I’m always on the lookout for good mysteries on film, so I decided to try my library’s copy of “The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries,” even though it was on VHS. Luckily I still have a VCR that works!
Diana Rigg stars as Mrs. Adela Bradley, a 1920s divorcee whose risque humor and amazing hats do not detract from her ability as a psychoanalyst and sleuth. She’s accompanied by her chauffeur, George, who seems to get into the most awkward situations much to the delight of Adela — and us (in the first one, he poses nude for an all-female art class in order to give Adela more time to search a room). The series is based on a book series by Gladys Mitchell; I’d never read them or even heard of them, so I really can’t compare except to say that one of my Twitter friends believes the TV Adela is too wealthy and glamorous. Not surprising for television!
I watched “Death at the Opera,” which takes place at the finishing school Mrs. Bradley once attended, and “The Rising of the Moon,” in which a traveling circus comes to a small town, bringing murder with it. In both of these episodes, Mrs. Bradley was an outsider who comes into a closed community and manages to solve the mystery by observing people, sneaking around where she shouldn’t be, and getting witnesses to tell her more than they really want to say.
I liked but didn’t love the series, and according to Wikipedia there are only a couple of other episodes, so I probably won’t bother to track them down. However, if you like Diana Rigg, ’20s fashion or BBC mysteries, give it a try. Preferably not on VHS.
