"Agatha" tells the story of what may have happened in the 1920s when famous murder mystery novelist Agatha Christie went missing for eleven days, triggering a nationwide search for her by police and frenzied media coverage. Vanessa Redgrave plays Christie at her lowest moment: She has discovered that her husband, Archie, is cheating on her with his secretary and wants a divorce. This legendary actress shows us how distraught and anguished she was at this time, as well as insecure about her attractiveness (although Redgrave is stunning) and aging, and as calculating as we expect from this legendary mystery writer.
Dustin Hoffman (who also produced) plays celebrity American columnist Wally Stanton, who is a huge fan of Christie's books and doggedly searches for her to unearth the truth and get the scoop for his column. Timothy Dalton (Redgrave's real-life partner) plays the handsome but somewhat odious Archie. The rest of the supporting cast is good as well.
It's an entertaining movie, seems quick paced and even a bit short, with the classic '20s costumes and emerging technologies playing their own part in the suspense. One amusing detail: Redgrave was one of that era's tallest actresses, and she plays opposite Hoffman, a very short actor. I think the oddness of it works, because it's not the usual movie stereotype. Christie here seems like an aging woman who's unsure of herself, while Stanton is the most confident and assertive guy you've ever seen.
Dustin Hoffman (who also produced) plays celebrity American columnist Wally Stanton, who is a huge fan of Christie's books and doggedly searches for her to unearth the truth and get the scoop for his column. Timothy Dalton (Redgrave's real-life partner) plays the handsome but somewhat odious Archie. The rest of the supporting cast is good as well.
It's an entertaining movie, seems quick paced and even a bit short, with the classic '20s costumes and emerging technologies playing their own part in the suspense. One amusing detail: Redgrave was one of that era's tallest actresses, and she plays opposite Hoffman, a very short actor. I think the oddness of it works, because it's not the usual movie stereotype. Christie here seems like an aging woman who's unsure of herself, while Stanton is the most confident and assertive guy you've ever seen.