Murder She Said Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 36 out of 37 people found the following review useful: "They don't make them like that anymore!" from Poole, Dorset 14 October 2003 An elderly spinster called Miss Marple witnesses a man strangling a woman on a passing train. When nobody believes her she investigates the crime herself. Murder She Said marked the first big-screen appearance of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. The script by David Pursall and Jack Seddon is based on the 1957 novel "4:50 From Paddington". It's success lead to three more equally entertaining films starring Margaret Rutherford. Agatha Christie liked Rutherford as an actress but thought that she was all wrong for the part. Indeed Rutherford is nothing like the Jane Marple that Joan Hickson would portray in the highly successful BBC series of the 1980's-90's, but she is a delight to watch as she makes the part entirely her own and earned herself a legion of fans. Incedentally, Hickson appears in this film in a minor role as the miserable housekeeper Mrs Kidder.

A great supporting cast includes Muriel Pavlow, Arthur Kennedy and James Robertson Justice. Charles Tingwell plays the hapless Inspector Craddock who cannot bear Miss Marple interfering and solving his cases for him, a role which in which he is featured in all the entries in this series. Another regular in the series is Stringer Davis (Rutherford's real life husband) who plays the local librarian and her closest friend Mr Stringer. Director George Pollock worked steadily as an assistant director during the forties and fifties and during that time he learned at the feet of some of Britain's most acclaimed directors such as Thorold Dickinson on Gaslight (1940) and David Lean on Brief Encounter, Great Expectations (both 1945) and Oliver Twist (1948). After directing a few trivial comedies such as Village Of Daughters (1961), Pollock had an opportunity with the Marple films to show that he was a very good director investing the films with great British humour as well as intriguing mystery making them timeless entertainment. The films resembled the quota quickies of the 1950's, but they were done with a slightly higher budget, more professionalism and better production values.

In addition, Ron Goodwin's music is splendid and the harpsichord laden theme tune would become familiar as it was used in all the other entries in this series. I don't think I would be going over the top to use a well worn phrase "they don't make them like that anymore". "4:50 From Paddington" has been filmed twice subsequently. In 1987 the BBC gave us a faithful but rather stodgy version starring Joan Hickson and ITV filmed it in 2004 as part of their new series of Miss Marple whodunits starring Geraldine McEwan. But the less said about these the better. Sequels: MURDER AT THE GALLOP (1963), MURDER MOST FOUL (1964) and MURDER AHOY (produced in 1964 but released in late 1965 to space out the series). Was the above review useful to you?

33 out of 34 people found the following review useful: Delightful depiction of Miss Jane Marple from Toronto, Canada 22 November 2004 So yes, Miss Agatha Christie herself did not quite care for Miss Margaret Rutherford in the role but Miss Rutherford made of the part her own in her own inimitable fashion even going to the extent of having her very own obedient side-kick, her real-life husband Stringer Davis, known as Jim Stringer in the series, inserted into it. She called the shots and kept the studio afloat. And what a series! This is the first in it and it evokes the era extraordinarily well, the quick murder and disposal of the body, the old country house, the many suspicious relatives and one of my favourites, James Robertson Justice heading up the entire clan. He even gets to propose to the lady herself, so impressed is he with her detecting. Add the requisite cute kid, Ronnie Raymond, an excellent bit part by Joan Hickson (the future Miss Marple in the excellent BBC series) and what faults are there to be found in this unique first film of four in the series. 8 out of 10.

Incredibly entertaining, wonderful use of black and white film medium and a really good score. Was the above review useful to you? 25 out of 26 people found the following review useful: Grand-Dame Good Film from NC 1 January 2000 Grand Dame Margaret Rutherford gives a fine performance as super sleuth Jane Marple in this, the first of four films based on Christie's detective. Agatha Christie was upset with the casting of Rutherford in the role of her dowdy, inquisitive, rather passive detective who solves crimes more on what she hears from other people more than anything else. And who cannot understand her concerns, initially? Rutherford is the antithesis of the fictional Marple. She is a battleship on screen with her plump, statuesque build, her one-of-a-kind visage, her English aristocratic bearing and wit, and her anything but passive behaviour. To put it bluntly, Christie's character was only that character in name.....but....this does not detract from the film in the least for me.

And I should expect that only die-hard fans of Miss Marple will not enjoy this film for it is a good mystery, has excellent character acting, a zippy score, and some wonderful witty dialogue. Most of all, it has Dame Margaret Rutherford give a larger-than-life performance that promises to bring you many smiles and some good laughs. Was the above review useful to you? 29 out of 35 people found the following review useful: Only the First of Four! from United Kingdom 26 May 2005 I do like "good films" and I rate this as one of the best! Margaret Rutherford is not an ideal Miss Marple according to the books, but Agatha Christie did visit the set of this film and was a good friend of Margaret Rutherford. Apparently she also said to Joan Hickson that she would one day make a good Miss Marple... which she did indeed do in the BBC series! However, Margaret Rutheford brought Miss Marple to the public's attention, and despite rumours, she only played the role 4 times! Stringer Davies always played the role of Mr Stringer, in fact he was her real life husband!

The theme music by Ron Goodwin is outstanding, and he should have been knighted for his contribution to cinema music, not just for this film, but for films like "Where Eagles Dare".(Tony Blair take note!) The themes to each of the 4 films were a slight variation: hence for "Murder Ahoy" it included tradition sea melodies. I have the four disc DVD set released last year. It is a pity the makers MGM did not include "making of" material, or even locational information. MGM seem to have forgotten that they made many of their greatest films in Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, UK, and not in the USA! Was the above review useful to you? 20 out of 21 people found the following review useful: How the Manor of a murder was kept off track... from Hartlepool. England 22 November 2001 As other critics have previously pointed out, Margaret Rutherford's portrayal of Jane Marple has little in common with the visions of the character's creator, Agatha Christie.

However, just as Basil Rathbone's depiction of Sherlock Holmes (both in his character portrayal and in the film company's telling of most of the tales) had little to do with the original writer's intentions, so too did both he and Miss Rutherford seem to create pseudo-characters, from worthwhile plots, of equal value and entertainment levels. As the first of a wonderful quartet of easy-to-view movies made in black and white in early 60's England (and the second best of them, overall, in my opinion), this appropriately atmospheric film takes us through a clever little screenplay centred around the family of a large estate 'in the sticks' (on the outskirts of London). The storyline is littered with a mixture of eccentric and fundamental cameo parts that serve up the right amount of suspense and partial comedy as Miss Marple (and her buddy, Mr.Stringer) take it upon themselves to solve a railway murder that Inspector Craddock, the local 'head plod', had put down to being the by-product of her rambling 'hallucinations'.

Not surprisingly, we are kept on our toes as to whom was the culprit as the intrepid Jane goes undercover as a geriatric maid who proves to be so competent in her matriarchal manoeuvres that the 'Lord of the Manor' (superbly played, as ever, by the magnificent James Robertson Justice) seeks her hand in marriage as a sort of reward for her spirited detective work. However, Dame Rutherford had Stringer to consider - not least because he was her partner in real life - and there were of course other stories to film in the future... What a pity they didn't follow Rathbone and Bruce by making around a dozen of these marvellous movies! Was the above review useful to you? 19 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Classic Film! from USA 12 August 1999 Many people criticise this movie because Margaret Rutherford doesn't have the "look" to play Miss Marple. However, that doesn't change the fact that this is an excellent film that, while it doesn't stick to the book much, does a great job of entertaining the viewer. It's getting harder and harder to find all 4 videos from the series (this was the first).

It took me around a year to get all of them , with Murder Ahoy being the easiest (easily found at Suncoast Video) and Murder Most Foul being the hardest to find. (I had to special order from Canada for around $20) These movies are well worth the price though, and provide not only great mysteries, but also wonderful entertainment!! Was the above review useful to you? 18 out of 20 people found the following review useful: A delightful cozy Christie adaptation from Carmel New York 12 November 2002 'Murder She Said' is not a great or classic film, yet it is one that I return to all the time. The setting is England, late fall, in the latter 1950's. It stars the delightful Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple...Mrs. Christie (Mallowan) never felt she resembled Jane Marple in the least...but she did dedicate one of her later books to her. Also appearing in the film is Stringer Davis, Ms. Rutherford's real life husband, who is totally endearing and appeared in three subsequent Marple films with his wife.

Coincidentally Joan Hickson appears in this film and she later went on to much acclaim portraying Jane Marple in the BBC series of Marple mysteries. Although the film differs in many ways from the original book (you'll have to view the BBC video '4:50 from Paddington' with Joan Hickson for some integrity to the original Christie story ) it is a very entertaining light experience with a bevy of fascinating British characters. Was the above review useful to you? 13 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Pure treasure from United States 12 April 2007 The first in a series of four Miss Marple films featuring the incomparable Margaret Rutherford as the elderly spinster with excellent detective abilities from the popular Agatha Christie novels. The story sticks relatively close to the events in the novel 4:50 from Paddington, with one major exception that may surprise fans of this series who have not read the novels.

Christie's Marple was really a sedate, seemingly dithery woman who basically spends most of the books sitting on her backside knitting - in fact, in some of the novels Marple actually gets very little time and is merely on-hand to piece together the clues provided by others and provide the name of the culprit. In this case, screenwriters wisely combined a young character with Miss Marple so she remains front and center in the action. I much prefer these films as opposed to the more traditional renderings from BBC/PBS as Miss Marple is depicted here as such a vital and uniquely active free spirit. Rutherford is simply wonderful with her unforgettable expressions. She plays well off a diversity of people, including the gloriously crusty hypochondriac patriarch James Robertson Justice, the mischievous grandson Ronnie Raymond, the mildly exasperated police inspector Charles Tingwell or the gentle compatriot Stringer Davis. A delightful series and a testament to a great talent who should never be forgotten. Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 21 people found the following review useful: light-hearted mystery with that British edge !

Author: bjobrei 5 July 2005 My recent discovery of the old Rutherford-Marple films has been sort of a revelation to me. Joan Hickson (who interestingly appears in this film) does a more accurate Marple if you read the novels, but I feel Rutherfords interpretation gives the part the edge needed for the screen. Light hearted and managing to combine some dry British humor with suspense. Sort of a forgotten art nowadays. So far I have seen three Rutherford Marple-films, this one, murder a the gallop and murder ahoy. I do rate Murder she said as the best, it seems slightly more inspired than the others, though they are all enjoyable. There are of course a few complaints. Mrs. Rutherfords husband is obviously included in the film for no other reason than being her husband. The character of young Alexander is simply annoying, and the ending is a bit of a disappointment. Still, do see this movie if you enjoy the typical British dry wit, and watch out for the stunning appearance of James Robertson Justice ! Was the above review useful to you?

8 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Funny and Entertaining from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 11 June 2013 While traveling back home by train, the spinster Miss Jane Marple (Margaret Rutherford) witnesses a woman being strangled by a man in another train. She reports the murder to the police. However Inspector Craddock (Charles Tingwell) does not find any corpse or evidence of the reported murder and discredits the old lady believing that she is senile and has imagined the crime since she is fan of detective stories. Miss Marple decides to investigate the crime and she concludes that the corpse was dumped at the Ackenthorpe Hall and she gets a job of housemaid, cleaning and cooking for the Ackenthorpe family. Soon she learns that they are a dysfunctional family and the heirs are like vulture around of the selfish patriarch Luther Ackenthorpe (James Robertson Justice, waiting for their inheritance. Therefore all of them may be the culprit for the murder or not? "Murder She Said" is a funny and entertaining comedy and mystery movie based on a novel by Agatha Christie.

The simple storyline works due to the performance of Margaret Rutherford, who is delightful in the role of the old spinster and amateurish detective Miss Marple. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "Quem Viu, Quem Matou " ("Who Saw, Who Killed ") Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 6: 4:50 From Paddington: A Miss Marple Mystery (Miss Marple Mysteries): Agatha Christie: 9781579126933: Amazon.com: Books By Antoinette Klein on April 27, 2002 Format: Mass Market Paperback In "The 4:50 From Paddington" Agatha Christie gives us another in her long list of detective stories involving a large family at their estate. This is, in my opinion, one of the best, and begins when Elspeth McGillicuddy, a friend of Miss Marple's, is returning from Christmas shopping in London and on her way to visit Jane in St. Mary Mead. Her train is running alongside another one on a nearby track, and Mrs. McGillicuddy has an excellent view inside the parallel carriage of the other train.

What she sees is the back of a man strangling a woman. No one believes Mrs. McGillicuddy since no corpse is found and no injured woman turns up at any hospital. Only Miss Marple believes her friend. Although Mrs. McGillicuddy is leaving for Ceylon to spend Christmas with her son, Miss Marple continues her quest to prove her friend's story. First she books passage on the same train and narrows the search for where a body should have been thrown to the area around Rutherford Hall, the large family estate of the Crackenthorpes. The family consists of the semi-invalided and grouchy Mr. Crackenthorpe, his daughter Emma, three sons, a son-in-law, and a grandson. At least four of the men are likely candidates for the strangler. Because Miss Marple is not young enough to physically search for the body in unknown territory, she engages Lucy Eyelesbarrow, one of Christie's most interesting female creations. Lucy quickly gains employment at Rutherford Hall as a domestic and busily does all the legwork for Miss Marple. Meanwhile, Jane Marple has taken up residence at a nearby home and advises and assists Lucy.

In 1961, this became the basis for "Murder, She Said," the first of four films starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple. Although it deviates from the book, most notably in the omission of Lucy, it is enjoyable and worth viewing. 5.0 out of 5 stars WILL SOMEONE LET THE WOMAN SPEAK? By Carver Green on May 15, 2008 What "improvements" have been made for the Bantam edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins (4:50 FROM PADDINGTON) and Dodd Mead editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the Signet, Berkley, and Black Dog & Leventhal editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers?

Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed. By John Austin on September 15, 2005 Format: Mass Market Paperback Old and new readers of Agatha Christie's whodunits will not be disappointed with her 1957 puzzler. It has an unforgettable opening sequence, an ingenious denouement, and an interesting sleuth, especially created for the occasion, named Lucy Eylesbarrow. Although it is the elderly Jane Marple who exerts her powers of detection, she does it by remote control while her much younger friend does the spadework - or the domestic work. As Agatha Christie explains, "The point about Lucy Eylesbarrow was that all worry, anxiety, and hard work went out of a house when she came into it." Accordingly, the tertiary-trained domestic, Lucy, is soon installed in Rutherford Hall, where Jane Marple believes a body thrown from a train might be hidden.

Surprises, further murders, gossip, marriage proposals, and poisonings follow in rapid succession, so that before you know it, the hours have sped by, the murderer is revealed, and you admit that once again you were quite unable to guess whodunit. Agatha Christie adds to the usual cozy elements of her murder mysteries a heavy involvement with passenger trains, timetables and railway matters so beloved of the British. Otherwise you'll find the book fits into the pattern of the dysfunctional family's struggles being worked out with a particularly stubborn, callous and crusty old man as the family's head. Feature film and TV adaptations of this novel have been made, the most faithful to the text featuring Joan Hickson who also can be heard in an unabridged reading on audiotapes. List of Agatha Christie's Marple episodes | Agatha Christie Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia List of Agatha Christie's Marple episodes 338pages on Share Agatha Christie's Marple is a British ITV television series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It is also known as Marple.

The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced by Julia McKenzie from the fourth series onwards. The first six episodes were all adaptations of Miss Marple novels by Christie. Subsequent episodes were derived both from works featuring Miss Marple but also Christie novels that did not feature the character. Contents "The Body In The Library" Kevin Elyot Andy Wilson 12 December 2004 A young woman's corpse is dumped in the library of Gossington Hall, home of Jane Marple's friend Dolly Bantry and her husband Arthur. Pompous Chief Constable Melchett suspects a connection with Basil Blake, an arty young man who lives locally but Blake is dismissive when Melchett visits him. Then Superintendent Harper rings from the coastal town of Danemouth. Ruby Keane, a young girl employed as a dancer at the Majestic Hotel there, has gone missing, and her cousin Josie Turner identifies the corpse as Ruby's. Ruby is in favour with millionaire Conway Jefferson, whose own son and daughter were killed in a wartime air raid, and he wants to adopt her.

His son-in-law Mark Gaskell, and daughter-in-law Adelaide react variously to the news. Miss Marple is convinced that the solution to Ruby's murder may be found at the hotel and she and Dolly book into a suite to investigate. There is no shortage of suspects, not only family members but the handsome Raymond Starr, another of the hotel's dance professionals, and George Bartlett, the last person to see Ruby before her disappearance. 2 "The Murder At The Vicarage" Stephen Churchett Charlie Palmer 19 December 2004 Colonel Lucius Protheroe is probably the least-liked individual in St Mary Mead. All resent his superior and demanding attitude. So, when he is found dead in the vicarage study, there is no end of suspects. His wife Ann was having an affair with a local artist, Lawrence Redding. His daughter Lettice bridled under his strict rule. There is also the vicar and his assistant, whom Protheroe suspected of stealing church funds. Finally, there is the mysterious Mrs. Lester with whom he clearly had some previous connection.

Jane Marple, recuperating at home from a sprained ankle, had a bird's eye view of all the comings and goings at the vicarage around the time of the murder and she gladly assists Inspector Slack in solving the crime. 3 Andy Wilson 26 December 2004 Miss Marple investigates the wealthy Crackenthorpe clan, believing a body to be hidden on their estate after a visiting friend witnesses a brutal strangling murder occurring on a passing train. 4 John Strickland 2 January 2005 The residents of Chipping Cleghorn are astonished to read an advert in the local newspaper that a murder will take place the following Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Little Paddocks, the home of Letitia Blacklock. A group gathers and at that precise moment, the lights go out and a young hotel employee, Rudi Schertz, is shot. The police assume he had placed the ad and planned it as a robbery, but for Miss Marple it's not that obvious. She believes that the killer was likely one of the people in the room.

When two of those present the evening of the murder are subsequently killed, it is left to Miss Marple to unravel a complex series of relationships and false identities, all centered around Randall Goedler a wealthy industrialist who had died 10 years earlier. Season Two (2006) Edward Hall 5 February 2006 Miss Jane Marple is asked to help Gwenda, a wealthy young woman who has bought a house on the English coast, only to experience disturbing visions. Thanks to Miss Marple's investigations, Gwenda discovers that, instead of spending all her life in India, she had lived in the house as a child. The visions are actually flashes of memory - and she realizes she witnessed the murder of a beautiful woman named "Helen". 6 Tom Shankland 12 February 2006 When troubled war veteran Jerry Burton and his sister Joanna relocate to the quiet little village of Lymstock in order to allow Jerry to recuperate from injuries received in what he claims is a motorcycle accident, they are expecting nothing more than country sleepiness and tedium.

Much to their surprise, however, they find themselves embroiled in the middle of scandal and secrets; someone is sending vicious poison-pen letters to the residents. A local dignitary has already taken his own life over the letters, and it's not long before local gossip Mona Symmington also commits suicide after receiving a letter. But when the letter-writer apparently resorts to murder, Jerry finds his curiosity stoked despite himself, and he's not the only one; Miss Jane Marple is also in Lymstock, and she's decided that it's long past time someone got to the bottom of this unpleasant business. 7 "By The Pricking of My Thumbs" Stewart Harcourt Peter Medak 19 February 2006 When Tommy and Tuppence visit an elderly aunt in her nursing home, Tuppence is concerned by the odd behavior of some staff and residents. So when Tuppence hears about Aunt Ada's sudden death and the disappearance of her friend Mrs Lancaster, she realizes her concerns were right. Tuppence meets Miss Marple and together they follow a path of clues that lead them to the Norfolk village of Farrell St Edmund, where they find a community guarding an array of secrets.

Only by getting to the bottom of these secrets do they begin to unravel the truth about the mystery of Aunt Ada's death and Mrs Lancaster's disappearance. 8 Paul Unwin 30 April 2006 When Clive Trevelyan - Member of Parliament, war hero and heir apparent to Prime Minister Winston Churchill- is killed, Miss Marple sets about to solve the case. Trevelyan has made his fortune many years before in Egypt having secretly uncovered a lost tomb. He is killed during a major snowstorm when there are no police available. There are several possible suspects including Trevelyan's ward, James Pearson and his fiancée Emily Trefusis; his political agent, John Enderby; a journalist Charles Burnaby; a visiting American Martin Zimmerman; and several other apparently disinterested parties. A convict has also escaped from Dartmoor prison. Miss Marple concludes that Trevalyan's murder is related to his days in Egypt and sets about to identify the murderer.

Season Three (2007-09) Dan Zeff 23 September 2007 Miss Marple finds herself on a bit of a holiday and staying at the very posh Bertram's Hotel, where she stayed as a child and for which she has very fond memories. Things take a sinister turn when a hotel maid, Tilly Rice, is found strangled on the roof. Miss Marple can't help but investigate but is assisted by Jane Cooper, also a hotel maid, who is in fact a younger version of Miss Marple. When an attempt is made on the life of a hotel guest, Elvira Blake the two Janes work together to find the motive and the identity of the killer. 10 Moira Armstrong 30 September 2007 Miss Marple is invited to the wedding of a friend, but the gaieties are interrupted when a stranger arrives; he provides the missing evidence which proves that the black sheep of the family, Jacko, was wrongfully hanged for murder. This raises the question of who in the household did kill the cold-hearted mistress of the house two years previously. As usual, Miss Marple is needed to uncover the hatred, jealousy, lust etc.

behind the family's facade and sort out the threads of the mystery. 11 David Grindley & Nicolas Winding Refn 3 August 2008 Miss Marple is visiting an old school friend, Lady Camilla Tressilian, along with an eclectic group: Neville Strange and his wife Kay, his former wife Audrey and her childhood friend and cousin Thomas Royde, Ted Latimer (who is something of a gigolo and very attracted to Kay Strange) and finally Freddie Treves, a retired solicitor. When Treves is found dead the day after a dinner party at Lady Tressilian's home and Lady Tressilian herself is found bludgeoned to death a short time later, Miss Marple must sort through the complex set of relationships among all the players, and determine what role the tale of a child's crime may have had to play in the deaths. 12 Nicolas Winding Refn 1 January 2009 Miss Marple is called upon to solve her most perplexing case yet. Upon his death, financier John Rafiel asks her to solve a murder. Only problem is that the murder may or may not have place as yet and the victim is unknown.

All that he has given her is two tickets on the Daffodil Tour Company's Mystery Tour. It soon becomes obvious that others on the tour were also "selected" by Mr. Rafiel. Jane Marple, assisted by her nephew Raymond West, concludes that the case must be related to that of Verity Hunt, a young woman who in 1939 was running away from an overattentive landlord and eventually disappeared. When a member of the tour dies mysteriously, she also realizes that someone is desperate to keep a deep, dark secret. Season Four (2009-10) "A Pocket Full of Rye" Kevin Elyot Charlie Palmer 6 September 2009 When Rex Fortescue 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, 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, 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. 14 Hettie Macdonald 13 June 2009 While traveling on a train to London, Miss Marple is told by a woman she has never met, Lavinia Pinkerton, that she is certain there have been two murders in her village of Wychwood. When Lavinia dies in what is purported to be an accident - she fell, or was pushed, down the escalator in a tube station - Miss Marple decides to visit Wychwood and see what she can find. As Miss Marple is apt to say, one English village is like another and Wychwood has its secrets like any other.

The first woman to die was Florie Gibbs who, despite being experienced in such things, supposedly ate poison mushrooms she picked herself. The second was the local vicar who failed to wear his mask when using poison near his beehives. The third is a young woman who, it is said, accidentally drank hat dye instead of her cough medicine. Miss Marple finds a clue that points to a motive with origins many years before and a secret someone will do anything, including murder, to keep hidden. 15 "They Do It With Mirrors" Paul Rutman Andy Wilson 1 January 2010 Miss Marple is requested to help her old friend Carrie-Louise, the loving wife of benign philanthropist Lewis Serrocold. Carrie-Louise is slowly poisoned by an unknown hand,and her husband and her sister Ruth want absolutely to save her from this dark menace. 16 "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" Patrick Barlow Nicholas Renton 15 June 2010 While visiting her friend Marjorie Attfield, Miss Marple learns that her son Bobby had recently found a body, identified as a Mr. Pritchard, on the cliff side.

He's received a letter asking him to appear at the enquiry but it seems to be a wild goose chase meant to keep him away from the real enquiry taking place elsewhere. Now accompanied by a friend, Frankie Derwent, they trace the dead man to nearby Castle Savage, home to a dysfunctional family with great deal of money. The family patriarch, Jack Savage, had died not long ago and the dead man had some connection to the Savages. But what is the key to solving the mystery of Pritchard's last words to Bobby as he lay dying: "Why didn't they ask Evans?" Season Five (2010-11) Andy Hay 30 August 2010 Miss Marple is shocked when she receives a note from an old friend, Father Gorman, only to read in the newspaper the very same day that he was murdered. He had attended a dying woman, Mrs. Davis, who died the previous evening and it was while he was on his way home that he was apparently attacked. The police have put it down to a mugging but the letter Miss Marple received from him intrigues her: a list of surnames and a quote from the bible.

The policeman in charge of the case, Inspector Lejeune is skeptical about it all being a murder but when Miss Marple inspects Mrs. Davis' rooms, she finds an identical list to that sent to her by Father Gorman and also a reference to the Pale Horse Inn in Much Deeping, Hampshire. She soon checks into the inn and pursues her own investigation. 18 John Strickland 27 December 2010 Miss Marple finds herself spending the weekend at Chimneys, the stately home of Lord Caterham whose late wife was her cousin. The weekend has something of a diplomatic air to it as the Austrian Count Ludwig von Stainach is also there to negotiate a trade agreement with the British that will give it access to iron ore. Chimneys was once the 'in' place to be for a fancy weekend but over many years, it has become somewhat run-down. Except for a maid who disappeared with a valuable diamond in the 1920s, not much of note has happened there for a long time. Everyone is surprised when Count von Stainach says that in addition to signing the trade agreement, he also wants to purchase Chimneys.

Lord Caterham's eldest daughter Bundle is dead set set against the idea but it all takes a very serious turn when the Count is found murdered. There are several suspects and another member of the household will die before Miss Marple solves the crime. 19 David Moore 29 December 2010 While visiting her friend Dermot in Little Ambrose, Miss Marple is drawn into investigating the death of Eddie Seward, whom she'd met on the bus and who is found having apparently drowned in the river.Within a few days however, there is a second suspicious death, that of Mary Pritchard who seems to have died from fright. She was disliked by many and had recently caused a scene when her husband George was inaugurated as the Captain of the local golf club. Even Dermot disliked her as did her sister Philippa, who was once engaged to George, whom she described as the love of her life. Phillipa ended up marrying George's brother, Lewis Pritchard, and they are constantly having money problems. A third death - this time one of George Pritchard's former mistresses - convinces Inspector Somerset that George, who conveniently confesses, is the murderer. Miss Marple thinks otherwise and sets out to prove it.

20 "The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side" Kevin Elyot Tom Shankland 2 January 2011 Hollywood star Marina Gregg leaves Los Angeles for the picturesque countryside of St Mary Mead. Having taken up residence at Gossington Hall with her dashing young English husband, film director Jason Rudd, his secretary, Ella Blunt and Marina's exclusive personal assistant, Hailey Preston, it's not long before she becomes lady of the manor. When the glamorous couple decide to throw a benefit for the St John Ambulance, the grounds are abuzz with curious locals including previous owner of Gossington Hall, Dolly Bantry. But when a local fan, Heather Badcock consumes a poisoned daiquiri, Marina finds herself starring in a real-life mystery - supported by Miss Marple and Inspector Hewitt, who suspect that the lethal cocktail was intended for someone else. But who? Season Six (2013) Charlie Palmer 16 June 2013 After a period of ill health, Miss Marple leaves St. Mary Mead for the tropical Caribbean paradise of St. Honoré, where an English couple - Tim and Molly Kendall - run a quaint little resort called the Golden Palms.

Among the many guests, which include the innocuous Hillingdons, their unseemly American friends the Dysons, and gruff business tycoon Jason Rafiel, is garrulous Major Palgrave, who is friendly to all - much to everyone's chagrin. When Palgrave launches into his infamous storytelling routine one evening, only Miss Marple takes enough interest to listen. Talk quickly turns to murder, and Palgrave coyly asks her if she'd like to see a photograph of a serial killer. But before he can pull it out, he sees something - or someone - and quickly changes the subject. After a night of excessive drink and entertainment, including a voodoo show, Palgrave is found dead in his room the next morning - the cause of death being a heart attack. Sensing his death is no coincidence, Miss Marple takes it upon herself to unravel the secrets of the guests of St. Honoré, intent on finding the one person with a secret worth killing for. But more victims will be claimed, and one suspect will slowly lose their grip on sanity altogether before this Caribbean mystery will be solved.

22 Sarah Harding 23 June 2013 When old family friend Louisa Oxley visits Miss Marple one stormy night seeking help, Miss Marple decides to send her and her son, Archie, to safety at the labyrinthine estate of Greenshaw's Folly, owned by Miss Marple's good friend Katherine Greenshaw, an eccentric botanist and the last surviving Greenshaw. Louisa becomes Miss Greenshaw's secretary, and quickly attracts the attention of the gardener Alfred Pollock and actor Nat Fletcher. Things turn sinister when the Folly's faithful butler, Walter Cracken, is killed in what appears to be a tragic accident. Then a guest at the house, Horace Bindler, disappears without a trace. Miss Marple is convinced all is unwell, and her suspicions are confirmed when Miss Greenshaw herself is brutally murdered. Suspects are everywhere, but none can imagine the secrets, both past and present, which Miss Marple uncovers. 22 David Moore 29 December 2013 Miss Marple is in Kingston Bishop staying with her recently widowed friend Marjorie Philpot. There she meets a handsome man, Mike Rogers.

Mike hasn't done much with his life so far - he was working as a chauffeur when they first meet and later, as a barman. If Mike had his way he'd buy a piece of property that's on the market, known as Gypsy's Acre, and build a new house on the site. He's skint of course and it all seems impossible until he meets Ellie, who has also fallen in love with the property. Ellie is a rich heiress and they soon fall in love. They are warned however that the land is cursed and once into their new house, it becomes apparent that someone is trying to scare them off. When someone is killed in a apparent riding accident, Miss Marple believes it to be. Differences to novels Edit The episodes of the series have some differences compared to the novels of Agatha Christie.

In the first episode, adapted from The Body in the Library , the identity of one of the killers is changed the identity and a lesbian affair is introduced in the plot: The Murder at the vicarage examines Miss Marple's past life, introducing a deceased husband; in the third episode, 4.50 from Paddington , the motive for the murder is changed and in the fourth episode, A Murder Is Announced , numerous characters were deleted and a lesbian subplot that was not present in the novel is added. From the second season, some of the episodes were also adapted from novels in which the character of Miss Marple is not present. They are: By the pricking of my thumbs , The Sittaford mistery , Toward zero , Ordeal by Innocence , Murder is Easy , Why didn't they ask Evans?, The Pale Horse and The Secret of Chimneys . A Murder Is Announced Edit The vicar Julian Harmon and his wife Diane, with whom Miss Marple stays are not present in the episode and Miss Marple stays in the home of Miss Murgatroyd, who has become in this version the daughter of an old friend. The character of Mrs. Easterbrook is not present.

The Colonel is a divorced alcoholic expelled from the army. Mrs. Swettenham is a single mother trying to convince Colonel Easterbrook to marry her; his son, Edmund, is not keen to see the thing. The love story between Edmund and Philippa has been eliminated. Hinch and Murgatroyd, unlike the novel, are two young lesbian women. Patrick and "Julia" (Emma) are much more intimate than it appears in the novel. Inspector Craddock is impatient and much more aggressive. When Miss Murgatroyd is killed, both Hinch and Miss Marple are a few steps from her. It is difficult to think that neither of them saw anything; in the novel, however, when she is killed, Murgatroyd is alone and there's nobody else in the house. Miss Blacklock doesn't try to kill Mitzi, but on the contrary, is Mitzi that tries to kill Miss Blacklock. When it is discovered that Miss Blacklock is the murderer, the ghost of Dora Bunner enters the room (not seen by anyone apart from Miss Marple and Miss Blacklock). The episode ends with the death of Belle Goedler, which did not occur in the novel.

The Moving Finger Edit The company of itinerant artists "The FunnyBones" does not exist in the novel. Raymond and Joan West, the grandchildren of Miss Marple that invite Gwenda in London, are absent in the episode. In episode Gwenda remembers the murder of Helen after witnessing the death of the Duchess of Amalfi in the tragedy represented in theater. In the novel is a line spoken by an actor of the play to bring back the memory. In the episode Dr. Kennedy is the brother of Gwenda's mother, while in the novel is the half-brother of Helen. In the episode, the name of Gwenda's mother is Claire while in the novel is Megan. Helen Marsden is actually Gwenda's mother, who is pretending dead and assumed a new identity to escape the Indian police since she was a jewel thief. In the novel, this is not present. In episode Giles is Gwenda's fiancée and is never seen on screen, just heard on the phone. Also at the end of the episode she leaves him and becomes engaged to Hugh. In the novel Giles is Gwenda's husband and is present in the story. In the episode Dr.

Kennedy does not try to kill Gwenda as happens in the novel and does not seem to to be mad. In the episode Dr. Kennedy kills Kelvin Halliday throwing it off the cliff. In the novel Kelvin Halliday is drugged by the doctor and then locked up in hospital. In the episode the body of Helen / Claire was buried under a tree in the garden while in the novel he was buried in the garden under the steps of a ladder. By the Pricking of My Thumbs The 10 Best Movies Based on The Works of Agatha Christie « Taste of Cinema - Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists 17 August 2015 | Features , Film Lists | by Ryan Anderson The Queen of Suspense! Dame Agatha Christie is the best selling novelist of all time, according to The Guinness Book of World Records. She has sold roughly 2 billions copies of her work, and her estate claims her works come in 3rd for most-widely published books, behind only the works of William Shakespeare and The Bible. She is also the most translated author with her works being translated in 103 languages.

On top of that, her play The Mousetrap has been running on The West End for over 50 years. The film world came knocking and Dame Christie answered. Her works have been adapted for the screen since the the late 1920s to varying degrees of success. From masterpieces to movies that shouldn’t have been made, Christie’s work had touched thousands of readers and viewers. These are some of the best movies based on her work. 1. Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Cited as one of, if not the best adaptations of Agatha Christie’s works and one of the best courtroom dramas ever, Witness for the Prosecution is based on the short story (and later play) by the author. The film stars Tyrone Power (in his last film role), Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Laughton, and features Elsa Lanchester. Directed by Billy Wilder, the film follows Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), who is being accused for murder of a wealthy woman. Legendary lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) has chosen to represent him.

His alibi rests in the hands of his callous wife (Marlene Dietrich), who, through a legal loophole, appears in court against him. This is just the first of many twists and turns faced by the defense. At the end of the film, much like the conclusion of The Mousetrap, the longest running play ever, written by Agatha Christie, the establishment asked for secrecy on the ending of the film. A voice-over came on over the ending credits and said: “The management of this theatre suggests that for the greater entertainment of your friends who have not yet seen the picture, you will not divulge, to anyone, the secret of the ending of Witness for the Prosecution.” Witness for the Prosecution has received extreme positive reviews and was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Actor in Leading Role, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture. It is also considered one of the best courtroom dramas of all time, ranking 6th on the American Film Institute List of best courtroom dramas. 2. Murder on the Orient Express (1974) An adaptation that even Christie herself enjoyed, Murder on the Orient Express, based on the novel of the same name, is a star-studded romp.

Featuring Albert Finney as one of Christie’s most popular characters Detective Hercules Poirot, the cast also includes Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, and in an Academy Award winning performance, Ingrid Bergman, and that’s to name a few. Aboard the Orient Express, Detective Poirot and his friend Monsieur Bianchi, a train company director must find out who murdered the American business tycoon Mr. Rachett. Agatha Christie had expressed much disappointment over the adaptations of her work and was unwilling to sell any more film rights. According to Christie’s husband, she begrudgingly accepted the offer from producer John Bradbourne and chairman of EMI films Nat Cohen. She went on to say that the film was well made, except for one mistake. Having Albert Finney play Detective Poirot. Finney earned one of the film’s six Oscar nominations. 3. Murder, She Said (1961) The first of the Miss Marple films made by director George Pollock, he went on to make three more, Murder, She Said was loosely adapted from Christie’s novel 4.50 from Paddington.

Margaret Rutherford portrayed the famous amatuer sleuth Miss Marple for this film and its sequels. In the film, Miss Marple witnesses a woman being strangled on a train that is overtaking hers. The local police can find no evidence to support her story, so she conducts her own investigation and comes to the conclusion that the body must be on the grounds of Ackenthorpe Hall, which adjoins the railway line. This is where her real investigation begins. There are several differences between the film and the novel from whence it came. In the story, Miss Marple’s elderly friend Elspeth McGillicuddy witnesses the murder. In the story, a young acquaintance of Miss Marple becomes a maid at the Ackenthorpe residence in order to investigate, instead of Miss Marple herself in the film. Rutherford’s interpretation was quite different from the languid, passive depiction of Miss Marple in the novel. Despite Christie’s dislike of the adaptation, the film has received positive reviews and was successful financially. 4.

Death on the Nile (1978) Based on the novel by the same name and shot in Egypt, Death on the Nile, followed a similar formula to Murder on the Orient Express from four years prior and featured an all star cast. The film was directed John Guillermin and adapted by Anthony Shaffer. Peter Ustinov stepped in to play Detective Hercules Poirot, a role he would play five more times. On a luxurious cruise on the Nile River, a wealthy heiress is murdered. Poirot and his trusted companion, Colonel Race are there to investigate. However, as Poirot and Race get closer to finding the killer, several of the suspects meet their demise, deepening the mystery. Featuring a massive cast including the likes of Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and George Kennedy, Death on the Nile faced plenty of production difficulties. The temperatures reached 130 degrees fahrenheit and the crew had no hotel reservations. However, the overall atmosphere of the set was a generous one. Death on the Nile has received generally positive critical response and won an Academy Award for its costume design. 5.

And Then There Were None (1945) This Christie masterpiece has been filmed a number of times, but this one is considered the best. The film changes certain characters’ names and backstories to accompany the tough censorship at the time. The film also adheres to the ending of the stage play instead of the novel. The cast includes Barry Fitzgerald, Judith Anderson, Walter Huston among others as people stranded on an island. The 10 strangers are summoned to a remote island. While waiting for their host, a mysterious recording levels accusations at each of the guests. Soon, they start getting murdered, one by one, and they realize that one of them must be the killer. This adaptation of the novel takes fewer liberties than other takes on the book. However, the ending is radically altered. This film, like all Western versions, changes the ending to be more upbeat. Another change is the title. Christie’s original title was Ten Little Niggers and then changed to Ten Little Indians, a title it is often known as today. In some countries, like the U.K and Australia, the novel title was changed to And Then There Were None, so the film’s title was changed as well.

Miss Marple by Readers Gazette The Murder at the Vicarage With seven suspects and two confessions and a despised victim, Miss Marple has her work cut out to discover the real killer. Colonel Protheroe is found shot in the head at the Vicar’s study and with the Vicar also commenting he would of happily killed the man he is one of the suspects as well as being the narrator of this story. In this book, Miss Marple is a gossip and not an especially nice woman. The other villagers while liking her are often tired by her nosy nature and how she seems to expect the worst of everyone. In later books she becomes a much kinder person. The Body in the Library An unknown corpse found in Colonel Arthur Bantry's library, Dolly Bantry's reaction on seeing the body of a beautiful, but very dead, blonde in her library is to immediately call for her friend Jane Marple. The police identify the girl as Ruby Keene, a dance hostess. She was reported missing by elderly invalid Conway Jefferson who, fond of Ruby, planned to adopt her - much against his family's wishes.

When the body of another dead girl turns up, Miss Marple, with her incredible eye for spotting the clues that others overlook. The investigation leads to the Majestic Hotel in nearby Danemouth, where an odd assortment of guests seem to have something to hide. But shrewd Miss Marple needs all her experience to unravel the mystery – before the killer strikes again! The Moving Finger Lymstock is a town with more than its share of shameful secrets – a town where even a sudden outbreak of anonymous hate-mail causes only a minor stir. But all that changes when one of the recipients, Mrs Symmington, commits suicide. Her final note said ‘I can’t go on’. Scotland Yard sends an investigator, who comes to the conclusion that the letter-writer/murderer is a middle-aged woman who must be one of the prominent citizens of Lymstock. Progress is slow until the vicar's wife calls up an expert of her own, Miss Marple. Only Miss Marple questions the coroner’s verdict of suicide. Was this the work of a poison-pen? Or of a poisoner?

A Murder is Announced The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Miss Marple, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: ‘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 hoax intended to scare poor Letitia Blacklock? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out... They Do It With Mirrors Miss Marple senses danger when she visits a friend living in a Victorian mansion which doubles as a rehabilitation centre for delinquents. Her fears are confirmed when a youth fires a revolver at the administrator, Lewis Serrocold. Neither is injured. But a mysterious visitor, Mr Gulbrandsen, is less fortunate – shot dead simultaneously in another part of the building. Pure coincidence? Miss Marple thinks not, and vows to discover the real reason for Mr Gulbrandsen's visit.

A Pocket Full of Rye A handful of grain is found in the pocket of a murdered businessman… Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his ‘counting house’ when he suffered an agonising and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals. Yet, it was the incident in the parlour which confirmed Jane Marple’s suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme… The next to be murdered is a maid named Gladys with whom Miss Marple was acquainted. She knew Gladys to be romantic and gullible. The other maid, Ellen, was hanging out the washing when she found Glady's body all mangled up in the clothes line with a peg on her nose. It seems someone is murdering to the theme of Sing A Song Of Sixpence... 4.50 from Paddington or What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw! Elspeth McGillicuddy is not a woman usually given to hallucinations.

But when she witnesses what appears to be a woman being strangled on a train and no one else sees it, no one reports it and no corpse is found she turns to her old friend Jane Marple to help solve the puzzle. Miss Marple asks her highly efficient and intelligent young acquaintance Lucy Eyelesbarrow, to infiltrate the Crackenthorpe family, who seem to be at the heart of the mystery, and help unmask a murderer. The story is centered around the Crackenthorpe family who live at Rutherford Hall. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side There is great interest in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead when the residents learn that Marina Gregg, the famous actress, has bought Gossington Hall. And when she throws the Hall open for a fête no-one is more excited than homely Heather Badcock who met the actress years before. But Heather’s visit to Gossington Hall ends in her sudden death. Why would anyone want to kill this unassuming woman? It falls to Inspector Craddock to enlist the help of his aunt, the astute Jane Marple, to solve this perplexing case. One minute, silly Heather Badcock had been gabbling on at her movie idol, the glamorous Marina Gregg.

The next, Heather suffered a massive seizure. But for whom was the deadly poison really intended? Marina's frozen expression suggested she had witnessed something horrific. But, while others searched for material evidence, Miss Marple conducted a very different investigation – into human nature. A Caribbean Mystery As Miss Marple sat basking in the Caribbean sunshine she felt mildly discontented with life. True, the warmth eased her rheumatism, but here in paradise nothing ever 'happened'. Eventually, her interest was aroused by an old soldier’s yarn told by Major Palgrave who asked her if she would like to see a photograph of a murderer. There once was a man who had a wife who tried to hang herself, but failed. Then she tried again later, and succeeded in killing herself, he then had a wife that tried to gas herself... Infuriatingly, just as he was about to show her the astonishing photograph, the Major’s attention wandered. He never did finished the story as the next day he was found dead in his room of a possible heart attack.

At Bertram's Hotel An old-fashioned London Hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out… When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer. Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day. One of the guests is the oft-married Lady Bess Sedgwick, who seems to be very friendly with racing driver Ladislaus Malinowski. Bess’s estranged daughter Elvira is also staying at Bertram’s and it seems that she too knows Ladislaus rather well. Where does the rather vague Canon Pennyfather fit in with these glamorous people and why was he abducted? With her customary wisdom; Jane Marple pulls together the strands of this strange puzzle. Nemesis Summoned by the soliciters of financier Rafiel after the old man's death, Miss Marple is asked to investigate a bizarre and unidentified crime of which Rafiel has warned them of from the grave.

In utter disbelief Miss Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr Rafiel -- an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. Recognising in Miss Marple a natural flair for justice, Mr Rafiel had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was, he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. Miss Marple's first clue is a tour of famous houses and gardens of Great Britain, arranged for her by Mr. Rafiel prior to his death. She is accompanied on the trip by fourteen other people, were they invited by the dead Mr. Rafiel too...

Question: The film 'Murder, She Said' is based on which Agatha Christie book in which 'Miss Marple' witnesses a passenger on a train being strangled?
Answer: '4.50 FROM PADDINGTON'