Agatha

PG

Released Feb 9, 1979

1 hr. 38 min.

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

71%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A fictitious account of crime writer Agatha Christie's unexplained 11-day disappearance in 1926. Facing the breakdown of her marriage to a war hero, the famous author assumes a new identity and flees to a spa town where she sets in motion a bizarre and drastic revenge plot against her husband and his mistress. Thousands scour the British countryside for her, including an American reporter who is hot on her trail.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Apr 04

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Agatha on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Shioka O

Excellent cinematography. This is a period film and not look dated even though released in 1979. It's not gripping but watchable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/22

Full Review

Audience Member

"The cover and the book." Brilliant movie in which the unexplained disappearance of Agatha Christie is imagined and becomes the tale of a wounded and very bright woman who wishes for more consideration and gets herself lost. And it's also a romantic movie in which a short man falls for a tall lady.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A bit weird with a very silly plot. The Hoffman character was not believable. Husband Christie was odious... but well played. Period settings excellent. Electrical stuff complete nonsense.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Set in Victorian England this film is all about a marriage gone bad, Agatha's, but a new romance begun by Dustin with Redgrave as Agatha Christie. Poignant, slow paced film shows how Agatha disappeared after a terrible argument with her husband (once Bond star) Tim Hutton. Dustin Hoffman as an American journalist visiting England is determined to find Agatha and falls in love with her. Turns out to be an ill fated love however and things get really interesting as Agatha plots her own suicide. The movie didn't move me much until the last half when the action picks up to save Agatha from herself. The ending is poignant and a bit sad. Monsieur Rick

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Between a 6/10 and 7/10, a curio item, an art film that wants to be commercial, this mild mystery (about Agatha Christie's disappearance) evoked expectations due to the high-caliber cast of tall Vanessa Redgrave and short Dustin Hoffman.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good performances but missing a few things.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Michael Apted

Director

Dustin Hoffman

Wally Stanton

Vanessa Redgrave

Agatha Christie

Timothy Dalton

Col. Archibald Christie

Helen Morse

Evelyn Crawley

Celia Gregory

Nancy Neele

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

88%

81%

The China Syndrome

67%

64%

The Odessa File

92%

83%

Picnic at Hanging Rock

88%

72%

Time After Time

73%

60%

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

A surprisingly glamorous, intoxicating entertainment.

May 9, 2017

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

If Kathleen Tynan and the makers of "Agatha" had worked in that spirit -- had given us a droll and macabre black comedy -- the movie might have worked. They do not, and so it does not.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Richard Corliss

Maclean's Magazine

Even the seeker after that most honorable of movie pleasures -- a good time -- is likely to say, "Nice. But why bother?"

Jul 19, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Unconvincing.

Rated: C+

Aug 22, 2017

Full Review

Caffeinated Clint

Moviehole

Hoffman at his best.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 19, 2008

Full Review

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Rated: 2/5

Oct 9, 2005

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

A fictitious account of crime writer Agatha Christie's unexplained 11-day disappearance in 1926. Facing the breakdown of her marriage to a war hero, the famous author assumes a new identity and flees to a spa town where she sets in motion a bizarre and drastic revenge plot against her husband and his mistress. Thousands scour the British countryside for her, including an American reporter who is hot on her trail.

Director: Michael Apted
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 9, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016

Most Popular at Home Now