Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1980)

Introduction
"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a 1980 British film directed by John Davies and Tony Wharmby. The screenplay, written by Pat Sandys, was based on the 1934 mystery book of the same name by Agatha Christie. The movie features Francesca Annis, John Gielgud, and Bernard Miles as the main characters. The narrative is developed around the curious scenarios following a man's passing away words, resulting in an awesome examination.

Plot
The story starts when a male named Bobby Jones (played by James Warwick) and his buddy Dr. Thomas discover the gravely hurt male while they're golfing. Prior to dying, the male says a strange phrase, "Why didn't they ask Evans?". These words, coupled with a woman's photograph found in the guy's pocket, pique Bobby's interest, who then triggers on an objective to untangle the identity of the guy and the enigmatic scenarios of his demise.

Secret Unfolds
During his examination, Bobby coordinate with his youth pal, Lady Frances Derwent, depicted by Francesca Annis. They find out that the deceased is Alex Pritchard, who had actually supposedly left for abroad and thereby shouldn't have actually remained in the country. As the plot thickens, it ends up being obvious that the male was killed due to his resourceful understanding about a criminal gang's activities. Bobby and Lady Frances continue their pursuit of reality, experiencing numerous threats, and kidnapping efforts, suggesting they are on the right track.

Climax
Bobby and Lady 'Frankie' start to think that the concern, "Why didn't they ask Evans?" was intended for a male called Roger Bassington-ffrench, whose family picture matched the snow scene on a postcard found on the victim. They penetrate the Bassington-ffrench's household home, leading them straight to Moira Nicholson, a drug user and the woman whose picture was discovered in the dead guy's pocket. Moira, guilt-ridden, tips that the family physician, Dr. Nicholson, was associated with the crime.

Resolution
In an unforeseen turn of occasions, it is exposed that 'Evans' is in fact the pet dog of the Bassington-ffrench family. Hence, the mysterious expression "Why didn't they ask Evans?" referred to the forgotten pet. The pet, Evans, had witnessed Alex being poisoned by Dr. Nicholson, who came from the criminal gang and had ulterior intentions of a large inheritance through the murder. In the end, Dr. Nicholson tries an escape however, unfortunately, crashes his cars and truck and dies.

Conclusion
"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a splendidly directed gripping tale of a murder mystery with a complicated plot yet keeping a whiff of lightness and humor. The performances by James Warwick and Francesca Annis, together with a strong supporting cast, make the movie a completely enchanting watch. Agatha Christie's craft of weaving gripping tales of intrigue ends up being a visual satisfaction in this adaptation, keeping the viewer's attention diverted towards the unfolding riddle until its very end.

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