A Murder Is Announced (1985) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

David Giles

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Alan Plater (dramatisation)

Release Date:

28 February 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A murder is announced in the Chipping Cleghorne Gazette to take place on October 5th, 7 PM at Little Paddocks cottage...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Miss Marple | House | Advertisement | Detective

Cast

Joan Hickson	...	Miss Jane Marple
Ursula Howells	...	Letitia Blacklock
Renée Asherson	...	Dora 'Bunny' Bunner
Samantha Bond	...	Julia Simmons
Simon Shepherd	...	Patrick Simmons
Nicola King	...	Phillipa Haymes
Elaine Ives-Cameron	...	Hannah the Cook
Ralph Michael	...	Colonel Archie Easterbrook
Sylvia Syms	...	Mrs. Laura Easterbrook
Matthew Solon	...	Edmund Swettenham
Mary Kerridge	...	Mrs. Swettenham
Joan Sims	...	Miss Amy Murgatroyd
Paola Dionisotti	...	Miss Midge Hinchcliffe
Vivienne Moore	...	Mrs. Bunch Harmon
David Collings	...	The Reverend Julian Harmon

Also Known As:

Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced (UK) (series title)

Runtime:

153 min | 159 min (DVD)

Country:

UK | USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardverikie estate, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Quotes:

Miss Lettie Blacklock: Is this your idea of a joke, Patrick?
Patrick Simmons: I can think of much better jokes than announcing a murder in the local rag!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Drama Connections: Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (#1.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Sing For Your Supper

One of the best of the BBC's Miss Marple series

Like Jack who commented before me here, I saw this show over Christmas on UKTV Drama. I had never seen the Joan Hickson adaptations before now and when I saw the recent ITV Marple's I was told to watch the old BBC adaptations as they are far superior, and they are.

I feel the ITV versions are almost played as farcical comedy whereas the BBC versions are more serious and are far more intriguing and allowing you to get involved in the mystery and none more so than in 'A Murder Is Announced'. I literally had no idea who the culprit was right up until the very end and it was certainly a complex mystery, but an excellent one.

This was originally shown over 3 nights in 1985 however I saw it all in one 3 hour viewing, yet it certainly did not feel like that at all. Joan Hickson is brilliant as Miss Marple. The Geraldine McEwan take on Miss Marple is almost amateurish in comparison. The supporting cast here, including Joan Sims, Kevin Whately and Samantha Bond are all excellent and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has not yet seen it.