Displaying items by tag: Martin Freeman

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?

THE FIFTH STEP/NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE

UK, 2025, 82 minutes, Colour.

Jack Lowdon, Martin Freem an.

Directed by Finn Den Hertog.

An impressive dramatisation of the play by David Ireland, part of National Theatre Live. The title refers to the 12 steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program, the Fifth Step, Confession.

The staging: this is theatre in the round or, specifically, a square stage, with the audience on all sides, visible during the whole performance. With only two in the cast, it is important that they move around so that the audience can see the various aspects of the performance, their walking, standing, sitting, removing the props and organising the stage. The running time is comparatively brief but there are several scenes, indicated by lights and the work of the cast in preparing for the next scene. There is a strong musical score.

Background of Alcoholics Anonymous: the reality of alcoholism, an illness, an addiction. The hold on an alcoholics, mental issues, physical, emotional, relationships. And the development of meetings, the AA plan, the 12 steps, the prayer, the religious dimension, God/religion/not.

The process: the sponsor, the choice of the sponsor, meeting with the sponsor and the arrangements, initial wariness, the raising of the gay issue of the sponsor, concern, curiosity about attitudes and behaviour. Luca, his age, experience, lack of experience, curiosity and concern. The contrast with James, his age, experience, his past sponsor, the actual issue, the aftermath and consequences.

Sponsorship: James, no drink for 25 years, the effect, the stories about his own supervisor, his marriage, son? The contrast with Luke and his age and lack of experience? The importance of power as regards the sponsor, the exercise of power, control, interests, decisions.

The portrait of Luca: age, appearance, clothes, manner, work on not, lack of education, long clash with his father, bad memories, the drinker, with his mates? Contemporary culture, sexuality, sexist, his language, focus. The drink and its effect. His myopia about his masturbation, 20 times a day, expectations of work, use of time. James and the recommendation for some religious experience, spiritual experience. The effect on him, able to quote the Scriptures, Old Testament/New Testament, the Jesus language, revivalist language. His genuine response, the issue of the woman at the church, married, the relationship, awkwardness, his response to James’s reaction about religion. Time passing, Luca not drinking, somebody reporting him as a drinking, but non-alcoholic, Luca adapting. Final crisis with James, the issue about the married woman, James talking as if the possibility was his own wife, the consequences for Luca, not wanting James as sponsor, and arriving and experiencing the step of Confession and the question of what would follow.

The ported James: his age, 25 years not drinking, his marriage, his son, has a best friend, not telling him about alcoholism, the background of his own sponsor, the gay man and the aftermath. The years of marriage, the issue of how strong the relationship with his wife, his son moving away from home. His attitude towards religion, saying he was a recovering Catholic, hostile to religion, but speaking of spiritual experiences, references to Buddhism, slights on Christianity. The issue of his being Luca sponsor, responsibility, power, his agenda. The melodrama of his suspicions about the woman and Luka’s relationship, as regards his own marriage and wife. Luca refusing him as sponsor and the effect on his emotions, future.

Effect for the audience of watching the stage play, a filmed version, the performance, the focus on the dialogue and words, the focus on action and the characters and performance. The involvement of the audience with the characters and the issues observing, emotional involvement.

MILLER'S GIRL

US, 2024, 96 minutes, Colour.

Martin Freeman, Jenna Ortega, Bashir Salahuddin, Gideon Adlon, Dagmara Dominczyk.

Directed by Jade Halley Bartlett.

This is not a film for the wide audience. It takes a very serious subject, teacher-student relationships. However, the screenplay is filled with excerpts from literature, especially from Henry Miller, his sexual subjects and style, actually not permitted to be taught in the school in the film. There are many other literary references and literary discussions which may be too much for the wider audience.

British actor, Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Dr Watson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes) at a small American school, creative writing, himself a published author of short stories, resigned to being a teacher rather than success as a writer. He has a brittle marriage with his wife, preoccupied with her work, alcoholic.

Rising star Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) is a wealthy 18-year-old living in a mansion while her parents travel abroad. She is well read and has ambitions. In her encounter with her teacher, she reveals her talents, he is intrigued, becomes infatuated and affected by her, she controlling the situation, writing a story based on Henry Miller which has quite a psychological sexual effect on her teacher.

Feeling some rejection and the criticism of her story, she reports him to the school’s principal, leading to questioning, suspension, and her being vindictive, even to her close friend at school.

Another variation on the dangers of teacher-student relationships and involvement.

1. The name, Miller? The character, the novelist Henry Miller, his books, his themes, sexuality, relationships, obsessions?
2. The American town, remote, school, classes, lecturers, the principal? Other students? The literature class, the students, the reading, the assignments, their stories? Jonathan Miller, leading the class? The friendship with Boris and his presence?
3. Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller, middle-aged, the writer, his ambitions, disappointments, the tension in his marriage, his wife drinking, her work, his resentments? Love of literature, option to teach, the encounter with Cairo, that she had read Finnegan’s Wake, his admiration, comments to Boris? His interest in her, her living alone, coming through the woods, the discussions, the assignment, her story, Henry Miller and his not being allowed to be taught at the school, the continued meetings, the effect on Miller, the effect on Cairo, teacher-student relationship?
4. Cairo, the story about her parents, living in the mansion, alone, through the woods, her friendship with Winnie, Winnie and her blasé attitudes, seductive towards Boris, the discussions about sex and sexuality, about her relationship with Miller, the writing of the story, the sexual encounter with each and her later using it to intimidate Winnie? Her background, wanting to be a writer, her extensive reading?
5. The teacher-student relationship, the shared discussions, very literary, the meetings, outside, smoking, Boris present, the phone call, calling in at her house in the evening?
6. Boris, friend, teacher, sounding board for Jonathan? With Winnie?
7. Jonathan, the infatuation, her work, the sexual effect on him? His wife’s interrogation? The consequence of his trying to be detached?
8. The effect on Cairo, her reporting into the principal, his being called in, the discussions, his defence, her insistence? The effect on him?
9. At home, the taunting of his wife, interrogation? His loneliness, suspended? Cairo’s victim?
10. Cairo, vindictive, seductive, and the collapse of her friendship with Winnie?
11. The literary nature of the screenplay, limiting the potential audience not familiar with literature or interested in hearing lengthy excerpts and discussions?
12. A variation on seduction and the teacher-student relationship?