Fisher Queen

I don't know if there are any fans for Phryne Fisher out there, but for you, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) is a must.

If you don't know, Phryne Fisher is the star of a series of mystery novels written by Kerry Greenwood, and the TV series based on them, starring Essie Davis. The series is set in Australia, between the wars. Ms. Fisher is a somewhat older flapper from a Bohemian family who inherited a lot of money when WWI killed off most of her richer relatives. She lives the life of a wild adventuress, solving crimes and bedding lovers, with the help of her maid Dot, her commie union red ragger mates Bert and Cec, Constable Hugh, who is Dot's fiancee and the handsome but grumpy Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page) - who has been very slowly falling for her.

But this movie starts in the Palestine, under the British mandate (shooting Australia for Middle East, I think). Miss Fisher (Davis) is retrieving the daughter of a sheik who lives in England, and is a friend of a friend of Miss Fisher. The daughter is suspected of political intrigue, but Miss Fisher just busts her out. She makes it safely away, but Miss Fisher is killed in the attempt.

Very sad. There's a funeral in England, and Dot is pregnant by Hugh, and can't attend. Neither can Bert or Cec - they're just workers, not the type to go flying to England. Sadly, that's the last we see of them in this movie at least. But Robinson does go.

When he gets there, the funeral is buzzed by a small airplane, which lands on the grounds, and the pilot is - Phryne Fisher of course! No explanation for how she escaped or why she played dead, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that Robinson is very put out. He came all the way for a funeral and what does he get?

But no matter how mad he gets, he has to back up Miss Fisher when it looks like she's going to get into trouble. So he joins her on this preposterous adventure. It winds its way through England and back to the Palestine, with ancient amulets and astrolabes and the extremely made up crypt of tears. 

Now, this whole movie is full of nonsense - made up legends, a setting fraught with political intrigue that is ignored to focus on the made up stuff, obvious but poorly motivated villains, etc. But it does have Essie Davis and Nathan Page doing their thing as Jack and Phryne. And Davis is wonderful. She is blithe, fearless and sexy, even though she is a bit too old to be a Bright Young Thing. It may be that Davis is getting too old for the part - but that's part of the allure. She is ageless, and even death doesn't slow her down. 

I kind of doubt that you would get much out of this without having watched the series (and possibly reading the novels). But if you're a fan, you'll want to watch this. Even if you can't buy the nonsense, the final kiss makes it all worthwhile.