Agatha (1979)
And fueled by the offbeat pairing of two gifted unique actors whom you'd think would be voted as "least likely to end up in a romantic film together".......Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave, both at the peak of their A-List star careers.
The fascinating storyline takes a 'what-if' fictitious view of what became of mystery novelist Agatha Christie during her notoriously baffling 11 day disappearance in December of 1926. Christie, then 36, never explained where she was (or why) so the 'Agatha' script by Kathleen Tynan and Arthur Hopcraft crafts a sadly bittersweet and clever explanation.
As brought to life by Redgrave, Christie's imminent divorce by her imperious upperclass twit husband Archie (a suitably cruel, insufferable Timothy Dalton) has left her a needy, emotionally wounded basket case. She's well aware that he plans to marry his secretary Nancy Neele.
In the midst of this marital mess, relentless American columnist Wally Stanton (Hoffman) was after an exclusive interview with Agatha. The quietly intense Stanton, whose clipped, staccato speech mimics that of an English gentleman himself, knows he's stumbled on to a way bigger story than a mere Christie divorce.
As police mount a country wide search for Agatha, much to Archie's indifference and disdain, Stanton tracks her down to a swank hotel and spa where, as it so happens, Nancy Neele has come for weight loss treatments.
Entranced by Christie, who's been wandering about in a distracted, otherworldly haze, Stanton gently woos her with a calculated mixture of uppercrust manners and delicacy. Yet at the same time, it appears to him she's come to the spa with a bizarre plan to murder Nancy Neele, a ghastly death right out of her books...or so it seems.
Director Michael Apted carefully maintains the reserved, stylish mood of this slightly warped fairy tale and Hoffman and Redgrave, with their seemingly opposite approaches to their characters, are an odd but diverting couple to watch together...his world famous intensity matched with her ethereal but powerfully silent expressions.
(and it's a credit to both them that they're unafraid to risk our snickering as they dance together, with the statuesque Redgrave towering over Hoffman....)
We liked that 'Agatha' was content to provide nothing more than a mild diversion......a bit of mystery, a bit of star-crossed romance, a bit of early 20th century British atmosphere. And for those hoping for an Agatha Christie surprise twist to this light tale.....the film won't disappoint you there either.
3 stars (***).
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