WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS?

UK, 2022, 174 minutes, Colour.

Will Poulter, Lucy Boynton, Maeve Dermody, Daniel Ings, Jonathan Jules, Alistair Petrie, Morwenna Banks, Richard Dixon, Nia Trussler Jones, Miles Jupp, Amy Nutall, Hugh Laurie, Conleth Hill, Thompson, Jim Broadbent.

Directed by Hugh Laurie.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? was one of the first Agatha Christie mysteries to be adapted for television at the beginning of the 1980s. It led to 70 full-length or short films with David Suchet as Poirot, to a series of Miss Marple stories starring Joan Hickson, then Geraldine McEwan, then Julia McKenzie. And it led to various Agatha Christie novels being turned into television miniseries (and some substantial criticism that they veered too far away from the plot sometimes of Christie’s work.

This version is one of those miniseries but works quite well, keeping very close to the original novel, thanks to the adaptation for the screen by actor, Hugh Laurie, who also directs and has a role as the doctor at the institution.

The series is a star vehicle for Will Poulter, former child star, as the central character, Bobby Jones. And he is matched by Lucy Boynton, as lady Frankie Derwent (and Hugh Laurie has persuaded friends Emma Thompson and Jim Broadbent to have cameos as her eccentric parents).

Bobby Jones finds a dying man at the foot of the cliff – and his final words: why didn’t they ask Evans? Bobby Jones’ character is well developed, son of the local Minister, playing golf with the local doctor who is murdered, military background, looking for a place in life, including a garage with his friend in London.

The bulk of the film consists of Bobby and Frankie doing the detective work, unmasking a couple who turned up at the inquest claiming to be cousins, finding out the identity of the dead man, Frankie engineering a car accident outside a mansion associated with a millionaire who has committed suicide and ingratiating herself with the family, the audience finding a group of eccentrics. There is also a mental institution nearby, a focus on the erratic behaviour of the doctor’s wife.

Ultimately, there is a great deal of menace, people being trapped in the institution, escapes, final confrontations – and the working out of the dead man’s question which concern the signatures to a will.

Agatha Christie fans will be more satisfied with this interpretation of her novel rather than a simplified and modified 2009 version.

1. The popularity of screen versions of Agatha Christie novels?
2. Written and directed by Hugh Laurie, his cameo role?
3. Originally a story without Miss Marple, her being brought into the story, links with Bobby Jones, with Frankie? Contribution to the solution?
4. The solution, Bobby playing golf, his military background, his Minister father, his reputation, return home, prospects, life at the rectory? Seeing the man, going down, the last words? His death? The photo of the woman in his pocket? The presence of Roger, keeping guard on the body? Later complications?
5. The inquest, Amanda and Leo Cayman, identifying the body, the link with the man? Amanda not appearing like the photo? And the death of the doctor?
6. The introduction to Frankie, family background, the visit to her eccentric parents? Knowing Bobby, the bond with him, their working the case together? The poison attempts on Bobby? The prospect of a job in Argentina, failure? His going to London, his friend, the garage? The puzzle about the different photo? Suspecting Roger changed the photo? Suspicions on the Caymans?
7. Frankie and Bobby staging the accident, Frankie taken in, been made welcomed by Sylvia, the erratic behaviour of her husband, her son? Identifying Carstairs, the story about John Savage?
8. Dr Nicholson, his Institute, his experiments, mental health, the patient’s? Suspicious? Moira are his wife? Bobby, secretly doing the investigation, with his friend? Moira, the mystery? The sinister presence and attempts of their life, imprisoning them? And the death of Henry?
9. Frankie, going to the lawyers, identifying Carstairs, his story, the story of John Savage, dying of cancer, at the Institute, his suicide? His will? Leaving his money to the Templetons?
10. Roger, his violence and the attacks?
11. The background to the writing of the Will, Savage, Hugo in disguise, the witnesses to the writing of the will? Not asking Evans because she could have identified the real John Savage? The irony of her being the maid at Bobby’s father’s rectory?
12. The solution, the complications, happy romantic ending?