This Agatha Christie story with its British characters seems quite hoary, but it isn't helped by the constant intrusion of Hank Sylvern's annoying organ accompaniment, taking one back directly to the Silent Movie era. It stinks.
Isobel Elsom is entertainingly overwrought as a supposedly fake spirit medium conducting a seance after a dinner party. The story introduces various suspects: a glamorous Beatrice Straight (a thrill to see the award-winning star of "Network" in action at age 37) and her husband, plus her would-be lover Tom Helmore.
A doctor who is Helmore's uncle tells him that a diagnosis of psychotic maniac has been determined (for which character is left hanging) and when the uncle is found murdered, Scotland Yard is immediately on the case.
In compact 1/2-hour form, the show packs in its host of clues and plot twists quite rapidly, with a fog machine simulating London exteriors in the studio. The organ music ruined this segment right from the outset, but it's fairly creaky anyhow.
Isobel Elsom is entertainingly overwrought as a supposedly fake spirit medium conducting a seance after a dinner party. The story introduces various suspects: a glamorous Beatrice Straight (a thrill to see the award-winning star of "Network" in action at age 37) and her husband, plus her would-be lover Tom Helmore.
A doctor who is Helmore's uncle tells him that a diagnosis of psychotic maniac has been determined (for which character is left hanging) and when the uncle is found murdered, Scotland Yard is immediately on the case.
In compact 1/2-hour form, the show packs in its host of clues and plot twists quite rapidly, with a fog machine simulating London exteriors in the studio. The organ music ruined this segment right from the outset, but it's fairly creaky anyhow.
