The Agatha Christie Megaset Collection (Miss Marple / Poirot)
Two of Agatha Christie's most popular characters, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, are brought to life in these classic BBC and A&E; Home Video mysteries. The delightful Joan Hickson is always entertaining as the prim and proper Miss Marple, complete with her elderly woman charm and perpetually clicking knitting needles. In4:50 from Paddington, Miss Marple's good friend Elspeth McGillicuddy witnesses a man strangle a woman on a passing train, and it's up to Miss Marple to uncover the mystery. InSleeping Murder, the Reeds move into their dream house, where Mrs. Reed is plagued by the vision of a body in the hall. In turn they call upon Miss Marple to help them uncover this strange phenomenon. When the American movie star Marina Gregg inThe Mirror Crack'd from Side to Sideis almost murdered while filming her new picture, she's fortunate to have the help of Miss Marple to sniff out the evil culprit.A Caribbean Mysteryhas Miss Marple, who's in need of rest and relaxation, deciding to holiday in the West Indies. Her holiday soon turns into a working vacation when it's time for her to gather the usual suspects. Other Miss Marple stories included in the boxed set areThe Moving Finger,At Bertram's Hotel,Murder at the Vicarage,Nemesis, andThey Do It with Mirrors.David Suchet perfectly captures the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in four beautifully made mysteries.The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in which yet another of Poirot's retirements is interrupted with murder, is an admirable adaptation of a nearly unfilmable plot.Lord Edgeware Diesoffers the pleasing combination of murder, theater folk, and a glimpse of a besotted Poirot.Evil Under the Sunfeatures cold-blooded murder at a sunny health resort, andMurder in Mesopotamiadoubles the fun by dropping all the intrigue into an archaeological dig. Each mystery is lovingly crafted with clever direction, a clear fondness for Christie's work, and painstakingly accurate period settings. Suchet and Hugh Fraser (as Captain Hastings) make a marvelous pair, capturing both the easy companionship and the frequent bickering of true friendship. Special DVD features include an index of all the Miss Marple and Poirot stories and biographies of Agatha Christie, Joan Hickson, and David Suchet.