Theo, the rich, bored wife of a crooked businessman is attracted to Vincent, a stranger whom she meets at one of their cocktail parties (for one thing, he shares her fascination with gardens and plants), and decides to leave Richard, her husband, for him. Almost as soon as she's gone off, she learns that Richard's business is under official financial investigation and he is in danger of being arrested. Putting her "duty" as a married woman over love, she goes back to him, to help him reverse the situation. And Richard does have a plan to do just that....The main - perhaps the only - flaw of this episode is that the story feels a bit rushed at 50 minutes, especially how Theo and Vincent already proclaim their deep love for each other in their third meeting. Apart from that, "Magnolia Blossom" is an interesting little spin on the usual love triangle story - it's actually more about personal integrity and code of honor than love. Ciaran Madden gives a strong, intelligent and subtly sensual performance; she and Jeremy Clyde, who plays her husband, outshine the most famous cast member, Ralph Bates. Madden can be considered as somewhat of an Agatha Christie regular in the 1980's: she also appeared in episodes of the Poirot and the Marple series. *** out of 4.
5 Reviews
Good, worth watching, and still deserves a better dramatization
zafrom4 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"Magnolia Blossom" was published as a short story in the March 1926 issue of "The Royal Magazine". As others have noted, in 1926 Agatha Christie's marriage was falling apart. As I experienced the teleplay, John Bryden Rodgers did an okay, if too superficial and overly melodramatic, dramatization of the story. The original is well worth reading on its own (while avoiding any "modern reworking", at least until after reading the original).
The original story is subtler than the teleplay in suggesting the motivations of Theo, including her increasing realization of her role as perceived by Richard, by Vincent, and most importantly by herself. The story has, for me, a clearer explanation than the teleplay's of the title. The teleplay does have somewhat more gunplay than does the story. Also, an intriguing difference between the story and the teleplay is the name of Richard's firm. In the teleplay it is "Imperial and Overseas Trust". In the story it is "Hobson, Jekyll and Lucas". I wonder who made the choice to doctor the firm's name. And "Lucas" is for someone better read than I to explain, by George.
The original story is subtler than the teleplay in suggesting the motivations of Theo, including her increasing realization of her role as perceived by Richard, by Vincent, and most importantly by herself. The story has, for me, a clearer explanation than the teleplay's of the title. The teleplay does have somewhat more gunplay than does the story. Also, an intriguing difference between the story and the teleplay is the name of Richard's firm. In the teleplay it is "Imperial and Overseas Trust". In the story it is "Hobson, Jekyll and Lucas". I wonder who made the choice to doctor the firm's name. And "Lucas" is for someone better read than I to explain, by George.
Duty. Honor. Love. And ONLY in that order
Coventry22 February 2022
"Magnolia Blossom" is a love-story à la Agatha Christie. This basically means you shouldn't expect any of the dreadful clichés that usually feature in romance tales, as this one is realistic and painful, and does not feature a happy ending. When an unhappily woman finally decides to run off to South Africa with the timid man she head-over-heels fell in love with, she learns via the newspaper that her husband's business empire is about to go bankrupt and that he risks being send to jail for fraud. The dutiful woman she is, Theo promptly throws away her plans for a bright and happy future and returns home to stand by the side of her husband during this difficult period. But, ... didn't her sneaky husband count on her making that decision?
Tales like this will never be my favorite Agatha Christie material, as I worship her convoluted murder mysteries, but "Magnolia Blossom" once more proves what a fantastically versatile, intelligent, down-to-earth, and brutally honest writer she was. It may not feature any bloody murders, but several of Christie's great trademarks are nevertheless present: strong women, weak and repulsive men, astonishing plot-twists and a bleak ending.
Tales like this will never be my favorite Agatha Christie material, as I worship her convoluted murder mysteries, but "Magnolia Blossom" once more proves what a fantastically versatile, intelligent, down-to-earth, and brutally honest writer she was. It may not feature any bloody murders, but several of Christie's great trademarks are nevertheless present: strong women, weak and repulsive men, astonishing plot-twists and a bleak ending.
Enjoyale Episode for Many Reasons
misctidsandbits8 June 2014
Setting the sound stage element aside, I found this a well produced episode. It took me a while, but I caught up with Jeremy Clyde as being the "Jeremy" of "Chad and Jeremy" of bygone days. Kudos to him for his development as an actor. I would now like to see him in other things. Along these lines, I looked up Madden who reminded me of a character I saw in an AC, Miss Marple episode, "The Body in the Library," Joan Hickson version, of course, (All others come across as quite spurious, alas). In that she was an entirely different character, but the fine facial bone structure is the prompt on the resemblance.
Getting beyond the ineptness of the "lover's" responses in the love scenes, this was a good depiction of a faithful and neglected wife coming into her own, but according to her own historical principles.
Well produced, casted (alas for the lover figure, Bates, was it?) and played. Recommend.
Getting beyond the ineptness of the "lover's" responses in the love scenes, this was a good depiction of a faithful and neglected wife coming into her own, but according to her own historical principles.
Well produced, casted (alas for the lover figure, Bates, was it?) and played. Recommend.
Magnolia Blossom
Prismark1030 October 2018
Magnolia Blossom starts off with a dinner party where guests argue about possible changes to the marriage vows with a government minister.
Theo Darrell married to a brash and crooked businessman Richard meets Vincent Easton, an orange plantation farmer from South Africa. Theo instantly falls in love with him and wants to run away with him.
However when Richard's company collapses and he is under police investigation, Theo puts loyalty to her husband before her own happiness. Theo learns the extent of her husband's betrayal that goes further than his crookedness and adultery. Theo has to reassess her own marriage vows.
Magnolia Blossom although made in the early 1980s really comes across as a creaky, arch love story from a bygone age. Ciaran Madden does well as a woman who puts duty before love. However like a lot of the productions in this series, it is for the Agatha Christie purists who dislike modernisation.
Theo Darrell married to a brash and crooked businessman Richard meets Vincent Easton, an orange plantation farmer from South Africa. Theo instantly falls in love with him and wants to run away with him.
However when Richard's company collapses and he is under police investigation, Theo puts loyalty to her husband before her own happiness. Theo learns the extent of her husband's betrayal that goes further than his crookedness and adultery. Theo has to reassess her own marriage vows.
Magnolia Blossom although made in the early 1980s really comes across as a creaky, arch love story from a bygone age. Ciaran Madden does well as a woman who puts duty before love. However like a lot of the productions in this series, it is for the Agatha Christie purists who dislike modernisation.
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