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“I really must be getting back to the library, Miss Marple.”
A Pocket Full Of Rye was Julia McKenzie's (Cranford, Gangsta Granny) debut performance as Miss Jane Marple, the episode aired on 6th September 2009. It was adapted by Kevin Elyot (Poirot: Death on the Nile, Curtain), directed by Charles Palmer (Marple: A Caribbean Mystery) and produced by Karen Thrussel. It formed part of the 1st series of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, and the forth of Marple. Story When Rex Fortescue (Kenneth Cranham - Sparkling Cyanide) dies while sitting at his desk in the City, it's determined that he was in fact poisoned. He was married to a much younger wife, Adele (Anna Madeley - Poirot: Curtain) , who now stands to inherit. His son Percival, a partner in the family firm, was a disappointment to him and a daughter, Elaine, hasn't amounted to much. Another son, Lance (Rupert Graves - Sherlock, Scott and Bailey), had a falling out with his father many years before and relocated to East Africa. He suddenly appears soon after his father's death claiming that they had reconciled and been invited by him to return to England with an offer to rejoin the firm. Miss Marple takes a particular interest in the case when her former maid Gladys, now working in the Fortescue household, is also murdered. She soon learns that the elder Fortescue had received veiled threats for some time and that they might have something to do with a long ago business deal that made his initial fortune. Kevin Elyot's script is very faithful to the original novel (he's one of my favourite Christie adapters - he did a great job with Death on the Nile), and only makes a few minor changes. Miss Henderson is deleted, but she doesn't provide many clues, so her role is added to that of Mrs Mackenzie. Also, Miss Marple is more upset at Gladys' death than in the book, as they have known each other for a number of years. However, I was shocked when I bought the DVD that it had a rating of 15! This is because of 'infrequent strong sex'! Fortunately, it is very infrequent, but this is, let me remind you, Agatha Christie and there is no reason to 'spice it up' with any sex scenes! A very entertaining script as well , I like the touches with the Inspector and the chocolates. Direction, locations, soundtrack Charles Palmer's direction isn't dark like some of the later episodes of Poirot, but does have some dark elements, such as the discovery of Adele's body and Gladys' murder. There are also some interesting camera angles employed which adds is a welcome addition to the adaption. Some of the locations used are Englefield House (Yew Tree Lodge), Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square (Consolidated Investments) and West Wycombe Park (Pinewood Sanatorium). Dominik Scherrer's soundtrack is very good is this episode, his track Consolidated Investments can be found on YouTube. Cast and Characters Julia McKenzie, although this is her first episode, steps into the role as if she has always played it! The opening scene is good where she says goodbye to Gladys, and when she is listening to the wireless and reading the newspaper whilst her hapless made breaks the ornaments. She is very good when she leaves Yew Tree Lodge and says farewell to Pat, knowing that her husband is a triple murderer. When she reads Gladys' letter, and looks at the photograph, Julia McKenzie gives a moving performance. It's a very wise choice as an opening episode for Julia's Miss Marple as she can connect with the characters and feel upset at the death of Gladys. There are a lot of good guest actors in this one, notably Matthew Macfadyen as Inspector Neele, he's very good as the polite and clever policeman, and remind me somewhat of his role in BBC's Ripper Street. Rupert Graves plays Lance very well, he manages to be convincingly sly and suave. Helen Baxendale is excellent as the cold and crafty Mary Dove and the late Wendy Richard gives a good, final performance as Mrs Crump. A great debut performance for Julia McKenzie! (all pictures ©ITV)
Ob Miss Marple, Inspector Barnaby oder Rosamunde Pilcher: Das Fernsehen betört uns gern mit einem Bilderbuch-England. Da schmiegen sich Rosen und Wicken ...
“I really must be getting back to the library, Miss Marple.”
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Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors. I started reading her books as a pre-teen, and I still enjoy them just as much as I did then. My favorite sleuth is Miss Marple. I can hear the groans from all of the Hercule Poirot fans. However, I feel a connection to Miss Marple. Her version of detection was recognizing the traits shared between the current batch of protagonists with those she has met throughout her life. Miss Marple only featured in thirteen of Christie’s novels, and in my opinion, all except for At Bertram’s Hotel, are very good books. This past week, I read one of my favorites, 4:50 from Paddington or What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw. The first title was the original British title of the book, while the latter was common in the US. The book started with Elspeth McGillicuddy travelling by train from London to Saint Mary Mead a few days before Christmas. On the journey, another train passed Mrs. McGillicuddy’s train. The trains’ speeds matched as they rounded a curve, and as Mrs. McGillicuddy stared out the window, she saw a man with his back toward Mrs. McGillicuddy, strangling a woman in the adjoining train. Mrs. McGillicuddy was shocked. However, as she explained the situation to the ticket collector a few minutes later, she found that no one believed her. However, Mrs. McGillicuddy found someone who trusted her when she made it to Jane Marple’s house. Miss Marple took her friend seriously, and the pair started a short investigation. Since Mrs. McGillicuddy had to travel on to India, Miss Marple continued on the investigation herself. With the aid of a nephew and maps, she figured out where the body may have been dumped from the train, Rutherford Hall. Miss Marple was no spring chicken, so she enlisted the aid of Lucy Eyelesbarrow to find the body. Lucy, a highly-prized and expensive housekeeper, went to work at Rutherford Hall, working for Mr. Luther Crackenthorpe, an old curmudgeon, and his daughter, Emma. Luther’s grandson, Alexander Eastley came to visit for the school holidays with his school chum, James Stoddart-West. Lucy found a woman’s body in one of the old stables, stuffed in a sarcophagus. The woman matched the description of the woman that Mrs. McGillicudy saw being murdered. The question was if the woman was the mysterious Martine, the woman betrothed to the eldest son Edmund, who died in the war. Emma had received a letter from Martine before Christmas with an answering reply that Martine was returning to France. The other key members of the mystery: Cedric Crackenthorpe, the eldest surviving son who lived on a remote island and painted Harold Crackenthorpe, the married businessman Arnold Crackenthorpe, the con artist Bryan Eastley, Alexander’s father and widowed husband of Edith Dr. Quimper, the family doctor Miss Marple went to stay in the village around Rutherford Hall to be available for assistance, and to lend a helping hand to Dermot Craddock of Scotland Yard. Craddock was the godson of Sir Henry Clithering, who got a helping hand from Miss Marple in A Murder is Announced. Two more victims fell to the murderer’s hand before Miss Marple, Lucy, and the return of Mrs. McGillicuddy put the murderer behind bars. I loved reading the book. The plot is tricky and convoluted enough to keep anyone guessing. Of course, if you watched any of the numerous movie and television adaptations, you knew whodunit. I’ve read the book a few times, and every time I reread it, I found a fresh clue. Sometimes people say that Christie made things up or provided the clues at the end only. Well, I think those folks just haven’t read the books, or they read them only once. I have to admit that I forgot that Martine was Lady Stoddart-West. The only unresolved mystery in the book is Lucy Eyelesbarrow love life. Christie loved throwing in romance, and the suggestion was that Lucy found someone to marry. It’s left up in the air, but I think the clues are there. Every time the suggestion of marriage or choosing a partner came up with Lucy, she thought of the pig sty. That’s where Lucy had an interesting conversation with Cedric who was quite clear about NOT wanting to marry Lucy. Everyone else, including old Mr. Crackenthorpe, made a marriage offer to Lucy, including Alexander for his father. As Miss Marple told Dermot Craddock at the end, she was thought she knew Lucy’s choice. Miss Marple wasn’t keen on Brian, who was the suggested mate in the Joan Hickson television adaptation. Craddock was suggested as the mate at the end of the more recent Marple series. However, when you read the book, just pay close attention to the pig sty references. Also, Miss Marple wasn’t as keen on Brian. He was the sort who would never make wise financial decisions. As a final note, the book was the basis for the Murder, She Said movie with Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple. The general plot was the same, but Miss Marple took a much move active role in the murder. There’s so much to enjoy about 4:50 from Paddington or What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw. I strongly recommend it!
Today it's Overlooked or Forgotten Films day ( as it is every Tuesday) at Todd Mason's blog, SWEET FREEDOM. Don't forget to check in and see what other films other movie mavens are talking about today. You're sure to find a film or two you'll want to renew acquaintance with or perhaps, view for the first time. ********************************** I hadn't seen MURDER SHE SAID in many years and was thrilled when it became available on Netflix. This is the first and my favorite of the Margaret Rutherford/Miss Marple films which are very loosely based on the Agatha Christie books featuring the aging spinster sleuth. But forget I said that. This is not the Miss Marple we've become accustomed to, either in the original books or in the marvelous Joan Hickson interpretation (about which, more later) done in the 1980's for PBS. In no one's imagination (except maybe the film-makers') is Miss Marple anywhere near as rotund, robust, hearty and gruff as she's played by the wonderful Margaret Rutherford, but what the heck, in my view this is Rutherford's movie. Pretend she's not the Miss Marple we all know and/or remember. Just think of her as someone else, a completely different character who happens to be named Marple. Why, in the movie, she doesn't even live in St. Mary Mead. Who ever heard of such a thing? Obviously it can't be our dithery Miss Marple with the fluffy air and the knitting needles. The only thing this Miss Marple has in common with our Miss Marple is her intelligence and a will of steel. This Miss Marple even has a male companion, for goodness' sake, A Mr. Stringer. (Played by Rutherford's long- time husband, Stringer Davis.) He's a librarian and as diffident as Miss Marple is demanding and overbearing. To watch the two of them 'disguised' as train workers, searching for clues along the tracks makes for a very entertaining few minutes. The film (directed by George Pollock) is based on Christie's 1957 book, 4:50 FROM PADDINGTON or WHAT MRS. McGILLICUDDY SAW. Mrs. McGillicuddy is a friend of Jane Marple's who is returning home after traveling to London to do some shopping. From the window of her compartment she watches helplessly, horrified, as a woman is strangled across the way in a compartment on a closely passing train. Of course no one believes her because no body is found, on the train or elsewhere. The only one who believes her tale is her close friend, Jane Marple. However, there is no Mrs. McGillicuddy in the film. Here, Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford) sees the murder from the train window herself. She is the one who reports it. She is the one incensed when no one believes her. The police (in the form of Inspector Craddock) thinking her instead, a dotty old lady who dreamed the story up. In the book, primarily because of frail health, Miss Marple hires the fabulously efficient Lucy Eylesbarrow to find the body she is sure (after doing a bit of logistical investigation herself) lies somewhere on the Crackenthorpe property - the train tracks follow closely the boundary of the huge estate belonging to the family of a biscuit manufacturer. The estate lies somewhere south (I think) of St. Mary Mead - or maybe north. But in the film, no St. Mary Mead, no Lucy and no McGillicuddy and no several other characters as well. So, as I said, forget about the original book and just enjoy the film purely based on the robust charms of Oscar winner Margaret Rutherford who was one of filmdom's more idiosyncratic originals. I adore her, but she takes a bit of getting used to. Okay, so keeping all that in mind, let's move forward. Miss Marple decides to investigate the murder of the woman on the train even if the police are not interested. She connives to get herself hired as a maid (!?) at the Crackenthorpe estate - in the film, known as the Ackenthorpe Estate. It was the 1950's when large houses were desperate for hired help. At the house she is greeted with suspicion by the housekeeper played by none other than Joan Hickson who would, years later, play the definitive and Christie approved Miss Marple. How's that for coincidence? Providential, I call it. A younger Joan Hickson. Anyway, Jane is also met with suspicion by the mischievous Alexander (Ronnie Raymond), a curiously erudite young boy with the spiffiest upper class accent you'll ever hear. He is a pleasure to listen to and is the second thing I love best in the film. He's like a miniature version of Anthony Andrews sporting his mesmerizing Brideshead voice. Ronnie Raymond, an Anthony Andrews look-a-like. Once Miss Marple assures the lady of the house, Emma Ackenthorpe (a colorless Muriel Pavlow), that despite her age, she is willing do the cleaning and cooking and anything else desired, Jane is there to stay - at least until she finds the body. Of course none of the family knows her true reason for being there. Muriel Pavlow as Emma Ackenthorpe The rest of the staff consists of a sinister gardener and the aforementioned housekeeper who refuses to stay in the house after dark. The gardner hulks around the estate with a snarly German Shepherd at his side. Besides Emma Ackenthorpe and Alexander, her nephew, the only other occupant of the huge house is old Ackenthorpe himself, a semi-invalid who mostly remains in bed bellowing orders. He is played in his best bellowing attitude by the wonderful James Robertson Justice - the third reason I love this film. Ackenthorpe's only visitor seems to be Doctor Quimper (Arthur Kennedy) who arrives to give him injections and oversee his health once or twice a week and who, apparently, has his eye on Emma. He drives the sweetest little 50's coupe you've ever seen. Ah, the good old days when you could keep a doctor on retainer. However, no one in the film seems to notice that Quimper doesn't have an English accent, but I digress. Once Miss Marple - on the pretense of practising her golf swing - oh, did I forget to mention that she'd arrived at the house with luggage AND golf clubs? Well, she did. So while out and about on the grounds, she spots some run-down buildings and decides one of them, certainly, is a perfect spot to hide a body.. Later that night she goes to investigate and before you can say, there's a dead body in the Egyptian sarcophagus, there's a dead body in the Egyptian sarcophagus. The cops are called in, of course, and there's Miss Marple with a smirk and a triumphant gleam in her eye. Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell) says, "You?!" She says, "Yes, dotty old me." When the three Ackenthorpe n'er do well sons and the husband of their deceased sister (Alexander's father) show up to see what's what at the old homestead (the cops want to interview them), two of the brothers meet a grisly end. The Ackenthorpes are being done away with one by one. In the end, it's Jane who figures out the far-fetched motive and, more importantly, who the killer is, much to the police's chagrin. She then proceeds to use herself as bait to catch the murderer. Then we get one of the most downright hilarious marriage proposals you will ever see. Hint: it involves Jane Marple. Wait for it. As I said, don't expect to see the 'real' Miss Marple here, but make a point to see the film anyway. It's quite wonderful in its own singularly sinister (though very amusing) way. The soundtrack by Ron Goodwin is perfection, employing the use of a jaunty harpsichord in lighter moments. The other three 'Marple' films starring Margaret Rutherford are even more far-fetched than this one, but as long as you don't expect the Christie character, they're okay. Of the four, MURDER SHE SAID remains my favorite. Go get 'em, Jane.
About the Book "The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity when the Gazette advertises "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m." A childish practical joke? Or a spiteful hoax? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, the locals arrive at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out and a gun is fired. When they come back on, a gruesome scene is revealed. An impossible crime? It's up to Miss Marple to get the scoop and make sure the killer doesn't bury the lead."--Provided by publisher. Book Synopsis Now with a beautiful new series look, Christie's classic mystery in which a murder is announced in a small-town newspaper advertisement--and Miss Marple must unravel the fiendish puzzle when a crime does indeed occur.The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity when the Gazette advertises "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m."A childish practical joke? Or a spiteful hoax? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, the locals arrive at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out and a gun is fired. When they come back on, a gruesome scene is revealed. An impossible crime? It's up to Miss Marple to get the scoop and make sure the killer doesn't bury the lead. Review Quotes "Agatha Christie gave readers the world over a vivid sense of English life, especially in her depiction of the small village where nothing happen--until, of course, a murder is discovered." -- Jacqueline Winspear, New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs novels"A super-smooth Christie--three neat murders in an English village, [and] an assortment of her famous red herrings, all beautifully marinated." -- New York Times"Establishes firmly her claim to the throne of detection. The plot is as ingenious as ever...the dialogue both wise and witty; while the suspense is maintained very skilfully until the final revelation." -- A. A. Milne
A Murder is Announced is considered to be one of the best Miss Marple stories. Find out more about Agatha Christie’s creation here.
El papel de la mujer evolucionó mucho en un siglo: en la novela negra, el papel de las protagonistas cambió aún más y Lisbeth Salander es el colofón de esos cambios: una hacker violenta hasta a los extremos a la hora de vengar la violencia contra las mujeres.
Award-Winning British TV mysteries available to stream on Acorn TV. Doc Martin, Agatha Raisin and more!
Grüne Fruchtpäckchen mit Ahornsirup: Süßes Obst mit aromatischen Gewürzen - praktisch fettfrei. Eine Portion deckt den Tagesbedarf an Vitamin C.
A Murder is Announced in a small-town newspaper advertisement—and Miss Marple must unravel the fiendish puzzle when a crime does indeed occur.The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity when the Gazette advertises “A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.”A childish practical joke? Or a spiteful hoax? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, the locals arrive at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out and a gun is fired. When they come back on, a gruesome scene is revealed. An impossible crime? Only Miss Marple can unravel it.
It is late summer in Hampshirem and former headmistress, Harriet Quigley, is enjoying life. Her cousin Sam is moving next door and the only cloud on the horizon is village gossip about a man who disappeared months earlier, and a more recent near-fatal accident. Suddenly it's all going pear-shaped - and sensible, practical Harriet has only herself to blame. Sam has warned her not to play at being Miss Marple but despite her cousin's strictures Harriet is suspicious about several newcomers and she's been asking discreet questions. There's an enigmatic artist, a good-looking vicar, a handsome Texan, a millionaire orchid-fancier, and Elvis, the plumber. To cap it all someone's seen the family ghost and only her young cousin Edith takes Harriet's anxieties seriously. With a sudden death in Winchester Cathedral, a treasure hunt that attracts unwelcome attentions, and history that looms uncomfortably close, Harriet finds herself trapped somewhere very nasty - and she's not alone. | Author: NICOLA. SLADE | Publisher: Williams & Whiting | Publication Date: Jun 05, 2018 | Number of Pages: 298 pages | Language: English | Binding: Paperback | ISBN-10: 1912582252 | ISBN-13: 9781912582259
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