Agatha Christie, She Watched Ep54 “The Blue Geranium” (2010) Review

Warning: Spoiler-Free for the first 10 minutes; spoiler-heavy review afterwards! Teresa and Bill Peschel are talking about mysterious mediums, a wise child, post-war traumas, and water in the basement, a LOT of water in the basement. It’s “A Haunting in Venice,” the 2023 Hercule Poirot movie starring Sir Kenneth Branaugh in his third outing as Poirot and Tiny Fey as Ariadne Oliver.  Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction SPOILER-FREE ZONE 10:07 SPOILER ZONE BEGINS with the “Nemesis” connection 12:32 Poirot in retirement 14:56 Incidents that pay off later in the movie 19:12 A motif borrowed (from “Peril at End House” which I forgot to mention) 25:16 Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver: Hit or miss? 28:29 A deeply felt movie

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about a night at the opera, comical assassinations, suitcase nukes, and seaside resorts. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “N or M?” from 2015 starring David Walliams and Jessica Raine as Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 6:18 Teresa speculates about the Tommy and Tuppence story arc 14:41 An overview of the story 18:13 Shenanigans right out of “I Love Lucy” 21:36 The guests at the Sans Souci 26:30 More missed opportunities 32:20 The problem with casting

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about queen bees, Soho whorehouses, sugar millionaires, and Commie infiltration. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “The Secret Adversary” from 2015 starring David Walliams and Jessica Raine as Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 6:30 A change in era 8:52 Bad beekeeping 14:48 Tommy attempts to join the intelligence community 16:18 The fake sugar millionaire and his sugar cookie 19:21 The deadly assignation and an adult Albert 23:52 The missed opportunities for a good story

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about Egyptian queens, gossip kings, snooping party guests, and adoptions gone wrong. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side” from 2010 starring Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple and Joanna Lumley as Dolly Bantry.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 6:06 ITV’s reputation for Christie adaptations 9:35 The Downton Abbey connection 13:04 After failing to remember Christian Bale’s name 18:56 The (lack of) emotional intelligence of Marina Gregg 22:31 Joanna Lumley as Dolly Bantry 28:02 Summing up

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about scarlet pimpernels, Belgian refugees, blown marriage proposals, and spill vases. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” from the Poirot series starring David Suchet.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 5:02 The time this episode is set 8:49 Explaining the scarlet pimpernel joke 13:32 The story opens with Hastings 16:35 Coffee before bedtime, are you crazy? 17:15 Hastings goes to Styles 19:56 Why John Inglethorpe hates the interloper 24:48 The link between “Styles” and “Death on the Nile” and “Roger Ackroyd” 31:48 Poirot investigates and his wonderful toys 35:44 The importance of the Land Girls

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about sleazy directors, pompous playwrights, alcoholic detectives and a murderous Agatha Christie. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “See How They Run,” a meta parody of the production of “The Mousetrap” starring Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 2:31 Christie’s future as a fictional character 5:02 What is a meta movie? 8:11 Adrien Brody at the heart of the movie 15:03 Inspector Stoppard and Constable Stalker play dominant roles 18:56 Riddled with Easter eggs 22:42 Stalker sends Stoppard to dreamland 25:26 A movie in which you want to pay attention 27:36 Dealing with mixed-race casting 30:44 Agatha’s role at the climax

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about staged accidents, movable plasters, carnival rides, and cross-dressing heroines. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “The Blue Geranium,” a Miss Marple episode starring Julia McKenzie.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 4:40 Julia Mackenzie does not do dithery 9:04 The relationship between the sisters 12:02 Why don’t these couples have children? 12:55 The source of Mary’s anger 13:55 The source of the doctor’s anger 16:05 “Mary is absolutely toxic” 17:55 The Miss Marple motif 22:20 George Pritchard as the thread uniting the story 27:56 What Teresa would have added to the story 30:00 The blue geranium clue 32:00 Was this a top 10 episode? 34:26 The afterlife of Agatha Christie and Jane Austen

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about staged accidents, movable plasters, carnival rides, and cross-dressing heroines. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?,” the 2020 adaptation by Hugh Laurie.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels.   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 4:17 General overview of the plot 6:20 Moira’s age appropriate for the story 8:02 The story vs. the novel and other TV versions 12:06 Frankie’s assertiveness vs. rudeness 13:05 The role of vicars in the class hierarchy 15:37 The backstory 20:06 Another change, working at the carnival 24:00 Investigating the Bassington-ffrench’s 26:57 Variations in Bobby playing the chauffeur 30:37 How well the end worked

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about creepy flashbacks, rock climbing, old-fashioned tugboats, and the workings of fate. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss Desyat Negrityat, the 1987 Soviet version of “Ten Little Indians.” Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel. Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/ Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/ Chapters 0:00 Introduction 2:03 A brief history of the movie versions 6:04 Teresa’s opinion of the movie 7:07 Taking it from the top 13:17 How to tell Blore and Lombard apart 18:43 How the judge mislead everyone away from the truth 22:11 Ghostly hauntings make this a psychological thriller 33:10 Is it worthwhile watching 10 adaptations? 36:34 Bill gets an idea for a nonfiction book 40:53 Which is the best version? 45:17 Next time: “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?” with Hugh Laurie!

Warning: Spoiler-heavy review! This week, we’re talking about strange visions, helpful assistants, seaside comedy shows, and magical summers. Teresa and Bill Peschel from Peschel Press discuss “Sleeping Murder,” the 2006 episode of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple starring Geraldine McEwan.   Sponsored by Peschel Press, the publisher of annotated Agatha Christie novels by Bill Peschel.   Support Peschel Press! Visit our website to learn about our Complete, Annotated Line of Agatha Christie novels: https://peschelpress.com/the-peschel-press-complete-annotated-series/   Look for “Agatha Christie, She Watched,” our a coffee-table sized book and ebook (not coffee-table sized) collection of Teresa's reviews of 201 Agatha adaptations. Learn more at https://peschelpress.com/teresa-peschels-agatha-christie-movie-reviews/   Chapters 0:00 Introduction 7:57 Getting into Sleeping Murder 16:30 Who are the Funnybones and why were they added? 19:00 What’s the problem with the Indian police? 25:43 The fatal announcement in the Times 31:00 Creepy Dr. Kennedy 33:34 That memorable summer for the Funnybones 37:10 A parallel between Dickie’s situation and “They Were Ten” 38:56 Happy families and concluding thoughts