(1979)
3
Craig Butler
There's so much that's right with Agatha that it's a shame its flaws are equally substantial. The biggest flaw, and the one that does the most damage, is simply that it tries to be two films -- a speculative mystery and a quirky romance -- instead of one. Had it stuck to the former, creating a real Agatha Christie-like puzzle full of intricate pieces, it might have been a memorable picture, for the mystery portion of the film is very engaging. Unfortunately, the writers opted to muddle up the proceedings through the introduction of a supposed attraction between Agatha and Stanton, which throws the film off-track and out of kilter. It doesn't help matters that there's a lack of chemistry between Vanessa Redgrave and Dustin Hoffman, or that Hoffman, while undeniably interesting and engaging, is a bit too mannered. By contrast, Redgrave is simply sublime, turning in a performance that's always a joy to watch and manages to mix naturalism with a certain heightened reality to very good effect. Michael Apted's direction is smooth, if not quite up to the task of melding the film's disparate moods into a cohesive whole, and the film has a glorious look -- sumptuous costumes, lovely sets, atmospheric cinematography. If all Agatha's assets can't quite overcome the problems with the script, they still are worthy of admiration.
awards for Agatha on AllMovie
Agatha (1979)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
|
Nominated |
Best Costume Design
|
1979 |
