London, 1940. Agatha Christie, played by Helen Baxendale in the latest installment of Channel 5’s mystery series, finds herself in a precarious situation. Facing a substantial tax bill and lacking the necessary funds, the celebrated author resorts to a desperate measure: selling a first draft of a new Hercule Poirot novel to a Chinese fan, Frankie Lei (Thomas Chaanhing), who is staying at a local hotel. The potential sale of the manuscript for £20,000 offers a lifeline, but Christie enlists Travis Pickford (Blake Harrison) as a bodyguard for the transaction, hoping to mitigate the risk. However, the situation quickly unravels when Lei is murdered and the valuable manuscript vanishes, forcing Christie to once again employ her own detective skills. The latest film, Agatha and the Midnight Murders, delivers a darker tone than its predecessors, set against the backdrop of wartime Britain.
The series, which began with the successful Agatha and the Truth of the Crime in 2018, followed by Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar in 2019, has established a unique premise: reimagining Agatha Christie herself as a detective. Each film presents a new mystery for the “Queen of Crime” to solve, often drawing her into unexpected and dangerous situations. This trilogy, as noted by Film-Rezensionen.de, distinguishes itself through its evolving cast and tonal shifts. Even as the first two installments leaned into a lighter, more humorous approach, Agatha and the Midnight Murders embraces a more somber atmosphere, reflecting the anxieties of the Second World War.
A Shifting Cast and Darker Tone
One notable aspect of the series is the rotating lead role of Agatha Christie. Ruth Bradley portrayed the author in the first film, while Lyndsey Marshal took on the role in the second. For the final chapter, Helen Baxendale steps into the role. The frequent casting changes, while unusual, don’t detract from the core narrative. More significant is the shift in tone. The earlier films balanced mystery with comedic elements, showcasing Christie’s wit as she stumbled into detective work. Agatha and the Midnight Murders largely abandons this levity, opting for a more serious and suspenseful mood. This is visually reflected in the film’s setting, trading the sun-drenched landscapes of the previous installment for the dimly lit confines of a wartime hotel and, a cellar.
The core premise remains consistent: Christie finds herself unexpectedly embroiled in a murder investigation, relying on her intellect to identify the culprit. The classic “whodunit” structure is preserved, with a gathering of suspects in a confined space as the mystery unfolds. The film adheres to the conventions established by Christie’s own novels, but notably omits the biographical elements that characterized the first two films. While the previous installments incorporated aspects of Christie’s real life, Agatha and the Midnight Murders focuses solely on the fictional narrative.
A Less Compelling Conclusion
However, this departure from the series’ earlier strengths contributes to a less satisfying conclusion. The reduction in humor diminishes the charm that defined the previous films. While a darker tone isn’t inherently negative, it isn’t fully realized in this installment. As Film-Rezensionen.de points out, A Haunting in Venice, another recent adaptation of Christie’s work, successfully executed a similar atmospheric shift. The central mystery in Agatha and the Midnight Murders lacks the same level of intrigue, and the subplot involving Christie’s financial troubles and the manuscript feels somewhat underdeveloped. The author’s presence at the hotel feels almost incidental to the plot.
The film’s credits reveal that Joe Stephenson directed the project, with a screenplay by Tom Dalton and music by Blair Mowat. Birgit Dierken served as the cinematographer, and the cast also includes Jacqueline Boatswain, Gina Bramhill, Daniel Caltagirone, and Scott Chambers. The film premiered on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2020, and later aired on PBS in the United States on May 25, 2021.
Agatha and the Midnight Murders feels like a somewhat lackluster conclude to the trilogy. While it maintains the series’ core concept, it lacks the spark and charm of its predecessors. The shift in tone, while potentially interesting, isn’t fully explored, and the mystery itself feels less compelling. The film’s reliance on familiar tropes of the genre doesn’t elevate it beyond a standard whodunit.
The series’ exploration of Agatha Christie as a character remains a fascinating concept, and the films offer a glimpse into the creative mind behind some of the world’s most beloved mysteries. However, Agatha and the Midnight Murders doesn’t quite live up to the potential of the premise, leaving viewers with a sense of unfulfilled expectations. The next installment in the world of Agatha Christie adaptations is expected to be a new adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express,” with a release date yet to be announced.
