misctidsandbits

Gwen Watford is a great character actress, and did very fine here indeed. Put the Parker Pyne and Miss Lemon duo together with her, and you have a jolly good show. Oh yes, there's a stereotypic husband doing the mid-life crisis to the hilt and a prescribed younger man for the neglected wife. It plays out well, with the early Parker Pyne (early to Christie works) being a treat with his intelligence guided by experience approach. We get to see the precursor of the maximum-ly efficient Miss Lemon later to be girl Friday to Poirot (as yet a gleam in the writer's eye).

Great production after you get over the British sound stage thing they invariably do on TV. Costumes by whomever for Ms. Watford were well appreciated. Age-old story refreshed, I thought, with Pyne and Lemon's statistical and informed interference.

Christie liked to throw you a loop, as does many a mystery writer. Alas, she did not always play fair, withholding info and dynamics crucial to the real perp until the end. But, who said mystery writers had to play fair?

Here, there's the clear insinuation that one is definitely "mad" (in other venues, the evil one), yet at the end it is turned about to reveal it is indeed the counterpart party. But, a well casted and produced account, which provides enjoyment as it goes along with class and style. We get to see the "evil one" forced to play his hand and the timeworn lovers finally united.

Immediately, I registered that I did not like this actor nor his character. But soon, the character began to get with it. And, more than immediately, I liked his fiancé still less -- a whining, rather hen pecking type with her mother in tow as part of the equation. NOT! However, to the viewer's relief and enjoyment, this rather hapless fellow steps out of his small space, makes a decision on his own, has an absurd and delightful adventure, and becomes fueled with enough confidence to step up to the controlling fiancé and her intervening mother. Someone showed confidence in him (the society girl) and thus, he gained confidence in himself.

Right ho! and fun along the way. Jolly good show.