Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1980)

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? was a 3-hour long feature film made by London Weekend Television in 1979 and first broadcast on 30 March 1980. It was directed by John Davies and Tony Wharmby and produced by Tony Wharmby and Jack Williams. It was an adaptation of the Christie novel of the same name.

Evans marked a return of Christie adaptations to television. Christie had been wary of the medium because of a number of poorly made productions in the 1940s and 1950s. With her death in 1976, her daughter Rosalind Hicks, relaxed this restriction, resulting in a steady stream of small-screen adaptations from the 1980s onwards. After Evans, Annis and Warwick came back together again to portray Tommy and Tuppence in The Secret Adversary and Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime, also adapted and produced by LWT. Evans was also significant in featuring Joan Hickson, who would go on to portray Miss Marple.

Comparison with original story
The production was extremely faithful to the plot and dialogue of the book. Only two notable changes were made. The first is the recognition in the isolated cottage that Dr. Nicholson is Roger Bassington-ffrench in disguise. In the novel, it is Bobby who recognizes the deception as the man's ear-lobes are different from those of the doctor whom he had glimpsed previously. In the adaptation, Frankie witnesses one of Nicholson's patients attacking him in the sanatorium when his face is badly scratched. In the cottage, she realizes the scratches have disappeared. The second change comes at the end when, instead of writing to Frankie from South America, Roger lures her to a deserted Merroway Court, makes much the same confession as appears in the book's letter and tells her he loves her, asking her to join him. When she refuses, he locks her in a room of the house (to be freed by Bobby the next day) but doesn't harm her as he makes his escape abroad. Presumably, this change was made as the exposition of the long letter would not have worked on television.

Cast

 * Francesca Annis as Lady Frances Derwent
 * James Warwick as Bobby Jones
 * John Gielgud as Reverend Jones
 * Bernard Miles as Dr Thomas
 * Eric Porter as Dr Nicholson
 * Leigh Lawson as Roger Bassington-ffrench
 * Madeline Smith as Moira Nicholson
 * Connie Booth as Sylvia Bassington-ffrench
 * Robert Longden as Badger Beadon
 * Doris Hare as Rose Pratt
 * Joan Hickson as Mrs Rivington
 * Rowland Davies as Dr. George Arbuthnot
 * James Cossins as Henry Bassington-ffrench
 * Mitzi Rogers as Mrs Cayman
 * John Pennington as Mr Cayman
 * Lynda Marshal as Mrs Roberts
 * Deddie Davies as Postmistress
 * Frank Tregear as Mr Roberts
 * John Horsley as Mr Spragg
 * Leon Sinden as Mr Owen
 * Elaine Wells as Nurse Fletcher
 * Annette Robertson as Julie
 * Eirik Barclay as Tommy Bassington-ffrench
 * Raymond Francis as Earl of Marchington
 * Sally Grace as Nurse Villard
 * Christopher Cregan as Reeves (as Chris Cregan)
 * Michael Stainton as Mr Askew
 * Hugh Morton as Barker
 * Debbie Armstrong as Mary
 * Arnold Peters as Innkeeper
 * Norman Mitchell as Constable Browning
 * Artro Morris as Ticket Inspector
 * Terence Soall as Doctor
 * Kate David as Hotel Waitress
 * Penny Ryder as Cafe Waitress
 * Roy Boyd as Alan Carstairs
 * Mischa De La Motte as Ross
 * Colin Cunningham as Fred Pratt
 * Derek Hollis as P.C. Bunner
 * Nicholas Drake as Village pest
 * Nick Diprose as Lover (uncredited)
 * Charles Morgan as Coroner (uncredited)

Filming locations

 * Madoes, 55 High Street, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as the Swan Hotel
 * St Mary's Church, High Street, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK the Templeton's gardener is buried here
 * House next to Cuddington Post Office and Stores, Upper Church Street, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as funeral parlour
 * Bethany, Upper Church Street, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK As offices of Wheeler & Owen
 * The Bernard Hall, Upper Church St, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as the location of Pritchard's inquest
 * Saint Nicholas Church Cuddington, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK - Bobby's father is Vicar here
 * Tyringham Hall, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK - Frankie and Bobby keep watch
 * The Pitchings, Spurt Street, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as The tea room
 * Wellfield House, Spurt Street, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as the local hospital
 * Hall Barn, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as the Bassington-ffrench residence
 * Tibby's Cottage, Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, England, UK as the cottage of Rose Pratt
 * Arley railway station, Upper Arley, Worcestershire, England, UK
 * Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire, England, UK as Frankie Derwent's home