Product Details

• Actors: Olivia Williams, Anna Massey, Raymond Coulthard, Stephen Boxer, Anthony O'Donnell
• Directors: Richard Curson Smith
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• DVD Release Date: August 29, 2006
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009WIEAM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,905 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

The world’s most famous mystery writer is somewhat of a mystery herself. This innovative BBC drama uses documented accounts and Christie’s own words to probe the shadowy areas of her early life in a style as gripping and suspenseful as any Christie story. By exploring what really happened during her mysterious 11-day disappearance in 1926, it traces the events that shaped her career as the undisputed "Queen of Crime." Starring Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense) as the young Christie with Anna Massey (Possession) as Christie in her later years. Also featuring Raymond Coulthard (Emma) and Anthony O’Donnell (Vera Drake).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "A Woman Behaving Strangely" ~ Anxieties, Delusions And A Mysterious Disappearance, October 7, 2007

By 

Brian E. Erland "Rainbow Sphinx" (Brea, CA - USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures (DVD)

The '04 documentary style film `Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures' provides a marginally interesting biography/psychological study of the famous English mystery novelist Agatha Christie. The film bounces back and forth through time to tell its story, featuring Oliva Williams and Anna Massey in the role of Agatha at different stages of life. The primary focus of the plot deals with Agatha's infamous eleven missing days of that baffled England and the apparent and convenient amnesia following her return.

In an attempt to add to the documentary feel of the feature the film switches to black and white during the recreated sequences involving the investigation and search for the missing literary icon as well as some of the scenes of her life discussed with a psychologist during treatment after her return to her family.

There are some intriquing aspects worthy for investigation into the author's life such as the reoccurring apparition of what she referred to as "the Gunman", but overall her life unfolds as a rather dull and gloomy existence. This isn't a bad film by any means, it's just something geared to a very select audience. Agatha Christie fans will no doubt love it.

My Rating: -3 ½ Stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The secret life of Christie's, January 12, 2006

By 

bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures (DVD)

We get an insight from her childhood played by Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter Films), her flirtatious days, her first marriage, her 11 day disappearance, and her second marriage. No longer is she the woman of mystery. Or does this just bring up more mystery and speculation?

The mid-age Christ1e is played by Olivia Williams (Anna Crowe in "The Sixth Sense") and the aged Christie was played by Anna Massey (Lady Bailey in "Possession".)

This film is a must for Christie fans and the curios alike. It holds your attention and you find yourself speculating and getting ahead of the story. The only drawback is the sound byte formula where they focus on one person or item no linger than five minutes and then cut to something else. Along with this is the back and forth through time gimmick where you start in the present and go back to her mid-age psychiatrist, then her childhood, then her disappearance, then her old age then, mid-age psychiatrist, and so forth.

Agatha Christie's Romantic Detectives (Tommy & Tuppence 1 & 2 / Why Didn't They Ask Evans? / Seven Dials Mystery / Agatha Christie A Life in Pictures)

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as broad in scope as the title would indicate, August 26, 2010

By 

Chris Linke (Jacksonville, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures (DVD)

In fact, I'm not even sure what they mean by "A Life In Pictures." I had hoped to see an in-depth portrayal of her life, but this docu-drama focuses mainly on Christie's psychological issues: haunting dreams she had in her younger years and her famous, mysterious disappearance. The filmmaker uses an interesting technique of telling the story in flashback from two different starting points: Christie in 1962 at the 10th anniversary celebration of her play "Mousetrap," and Christie in 1926 in a psychiatrist's office trying to piece herself together after the disappearance. The flashback events are depicted out of chronological order, so it's a bit confusing at times for those like myself who are unfamiliar with Christie's life.

Hardcore Christie fans will likely enjoy this psychological collage, but those wanting an informative essay on Agatha Christie may wish to look elsewhere.