Displaying items by tag: Iain Glen

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S SEVEN DIALS

UK, 2026, 150 minutes, Colour.

Mia McKenna-Bruce, Edward Bluemel, Martin Freeman, Helena Bonham Carter, Hughie O'Donnell, Alex Macqueen, Dorothy Atkinson, Mark Lewis Jones, Tim Preston, Ella-Rae Smith, Iain Glen, Nyashas Hatendi, Navhaan Rizwan, Corey Mylchreest.

Directed by Chris Sweeney.

2026, another British three-part series based on an Agatha Christie novel. In fact, the 1929 novel was a sequel to her book, The Secret of Chimneys.

With three parts, the series has the opportunity to create an atmosphere, 1925, still memories of World War I and sadness with those lost. And, once again, an Agatha Christie style British location. And, an occasion which starts happily, even jokingly, leads to a death and an investigation, and the person solving the mystery the young Lady Eileen Brent, nicknamed Bundle.

There are all the Agatha Christie ingredients from her 1920s imagination. And, a strong cast led by Mia McKenna Bruce and such veterans as Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman.

There is always room for another Agatha Christie mystery.

1. Adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1929 novel? Sequel to The Secret of Chimneys, the return of the central characters?
2. The television version, the 1925 setting, the stately mansion, grounds and interiors, costumes and decor, vehicles, trains? The musical score?
3. The adaptation of the novel, different emphases, the presence of Lady Caterham? Her role, the end?
4. The opening, Spain, the spectacular scenery, the empty bull ring, the lone character, the atmosphere, menace, the bull, the goring? The inventor and his wife, the rendezvous, the spy, the gun, her shooting the wife, the inventor shooting her? The puzzle, 1920, no explanations – and the audience having to wait until the very last minutes for the explanation?
5. 1925, Lady Caterham, her status, poverty, the house, memories of her dead husband, the story about her son killed in World War I, hosting the Cootes, husband-and-wife, disdain for them, the presence of the foreign office, the young representatives? Bundle, her nickname, Lady Eileen, the encounter with Gary Wade, the promise of the proposal? His friends, the masks, the clocks to wake him up?
6. The next morning, Bundle finding the body, his letter to his sister, the mention of Seven Dials, the continued reference to Seven Dials, the poor neighbourhood, being rebuilt, the club, Bill taking Bundle their, the presence of Andrew, the former servant?
7. Bundle, the intrepid heroine of this kind of Agatha Christie story, her age, background, curious, forceful? The to and fro with her mother? Interrogating the maid, the poison? The interrogation of Bill and Ronnie, the contact with Jimmy Thesiger?
8. The presence of Superintendent Battle, the interactions with Bundle, his following her, the phone call to Scotland Yard? The continued encounters, her defying him, his trying to protect her?
9. Bundle and her questioning of Ronnie, discovering him murdered?

• Audience suspicions, for the murder of Gary, for the murder of Ronnie? And the motivations? George Lomax, politics, national security?
• The hosting of the party, George Lomax and persuading Bundle, Sir Oswald and Lady Cootes, the inventor, audience having seen him already, the demonstration of the invention? The range of guests? Suspicions? Lomax and his embarrassing proposal?
• The poisoning of the inventor, the stealing of his life’s work? Battle and the police, the closing of the grounds? Bundle, at the window, the ivy, the issue of the gun thrown from the window, the one set of footprints?
• The situation, the guards at the door, Jimmy and his being shot in the arm, Sir Oswald and the finding of the gun, Battle getting him to demonstrate throwing it? The presence of Lorraine, upset, her relationship with Gary? Her disappearance?
• The pursuit, the car, the drive to the station, getting the train, confronting Lorraine, confronting Jimmy, to stop the train, Bundle, the gun, Jimmy explaining the situation, the plot with Lorraine, the setup and his shooting his arm, throwing the gun…?
• The contact for the information, Bundle going to find the contact, discovering her mother, her mother’s behaviour, resentments about her dead son, class status, poverty, relationship with her daughter? Bundle pulling the gun on her mother? Battle arriving?
• The aftermath, Bundle getting used to it, Andrew arriving with the gun, the club, the masked members, Battle and the revelation, the final revelation about Bundles father and his mission? The invitation to her to join the group?
• The Agatha Christie characters, ingredients, atmosphere – and screenplay writers adding to the plot complications, especially the suspects, Sir Oswald and his wife and misdirection, the solution?

OPERATION NAPOLEON

Iceland, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.

Vivian Olafsdottor, Jack Fox, Iain Glenn, Wotan Wilke Morhing, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Atli Oskar Fjalarsson, Adesuwa Oni, Annette Badland .

Directed by Oskar Thor Axelsson.

This is something of an old-fashioned action adventure – very popular in the latter part of the 20^th century, big budget, fantastic plots from the past.

And, it is a film from Iceland. The focus is on an enterprising young woman, competitive in her field, concerned about her brother. He is out on an expedition in the snowfields and discovers a crashed plane, almost immediately confronted by a tough commando group, and killing, his being taken. His sister and an associate to the rescue.

The back story is a Nazi tale, a plane, gold, Hitler’s plans, possible escape, a crash and disappearance.

The villain of the piece is the CIA official, played by Iain Glenn. He has been searching for the crashed plane and its contents, continual surveillance over the decades, now taking advantage of the opportunity to recover the plane and its contents.

Some interesting characters out there in the snowfields, a big giant of a man who collaborates with the searchers, an elderly woman who has records from her researches of the past.

More or less as might be expected of this kind of adventure but enjoyable in its own way.

1. Action adventure in Iceland? From an action novel? Old style action?
2. The title, the background of the Nazis, some newsreel footage, plots, Hitler, gold?
3. The Iceland scenery, its impact?
4. Kristin, her personality, career, critical of collaborators? Her brother, the flashbacks, the bond? The interruption to her argument, his contact?
5. Alliance, the expedition, companions, out in the ice, their discoveries?
6. The encounter with Julie rat off, her squad, her pencil, ruthlessness? Her mission? The confrontations with Kristin?
7. Car, the CIA, the family man with the grandchildren, his power, the mission, the flight, Julie and the squad, the discoveries, the challenge, his arrival, revelations about him, the search, the secrecy, the operation, the name of Napoleon, his son, the encounter with Are in the past, with Sarah? The buildup to the confrontations, the stand-off, shooting, deaths?
8. Simon, the killer, stalking Kristin, the attempts to kill her, Steve?
9. Kristin Steve, his background, interests, their working together, her being tough, his difficulties? The visit to Owner, to Sarah, the discovery of what it happened? Action together?
10. I now, his character, the loner, trusting Kristin, the explanations, the background, his final interventions?
11. The clues for Sarah, visiting her, her investigations, her life, age, the confrontations?
12. The climax in the snow, good prevailing, the villain is being defeated?