Customer Reviews

She Fell Among Thieves

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Back in early 1979 PBS launched a new drama series called Mystery! The very first selection was She Fell Among Thieves, a BBC production that aimed to include every characteristic of a successful detective/mystery story that could be dreamed up: the mysterious house, the large and highly suspicious list of possible victims and perpetrators, the heroic detective, and the menacing main character, in this case a woman of unparalleled charm and menace. The production was meant to be over the top and a bit farcical, and it certainly succeeded. I remember laughing hysterically part of the time and using all my wits to comprehend the latest plot twist at others.

After thirty years She Fell Among Thieves is once again available. Snap it up at once. If you remember its first showing you'll find it has aged remarkably well. If this is your first time to see it, you're in for an incredible treat.

I don't understand the Amazon credits listing of Judy Dench etc., since these are not the actors in this wonderful film.... the very first episode of PBS' MYSTERY! How many years did I listen to the audio tape I made of this program? Campy dialogue, wonderful music, remarkable acting and actors.... and remembering Vincent Price saying the screen writer took the original novel, its concept, and threw the rest away... the results were a wonderfully atmospheric period piece with tongue-in-cheek humor that is mostly supplied by the viewer. And Eileen Atkins steals the film as the most succulent villian... accompanied by the proper eerie moments or organ music in the score. One hell of an ending, too!

You would never guess that this presentation was first aired in 1978. It appears to be more on a level with 21st century mystery DVDs. The setting in the Pyrenees of SW Europe provides fantastic scenery and breathtaking vistas. But you best keep your wits about you, the plot is thickly woven, involving murder, forgery, and all sorts of illegal dealings. Costumes are as good as the setting.

The criminal action of the area seems to revolve around the Chateau Jegrell, an estate owned by mistress Vanity Fair (Eileen Atkins), the compliment of Cinderella's step-mother. she seeks a marriage to her step-daughter, Jenny (Karen Dotrice) because of vast sums of property and money involved through a will. She will force any man, by any means, upon Jenny, to get the money. If the marriage doesn't happen when Jenny becomes of age, just days away, Jenny gets the entire "pot of gold." A large group of assistants are aiding Vanity Fair, out of fear, as anyone going against her soon finds themselves buried.

The floating corpse of Elvin Candle, latest victim of the marriage-gone-bad scene, gets English gentleman, Richard Chandos (Malcolm McDowell) into action. He tries retrieving the corpse while fishing (what a scenic fishing hole) but only saves a shoe. He plays the macho man of the 20s, bent on solving the Candle mystery as well as save darling, Jenny, from Vanity Fair. He gets plenty of help himself, primarily through Mansel (Michael Jayston). No act of daring is to great for Chandos, the Rambo/Indiana Jones/007 of the Pyrenees for a time.

A very interesting climax and ending. "Thou shall not 'SPOIL'."

"The BBB drama that launched Mystery! on PBS" the box states. Why? A partial list of mysteries that also were from Mystery! include: "Poirot", "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", "Miss Marple", "Foyle's War", "Inspector Morse", "Rumpole of the Bailey", and "The Wyvern Mystery" to only name a few. Fantastic company that "SHE FELL AMONG THIEVES" has fallen into. In 2008, former Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! united to form Masterpiece Mystery! This DVD has a pedigree in fine classic mystery.

SDH SUBTITLES. Some filmographies as bonus stuff.

I love period drama but this movie was more tongue in cheek than real drama. It sounded great but found it to be "overdone" in the acting and the presentation. I would recommend only for those who would enjoy a very unrealistic acting job. Not the worst by any means but not that fantastic.

When I bought this I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleased with the content. I play dvd's when I work and mostly listen to them but this I couldn't help but watch.

The BBC drama that launched "Mystery!" on PBS, She Fell Among Thieves is a DVD presentation in full color, featuring silver screen stars Malcolm McDowell (known for his performances in "A Clockwork Orange" and "Heroes") and Eileen Atkins (known for her performance in "Cold Mountain"). While visiting the Pyrenees on holiday in 1922, English gentleman Richard Chandos crosses paths with Vanity Fair, the nefarious Mistress of the turreted Chateau Jezreel and leader of criminals, hell-bent on pressuring her beautiful stepdaughter to marry so that she may inherit millions. Chandos must put his brains and brawn to the test to rescue the damsel in distress, but his opponent has ice water for blood and murder in her soul. An enthralling drama, highly recommended to mystery lovers as well as public library DVD collections. 78 minutes, 4:3 full screen, SDH subtitles.

Rather slow and a lot of chasing around the countryside, (up and down mountains); too much drama. Fun to watch, (for a short while), but not really something that quite matches this day and time, even if meant to be tongue in cheek drama !

She fell among thieves. DVD BBC production
This is a very good movie. Only thing is there is no Judi Dench in the cast. Apart from that the cast couldn't have been better chosen. The villainess is superb. I hope the BBC will do more of this author's works. Thanks Amazon for this.

This was just a bit too campy for me. The two stars I gave it were for the sets and wonderful scenes. The actors were about as hammy as possible and the dialogue and story line really quite ridiculous . I cannot remember a really good chuckle. It came off more like a freak show than a farce. I purchased this dvd because one of my favorites, Judi Dench, was supposed to be in it and I did not see hide nor hair of her. WHAT HAPPENED.

I usually love British period pieces. Just felt this one was trying too hard or not enough, I have not decided.

Loaghaire

The first episode ever of BBC Mystery! She Fell Among Thieves is an amusing and entertaining mystery/crime/period piece. It was adapted from the novel by Dornfold Yates and it tells the story where a nice proper English gentleman Richard Chandos (Malcolm McDowell in his charmingly naive Mick "Lucky Man" Travis mode) on vacation in the southern France finds the body of a man known as an associate of a mysterious powerful crime boss named Vanity Fair (yes, that's right). Eileen Atkins plays the murderous leader of the gang/evil step-mother who would stop to nothing to press her angelic beautiful stepdaughter to get married before she gets of age, so Vanity Fair will inherit the fortune of her late husband and will stay the mistress of a spectacular turreted Chateau Jezreel. Atkins obviously took the part with the big doze of humor and plays with such gusto that instead of being terrified of Vanity Fair, I could not help grinning every time she would enter the screen wearing makeup so heavy and screaming that she reminded me of Donald Sutherland as Casanova in the Fellini's film or Bette Davis in the Death on the Nile, one of Agatha Christie's adaptations which She Fell Among Thieves reminds with the beautiful scenery, gorgeous costumes, attentions to all period details, and ironically with the final scene. I think the makeup that Atkins had to apply and her exaggerated gesticulations, piercing glares, hissing and barking the orders to her not always efficient henchmen go well together and give the viewers a good idea that this picture is not about subtlety or twists and turns of the plot but about good old campy fun. The plot is predictable, and what would you expect with the wicked step-mother, innocent blonde step-daughter waiting to be saved by a knight in shining armor who would appear just in time to free the maiden, and all types of rather pathetic criminals as well as the brave Foreign Office men on hand to save the day and stop Vanity Fair before she strikes again. Somehow, however, predictability makes this little film very enjoyable. Add truly beautiful scenery, romantic castles, three (3) Rolls-Royces, and rest assured that the baddies will get their just deserts and the good time will be had by everyone.