In the moving pictures world there is only one Miss Marple. Forget the TV versions, no matter how good you may think they are, the quintessential Miss Marple was, without any doubt, the wonderful Margaret Rutherford.
Murder She Said was based on Agatha Christies best seller ‘4.30 From Paddington’ ... Read review
Never mind purists who bemoan Margaret Rutherford's incarnation of Agatha Christie's ... more
celebrated spinster sleuth. These four British films, produced between 1961 and 64, are jolly good, regardless of their tenuous connection with Miss Marple as written, or with Christie herself. One of the films, in fact,Murder Ahoy, is an original screenplay credited as "an interpretation of Miss Marple." And two others,Murder at the GallopandMurder Most Foulwere based on books featuring Christie's other famed detective, Hercule Poirot." But no matter. The redoubtable Rutherford indelibly makes Marple her very own, or, as she proclaims to Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell), with whom she locks horns throughout all four films, "I am always myself." Rutherford makes a formidable first impression inMurder She Said, based on Christie's4:50 from Paddington, in which the armchair sleuth goes undercover as a servant after witnessing a murder on a train. InMurder at the Gallop, based onAfter the Funeral, where there's a will, there's murder. InMurder Ahoy, Marple discovers a ship of thieves. InMurder Most Foul, Marple deadlocks a jury and joins a theatrical troupe to prove the defendant's innocence.The Marple films are endearingly modest productions, redeemed by peerless performances and mostly sharp scripts. Ron Goodwin's theme music used in all four films is an irresistible piece of '60s symphonic pop that's a classical gas. None of the actors are suspect. Rutherford gets able support from her real-life husband, Stringer Davis, who portrays Marple's Watson-esque sidekick. Venerable character actors Robert Morley and Ron Moody enlivenGallopandFoul, respectively. And inMurder She Said, that's Joan Hickson, who would go on to acclaim as Miss Marple in the celebrated BBC series. But it's tough to steal a scene from Rutherford, whose Marple displays a keen mind, and, inAhoy, surprising prowess with a sword!--Donald Liebenson
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Never mind purists who bemoan Margaret Rutherford's incarnation of Agatha Christie's ... more
celebrated spinster sleuth. These four British films, produced between 1961 and 64, are jolly good, regardless of their tenuous connection with Miss Marple as written, or with Christie herself. One of the films, in fact,Murder Ahoy, is an original screenplay credited as "an interpretation of Miss Marple." And two others,Murder at the GallopandMurder Most Foulwere based on books featuring Christie's other famed detective, Hercule Poirot." But no matter. The redoubtable Rutherford indelibly makes Marple her very own, or, as she proclaims to Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell), with whom she locks horns throughout all four films, "I am always myself." Rutherford makes a formidable first impression inMurder She Said, based on Christie's4:50 from Paddington, in which the armchair sleuth goes undercover as a servant after witnessing a murder on a train. InMurder at the Gallop, based onAfter the Funeral, where there's a will, there's murder. InMurder Ahoy, Marple discovers a ship of thieves. InMurder Most Foul, Marple deadlocks a jury and joins a theatrical troupe to prove the defendant's innocence.The Marple films are endearingly modest productions, redeemed by peerless performances and mostly sharp scripts. Ron Goodwin's theme music used in all four films is an irresistible piece of '60s symphonic pop that's a classical gas. None of the actors are suspect. Rutherford gets able support from her real-life husband, Stringer Davis, who portrays Marple's Watson-esque sidekick. Venerable character actors Robert Morley and Ron Moody enlivenGallopandFoul, respectively. And inMurder She Said, that's Joan Hickson, who would go on to acclaim as Miss Marple in the celebrated BBC series. But it's tough to steal a scene from Rutherford, whose Marple displays a keen mind, and, inAhoy, surprising prowess with a sword!--Donald Liebenson
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Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Advantages: Rutherford and Justice Disadvantages: None
In the moving pictures world there is only one Miss Marple. Forget the TV versions, no matter how good you may think they are, the quintessential Miss Marple was, without any doubt, the wonderful Margaret Rutherford. Murder She Said was based on Agatha Christies best seller ‘4.30 From Paddington’ and was Rutherfords first appearance as her crime solver. Jane Marple was a kindly old spinster who always seemed to get involved in mysteries ... ...be one step ahead of the police in deducing what was going on. Jessice Fletcher from the perennial mid-afternoon TV show ‘Murder She Wrote’ was very much based on Marple.
In Murder She Said Miss Marple is travelling by train when a slightly faster train goes by. She is watching the people in the other train as it passes, sticking her tongue out at a little girl, when she suddenly sees a woman being strangled. She can only see the hands ... more
In the moving pictures world there is only one Miss Marple. Forget the TV versions, no matter how good you may think they are, the quintessential Miss Marple was, without any doubt, the wonderful Margaret Rutherford. Murder She Said was based on Agatha Christies best seller ‘4.30 From Paddington’ and was Rutherfords first appearance as her crime solver. Jane Marple was a kindly old spinster who always seemed to get involved in mysteries and murder wherever she went. She also managed to always be one step ahead of the police in deducing what was going on. Jessice Fletcher from the perennial mid-afternoon TV show ‘Murder She Wrote’ was very much based on Marple.
In Murder She Said Miss Marple is travelling by train when a slightly faster train goes by. She is watching the people in the other train as it passes, sticking her tongue out at a little girl, when she suddenly sees a woman being strangled. She can only see the hands of the killer but knows what she saw was real. Reporting it she finds that the authorities think she must have dozed off reading her mystery novel and imagined it, especially as there is no sign of a body near the tracks.
Miss Marple isn’t one to let things lie though and she decides that she will investigate herself, roping in her librarian friend Mr Stringer to help search the line around where she thinks the body must have been thrown. There is no sign of the body but she does find a small clue that suggests the body might have been thrown over a wall, into the grounds of a stately home owned by a rich recluse.
With only one way of further investigation Miss Marple heads of to a domestic agency to see about getting a job at the house (A domestic agency run by a very young Richard Briers). Once there she can start investigating the house and subtly questioning those who live there. Amongst the occupants is the belligerent, bed ridden owner and master of the house, played with gusto by James Robertson Justice who is always a joy to watch, his daughter, his young nephew (a bright, inquisitive lad who is part practical joker, part detective), a maid and a creepy gardener. This gives Miss Marple a whole slew of possible culprits and a mean test of her sleuthing intellect.
How true the film is to the original story I cannot say as I have only ever read Christie’s short stories involving the character of Miss Marple but it seems to be very faithful in style and the way the story unfolds. The Miss Marple character is just perfect played by Rutherford. She epitomises the character so much, and so associated with her that you would almost think that she came before the books, not the other way around. To me Rutherford’s Marple is THE Marple, even if she isn’t really that like the woman in the books.
Murder She Said is a brisk 84 minutes of mystery, with a little bit of comedy thrown in, that still holds your attention to this day (it was made in 1961 and is in B&W). This is mainly due to the good story and characters, a typical British village location with some terrific acting thrown in… so just about everything a really good movie needs.
Along with the acting giants of Rutherford and Justice there is also Stringer Davis as Miss Marples friend and the town librarian Mr Stringer and Charles Tingwell as Inspector Craddock, a man both frustrated by and aided by the busybody old woman. Both of these are supporting characters but extremely good ones. They play vital parts in the storyline and their differing relationships with Miss Marple are the causes of the comedy and help her become more than a two dimensional character.
One of the greatest things about B&W mysteries is their use of the so-called limitations of B&W filming. The way shadows can appear ominous and night time actually looks dark, making any outside sojourns all the more mysterious and foreboding. MSS makes some great use of darkness and creates some very moody sequences. MSS is very well made and is an enjoyable way to pass a Sunday afternoon, in fact it would make a great family movie.
![Miss Marple - Murder She Said [VHS] [1961]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/71698369.jpg "Miss Marple - Murder She Said [VHS] [1961]")
