BBC drama A Life in Pictures told the story of Agatha Christie’s early life – in flashbacks from two points – that of the older Agatha (Anna Massey) at a 1960s press call celebrating 10 years of The Mousetrap play, and that of the younger Agatha (Olivia Williams) struggling to regain her memory with a psychiatrist following an accident which resulted in her famous late 1920’s disappearance for a couple of weeks.
Outside of her writing her disappearance was probably the most significant event of Agatha Christie’s life. She disappeared at the beginning of December 1926 and was tracked down (said to be suffering memory loss) on December 14 at the Harrogate Hydro. The incident, which was covered in the 1979 movie Agatha with Vanessa Redgrave and Dustin Hoffman, was linked to Christie’s relationship with husband Colonel Archibald Christie. They divorced soon after and he remarried in 1928. Christie was staying at the Spa under the name of Theresa Neele, which just happened to be the name of husband Archibald’s current mistress. Christie herself later remarried – to archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan.
Cast: Olivia Williams as Agatha Christie; Anna Massey as Older Agatha; Bonnie Wright as Young Agatha; Raymond Coulthard as Archie Christie; Bertie Carvel as Max Mallowan; Stephen Boxer as Psychiatrist; Mark Gatiss as Kenyon; Richard Leaf as Gunman; Anthony O’Donnell as Kenward / Poirot; Celia Montague as Clara; Vicki Pepperdine as Carlo; Olivia Darnley as Nurse; Edmund Kingsley as Soldier; Tim McMullan as Pharmacist; James Tucker as Reggie
Writer and Director: Richard Curson-Smith / Executive Producers: Jacquie Hughes and Leanne Klein / Producer: Colette Flight
UK / BBC Two – Wall to Wall / 1×90 minute episode / 22 September 2004
