael Apted, who has made both documentaries (7 UP series) and mainstream films (THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH), AGATHA demonstrates his dual interests, as it succeeds in blurring the boundaries between true life and fiction. [More]