Friendship is a powerful force that can transform lives and bring immense joy. It is a bond between individuals that is often seen as magical, almost like witchcraft. Just as a witch uses their spells and potions to create change and influence their surroundings, friendship has the power to shape our lives in incredible ways. When two individuals become friends, they form a connection that is built on trust, understanding, and empathy. This bond can bring a sense of belonging and support, much like the magical spells of a witch who can create a safe and nurturing environment. In friendship, we find solace and comfort, knowing that we have someone who understands and stands by us, just like a witch's familiar.

User Reviews

First of all, I've got to wonder why Ruth Bradley, who played Agatha Christie in "The Truth Of Murder", was replaced: she had nailed the part. Lyndsey Marshal's Christie is a bit dowdy, and lacks Bradley's magnetism. As Max, the man who in real life became Christie's husband, Jonah Hauer-King is blandly handsome and nothing more; their on-screen attraction is not convincing at all. It is impossible to care about any of the people who appear in this movie, and, by extension, impossible to care about who done what. Easily one of the dullest Agatha-related projects I have ever watched. *1/2 out of 4.

Penned by the same writer who wrote last year's surprise package Agatha and The Truth of Murders, but a different actress in the lead role. Lynsey Marshall steps in to replace Ruth Bradley, and does a fine job.

It's a very slick production, it looks great, it's well filmed, and very well written. It was a good old fashioned mystery. I love the way they penned a situation for Christie. Stunning location work.

It more then made up for the lack of Agatha Christie drama on the BBC this Christmas. If only this had been transmitted on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

Is this a trend? Will there be another one next year? On this evidence I hope so.

This, the second story to imagine authoress Agatha Christie to be caught up in a murder mystery of her own, sees her travelling to Iraq to stay with friends at an archaeological dig. Before she gets there young archaeologist, Max, finds a body. This is put down to a snake bite but it soon becomes apparent that something is afoot. When Agatha arrives she finds Max injured by a bullet wound in the head and not long afterwards when she gets to the house where those involved in the dig are staying a pet monkey is found hanged! She thinks this is more than mere animal cruelty so, with the help of Max, performs an autopsy. The results make her certain that the dead man was killed something other than a snake. In the investigation that follows she grows close to Max while exposing a plot to steal artefacts and ultimately identifying the killer.

If you can get beyond the conceit of placing a real crime writer in a fictional murder mystery this rather fun. This fictionalised Agatha is a good protagonist and the mystery provides plenty of suspects. As well as the central mystery there is a degree of romance which doesn't distract from the main story. The thing that surprised me most about this production was the degree of humour; there were laughs from start to finish. These were unforced rather than obvious gags and added to my enjoyment. The cast is solid, most notably Lyndsey Marshal who is charming as Agatha and Jonah Hauer King, who plays Max. Obviously it couldn't be filmed in Iraq but the Maltese locations used have a suitably Middle Eastern look. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of classic murder mysteries.

I couldn't help but think of the many Poirot movies set in the middle east. Those were imbued with sound, heat, mystery, etc. Of these exotic locations. Poirot always insistent on pursuing his british/belgium idiosyncrasies while trying to enjoy his "vacations " which was always interrupted by a wonderful murder. (See Death on the Nile).

This is the complete opposite. The first part of the movie focuses on christie trying to imbue her novels with "romance." She is encouraged by new friends to go to Iraq, and it is downhill from there. The Christie actress is bland, the murder of someone is not clear. apparently the monkey imbibed the poison.. The rest of the ensemble (except for young Max) is boring and unforgettable. Even the scenery is dusty and boring. There didn't seem to be any music or sound effects to heighten our attention to murders or significant scenes.

Watch the first of these Christie driven movies. The one that depicts Christie when she disappeared for a few weeks, made a couple of years back. That actress successfully depicted Agatha as a serious author, but with a lovely sparkle underneath. There is no sparkle here.

This was slow and plodding. It managed to make 95 minutes feel like 3 hours. The main actress playing Agatha lacked charisma and it had a bit of an amateur feel to it, although it was made as a TV movie. On the plus side, the production values were very good, so it was a shame that it wasn't a better script with a bit more drama and played less flat. This is probably the dullest Agatha Christie related movie that I have ever seen. At least the ones made in the 80s were entertaining.

Oh, dear! Poor old Agatha will be rolling and fuming in her grave with this travesty. Everything that a Christie Novel has is sadly missing in this tale of. well. boring mystery.

With a well-crafted mystery, the writer needs to get his audience hooked into trying to solve whodunnit and why. Unfortunately, Tom Dalton doesn't provide us with this. In truth, I found it very hard to actually give a damn about what was going on. All the characters were two dimensional and uninspired. The twists and turns were too straight and easily predicted. Worst of all was the "strange murder". Granted a hanged monkey is pretty weird and even though I am an animal lover I still couldn't bring myself to care. It all appeared too staged. Too contrived. and not in a good way. Then it only gets worse with the funny moments, which were nothing but dire and mirthless.

Oh, this was just as bad as the story. Sam Yates has some wonderful moments where he could have added atmosphere and used some nice camera techniques but fails awesomely. Right at the start, when the mystery kicks off we are in a dusty hole in the ground with an archaeologist and his trusted guide. This would have been a lot better had the hole been darker, moodier, and scarier. This would have given the audience a shiver and started to prep them for the dying man. Then the finding of the dying man would have been more powerful. Different camera angles and added soundtrack ambience would have worked wonders here.

Yates does show he has an eye for composition when we get to the hanged monkey scene. The trouble is nobody movies after the initial reveal. They stay glued to their X's. This makes the entire scene then feel fake and unnatural.

And then for the humorous scenes. well, I could go on and on, but I won't. The direction could have been so much better.

This bar far is the worst thing that Yates could do to the story. As stated above the story is boring so the last thing it needs is a slow pace. let alone this tortoise velocity he gives us. He doesn't even pick up the pace in the few action sequences. The pace is one of the main reasons this film falls flat so quickly.

I have to say that the actors, at no time, feel as though they are phoning their parts in or do they appear bored. They guys and gals do the best with what they have. It's just unfortunate that they don't have a lot to work with. Even Lyndsey Marshall, as Agatha, and Jonah Hauer-King, as Max Mallowan, try to form a chemistry on-screen. However, it doesn't come across as sensual or as powerful as it should have and I am putting this down to Yates' direction and Dalton's story.

If you are looking for a murder mystery where you can solve whodunnit and maybe get an insight into the character of Agatha Christie then I would wholeheartedly recommend staying away from this film.

In fact, I would recommend staying away from this film unless you are having trouble sleeping. In which case, get in bed and turn this on. you should be asleep in about fifteen minutes.

Head on over to my The Game Is Afoot list to see where I've ranked this one and to possibly find something fresh and new'ish to watch.

J.B. Spins

It wasn't just D eath on the Nile . Agatha Christie often took inspiration from archaeology, including her ancient Egyptian mystery novel Death Comes as the End and the story “Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb,” wherein Poirot initially gives credence to the notion of a curse, before debunking it Scooby Do-style. Her continuing interest makes sense, considering she met her second husband and great love Max Mallowan on a dig. There was also murder and skullduggery afoot during their fateful meeting according to the highly fictionalized (and unauthorized) Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar , which airs throughout June on PBS stations nationwide (and the entire Agatha trilogy releases this coming Tuesday on DVD).

Christie’s career as a bestselling mystery novelist is in full-swing, but her publisher is less than thrilled with the sentimental departure novel she submitted. Even she realizes it still needs polishing, so she impulsively departs to visit casual friends at an archaeological dig in British-administered Iraq, to research exotic romance. When she first arrives at the dig, she discovers Mallowan reeling from a head-wound caused by a low-caliber gun-shot.

As soon as the somewhat younger Mallowan recovers his senses and his manners, he realizes he is quite attracted to Christie. Inevitably, he assists her investigation into his assault, the murder of their hostess’s pet monkey, and the subsequent human murders that crop up.

Obviously, fans know Christie and Mallowan are going to last, but their will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry works quite well in Ishtar . As Christie, Lyndsey Marshal represents a major step-up from Ruth Bradley’s neurotic predecessor in Agatha and the Truth of Murder . Marshal’s Christie is over her needy codependency and now projects a good deal of confidence, personally and professionally, but not yet romantically.

Likewise, Jonah Hauer-King (of World on Fire ) plays Mallowan like quite a proper and decent British chap. Frankly, watching the two of them sleuth around is a good deal of fun. Unfortunately, most of the supporting cast is rather bland and forgettable. Only Stanley Townsend really registers to any extent as Sir Constance, the local British administer.

Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman could tell you there really is a “Curse of Ishtar.” This one is much more watchable. In fact, it is quite entertaining, in a British cozy kind of way. It also represents a considerable improvement over Truth of Murder , thanks to Marshal and Hauer-King. Recommended for Agatha Christie fans (despite its unauthorized status), Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar will air on PBS stations throughout June (WLIW on 6/7 and 6/12), and all three films release Tuesday (6/1) on DVD.

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar interview

BritBox South Africa presents three new Agatha Christie movies with the writer herself taking centre stage – Agatha the Truth of Murder; Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar and Agatha and the Midnight Murders. JONAH HAUER-KING from Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar chats about his role as Max Mallowan, the second husband of the writer herself, played by Lyndsey Marshal.

Playing the real-life husband of novelist Agatha Christie was fascinating for Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home, Little Women), who relished the chance to bring this love story to life in the middle of a murder mystery.

What drew him to the role?

“Max Mallowan is a real life figure who was Agatha Christie’s second husband. What drew me predominantly was the relationship between him and Agatha. It’s unusual and it feels very real. It is one that is almost cross-generational, but he is so in awe of Agatha and admires her so much and is so taken with her intellect and courage and I was inspired by that love story.”

“It felt very authentic and I really like the fact that Tom Dalton, the writer, didn’t dilute their age gap but instead honoured it, and then of course they went on to be together for 46 years, so it felt like a special relationship which seemed like a wonderful thing to bring to life.”

Jonah knew nothing of Max until landing the role

“Obviously I knew a fair bit about Agatha Christie, but what is interesting is that I don’t think many people know too much about her personal life. I didn’t know much about Max so it was really fun and part of the job of the script is that it is part truthful, part imagined and that lends itself really nicely when you are building a character, because on the one hand you’re able to do factual research and cheat in a way with images and information you can find, but you also have a real licence to bring your own sense of him to it as well.

The on-screen chemistry between Jonah and Lyndsey Marshal (Agatha) was a real bonus.

“We were very fortunate that we immediately clicked and she has become such a good friend. We had rehearsals, a day of getting to know each other and then another day of reading the script and trying to understand who these characters are and what their relationship is, but it is sometimes the luck of the draw that you will feel comfortable and so connected to someone and luckily Lyndsey just made that so easy.

So how do they meet in Agatha and The Curse of Ishtar?

“We meet Max when he is in his early 20s, he is bright and funny and passionate about archaeology. He has moved out to Iraq with Leonard Woolley, a celebrated archaeologist who is his guide and teacher.

“Without giving too much away, Agatha finds him in a bit of a pickle and she saves him. There is an immediate spark and immediate sense that they are intellectually matched, emotionally matched and despite the fact he is bowled over by her and in awe of her, he also can very much stand up to her and that sparky relationship happens throughout the film.

Was this a period in time that he had acted before?

“We are set in 1928 and I don’t think I had done 1920s before. It is such an incredible era for fashion and our amazing costume designer did an amazing job, it felt very glamorous at times.”

“I remember there was a scene where there was a big dinner party and suddenly everyone was out of their archaeological dig gear and into high class 1920s fashion and it felt exciting and glamorous seeing everyone that way, so that was a great element of it.”

Did he feel at home at the dig sites?

“Weirdly I was, in a very amateur way, into archaeology when I was younger. There were these toy dogs that you could get that were essentially compressed sand which you could buy at toy shops and you got tiny plastic tools and you slowly chipped away and within this sand you could find dinosaur bones.”

He does admit to loving a mystery: “Everyone loves a whodunit and Agatha Christie is the best. I have loved watching Ken Branagh’s films recently. Those stories are brilliant because they’re such high tension and they maintain that tension throughout the story and obviously it is such a satisfying reveal at the end. I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like a murder mystery.”

What: Jonah Hauer-King interview
Movie: Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar
Web: BritBox South Africa
WS

In friendship, we find solace and comfort, knowing that we have someone who understands and stands by us, just like a witch's familiar. Like witchcraft, friendship can also be an agent of change. It has the ability to transform our outlook on life, inspire us to do better, and encourage personal growth.

Friends often push us out of our comfort zones, encouraging us to explore new territories and expand our horizons, just as a witch's spell can push the boundaries of what is considered possible. Moreover, just as witchcraft can be used for both good and evil, friendship also has its complexities. While true friendship brings happiness and support, toxic friendships can be detrimental to one's well-being. In this sense, friendship can resemble the darker aspects of witchcraft, where manipulation and harm can be inflicted. However, just as in witchcraft, it is essential to distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of friendship and to foster healthy and positive relationships. In conclusion, friendship possesses an undeniable magic that has the power to shape our lives. This bond between individuals can provide companionship, support, and personal growth, reminiscent of the mystical powers associated with witchcraft. However, it is essential to remember that like witchcraft, friendship can have both positive and negative aspects. It is crucial to cultivate healthy and positive friendships that bring joy and growth into our lives..

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