Displaying items by tag: Mia McKennaBruce

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?

HOW TO HAVE SEX

UK, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Enva Lewis, Samuel Bottomley, Shaun Thomas.

Directed by Molly Manning Walker.

There can be many responses to the straightout, rather blunt title. There are those who are pruriently curious – but very quickly they would lose interest. The those who might think this an educational documentary – and, in some ways it is, a docudrama about school leavers, rituals of holidays and freedom, letting go. But, many might suspect – and, of course, this is true at the end – the meaning of the title is actually: How Not to Have Sex.

This film has made quite an impact in the UK but, especially in festivals around the world. It has received to date 43 awards and nominations, including winning the prestigious section at Cannes, Un Certain Regard. Molly Manning Walker has received awards and nominations for her writing and direction. Mia McKenna-Bruce has also won awards for her central performance as Tara.

The target audience is teenage, the central characters here aged 16. And, the focus is on the girls, boys there, in the background, some moments in the foreground, but this is the girls’ story, especially Tara’s. They go to Greece, it is an adventure, sense of freedom – and the three are very much into the boisterously extroverted partying (the first part of the film may not appeal to introverts, that is for the last part, the meaning of the film). The first half hour of the film is almost non-stop partying, noise, music, adolescence making loud whoopee, so to speak.

Tara’s two friends, Skye and Em, enthusiastically urge Tara on, especially in terms of sexual experience. However, Skye is friendly but not particularly empathetic. Em, on the other hand, a clever student at school, is alert to Tara’s feelings and show some sensitivity.

The two boys at the centre of the film share in the boisterousness, Paddy, Samuel Bottomley, seems fairly straightforward. On the other hand, Badger, Shaun Thomas, is multi-tattooed, drives a van, blonde tints in his hair, liking Tara, involving her in some raucous behaviour, but, more sensitive to her.

Parents are merely mentioned, some communication by phone and text, otherwise absent.

The director is quite reticent in dramatising the key sexual encounter at night on a beach. The film quietens down, focuses on Tara, wandering, retiring to her room, rather bewildered, a 16-year-old who thought she might know everything finding that she does not know much at all about herself, sexuality.

Which means that while the “Spring Break” shenanigans continue, the film focuses on Tara, alone, supported by Badger, trying to resist another encounter with Paddy, and everyone packing up to go home, Skye and Em having had the holiday that they were anticipating, but Tara, not knowing how to react, sometimes playing up to the expectations, but still upset in her own inner life.

Will the target audience just respond to the partying or think through Tara’s experience? And how would this film be helpful for parents, teachers, counsellors?

1. The title? Straightforward? Ironically negative?
2. British perspective? Students, girls, boys, the absence of parents except by phone and text?
3. End of academic year ritual, holidays together, resorts, letting go, sense of freedom, drinking, flirting, sex, drugs? Boisterous extroverted activities?
4. The Malia setting, Greece for holidaymakers, the British? The age group, studies and exams, success and failures, further education, decisions about work and life? Letting go for the holiday?
5. The boisterous scenes, the partying, noise, energy, one party after the other?
6. The three girls, their friendship, the focus on Tara? Arrival, wanting the pool-view room, Tara persuading the receptionist? Enjoying the luxury, sunbaking, swimming? The characters, their age, Tara and her uncertainties, not knowing what to do in life, virgin, outlook on sex? Skye, more outgoing, dominating? Em, relationships, friendship with girls, straight A’s in exams, prospects?
7. The behaviour, the encounter with the boys, the activities, the drinking, Paddy, straightforward looking, behaviour? Contrast with Badger, tattoos, hair, van driving? The interactions with the girls? Skye and Em urging Tara?
8. The episode on the beach, Tara and Paddy, going into the water, her uncertainties, expectations, awareness at 16, the sexual encounter, the film not focusing on the detail? The aftermath, her wandering, her staying more by herself, the reaction of her friends?
9. Badger, more sensitivity towards Tara, wanting to walk home, stay with her, listen, attentive?
10. Paddy, not noticing Tara, not appreciating her feelings, the return to the bedroom, Badger seeing them in the bed, his concern?
11. The effect on Tara, what she was wanting, what she was expecting, what actually happened, a lack of experience in dealing with what happened, wanting the time alone, Badger letting her be quiet? The depth of feelings, wanting time to reflect, yet not having the maturity, bursting out, playing up to the gallery at times?
12. The end of the holiday, Em and her success with exams, her sensitivity towards Tara, especially listening, alert, the airport? Skye and her lack of awareness?
13. The target audience, especially girls, identifying with the characters, the situations, the dilemmas, the moral issues, coping and not? Parents, teachers, counsellors?

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