Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle (2003) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Anthony Pullen Shaw

Writers (WGA):

Lyn Hamilton (novel)
Rosemary Anne Sisson (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

9 May 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Jessica Fletcher is off to solve another murder mystery, this time in Ireland.

Plot Keywords:

Telefilm | TV Series Reunion | Based On Novel

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Margaret Byrne
Sarah-Jane Potts	...	Breeta Byrne
Peter Donat	...	Eamon Byrne
Cyril O'Reilly	...	Paddy Whelen
Lynn Wanlass	...	Nora Flood
Timothy V. Murphy	...	Inspector O'Dwyer
Joe Michael Burke	...	Michael Davis
Andrew Connolly	...	Tom Molloy
Geraldine Hughes	...	Fiona Byrne
Helena Carroll	...	Kitty Murphy
Sean Lawlor	...	John Herlihy
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Denny (as W. Morgan Sheppard)
Gerry Gibson	...	Harry Ryan
Tegan West	...	Mr. McCafferty

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials) | Brazil:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Ireland

Company:

Corymore Productions

Trivia:

The way the testament was made was taken from The Last Gentleman (1934).

Goofs:

Factual errors: While the film is set in Ireland, the Garda (police) cars have Northern Irish registration plates (PIB XXX).

Movie Connections:

Follows "Murder, She Wrote" (1984)

The usual formula, but Lansbury is good as always

I was not a fan of the "Murder, She Wrote" TV series, but that was because I didn't know what I was missing, and I have enjoyed all the TV movies based on the series since it went off the air.

In Ireland, a group of people watches a video will. Jessica Fletcher is one of those witnessing the now-deceased man explaining how he wants his estate divided, because she made a difference in the man's life many years earlier. Certain members of the man's family do not get all that they feel entitled to, while some servants receive more than they probably should have. Jessica gets the Rose Cottage, though she doesn't really want it. That is just as well, because the man's will is challenged by certain members of the family. In addition, there is a mysterious treasure, and each person named in the will is given a sheet of paper with clues to finding the treasure.

While Jessica intends to return home quickly, she cannot leave after she witnesses a murder (or perhaps the aftermath of one). And someone warns her that she and others should watch out, because certain people cannot be trusted. In fact, Jessica is subjected to danger several times during the movie, but do you think the producers will let anything happen to the star? An additional complication: it appears someone has been embezzling from the family business.

Angela Lansbury makes Jessica charming, perceptive, intelligent, and quite likeable, as she has for years. No one else's performance really stands out, except for a storyteller who resembles a leprechaun. I was led to believe we were going to be sent in several different directions, but at no time did I ever feel I knew who the murderer might be (so I never was given false hope) until Jessica revealed his or her identity at the end. The process of seeing the mystery solved was quite enjoyable, though, as usual.