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36 out of 41 people found the following comment useful :-
One word: amazing., 7 December 2008
10/10
Author: tml_pohlak_13 from Canada

Julia Mackenzie replaces Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple in a series that has gained notoriety because of their vast changes to Agatha Christie's original novels. "A Pocket Full of Rye" continues the series (it is not a reboot).

Happily, Kevin Elyot was on board for the first episode of this new series. Elyot is a reliable screenwriter, who manages to stay very faithful to the original book. That being said, I was able enjoy a reasonably close rendition of the book on screen.

This episode was a good start for Julia Mackenzie. I am one of the few who enjoyed McEwan in the role, although I am first to admit she was not the Miss Marple from the books.Surprisingly, Mackenzie's portrayal I enjoyed much more, and is much closer to the Miss Marple of the books.

"A Pocket Full of Rye" is a good start for Mackenzie, and hopefully helps return the series to the books. I am certainly looking forward to seeing her in future films.

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Loved Julia McKenzie as the new Miss Marple, 14 July 2009
8/10
Author: cloeso9 from Shreveport LA

I thought nothing could replace the superior work done by Joan Hickson, as my favorite Christie character of Miss Marple. But Julia McKenzie does a pretty good job of it. I thoroughly enjoyed "Pocketful of Rye," and loved seeing my Miss Marple as Christie meant her to be. The story also is very close to Christie's writing, down to the ending. No more cutesy background music, and garish colored backgrounds either. This Miss Marple is down to earth and I'm the more happier for it! If I had one complaint to make, it's the annoying close-up's of the actors faces! At least they've given up twisting the camera at nauseating angles like the previous seasons, but we really don't need to see that much FACE. I could actually see every wrinkle, and even veins in their eyeballs. I hope that the series with Julia McKenzie will continue. Most of the better Miss Marple stories have been done in the first three seasons and they were very poorly done in my opinion. But I am a Marple fan so I'll be checking out future episodes.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Julia McKenzie Terrific in Pocketful of Rye, 27 July 2009
10/10
Author: hamnh from United States

I truly enjoyed Julia McKenzie's first role as Miss Marple! Not only does she carry the role very well, but the story is true to Agatha Christie's book, down to the very end. I've had difficulty accepting the changes to Christie's works, some of them in this new series being absolutely dreadful. But I've come to terms with it and have enjoyed most of them. If they must make such radical changes to Christie's stories, I hope they at least keep good actors like McKenzie around. With "Pocketful of Rye," there were more views of the English countryside and less garish colors and background music as in the past. These are very good improvements indeed.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Julia McKenzie shines in "Pocketful of Rye", 28 July 2009
10/10
Author: TammyServo from United States

Julia McKenzie makes her debut as Miss Marple in a finely tuned Agatha Christie story. Not only is McKenzie very good as the village amateur sleuth, but the story is terrific and a close adaptation to the original book. I noticed some recognizable faces including Matthew Macfayden (MI-5), as the Inspector. Although I recognized the name, I had to double-check that it was actually the late Wendy Richards (Are you Being Served?) as Mrs. Crump. McKenzie makes a more intellectual, sympathetic and serious Miss Marple in her tailored suit and sensible shoes. I've read almost all of Christie's books in the past few years and think she's perfectly fine in the role, if not a tad youngish. I'm looking forward to the next episodes. From the previews there will be the usual non-Marple stories in the mix, but I've learned to keep an open mind.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Best to date...but could have been better., 13 September 2009
7/10
Author: benbrae76

The producers of "Marple" for some quirky reason that only they know of, came to their senses with this adaptation. Was the only reason this happened because it was Julia McKenzie's first outing as Miss Marple? I can't imagine that they finally realised that Dame Agatha knew best after all.

This was a faithful and a reasonably good adaptation of her novel, and after severely denigrating most of the other episodes of "Marple" stated (falsely in my opinion) to have been based on Agatha Christie's works, it's a pleasure for me to actually commend at least one of them. One can only wonder why Agatha Christie's other works (including the later "adaptations" starring Julia McKenzie) weren't treated with the same respect?

One query, and I'm by no means a prude...why was a totally irreverent and irrelevant 10 second panting sex scene included? Definitely not a Christie idea. Have such crude scenes become an essential factor in the modern era of film-making?

For that silly scene I must deduct a point, another point deducted for a somewhat stodgy over-all production, and yet one more deducted as I'm of the opinion that Julia McKenzie is a little too young and a tad too forceful for the role. Otherwise I would have awarded ten points. This episode and "A Murder is Announced" are by far the best of the episodes in the entire series, because only in those two, was the genius of Agatha Christie not abused.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Solid first outing for McKenzie, 7 September 2009
7/10
Author: Iain-215 from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

In this her debut performance as Miss Marple, I thought that Julia McKenzie did a very good job. Her Marple seems kindly, intelligent and respectful. I did grow to like Geraldine McEwan in the role but I think (on this showing) that I will prefer McKenzie's portrayal - McEwan often overdid the 'mischief'.

Kevin Elyot gives us a very faithful version of the book - perhaps TOO faithful! This may seen an odd thing to say in these days of wild plot changes but there are a lot of characters in this novel and arguably too many to fit in to a two hour (with commercial breaks) time slot. The Joan Hickson version of some years ago (of which I am very fond) cut the characters of Elaine and Gerald and I can't say that their inclusion in this new version really added anything. Because of the sheer number of characters few of them come to convincing life. McFadyen is good as the rather clipped and correct Inspector Neele and I also thought Rupert Graves made a suitably personable Lance. Among the women I liked Helen Baxendale as Mary Dove and Liz White as a rather edgy Jennifer and Wendy Richard's cameo as crusty Mrs Crump but none of them were as good as their counterparts for Hickson.

The first hour is played for gentle laughs and then becomes a little more serious when Miss Marple arrives on the scene. It was enjoyable but just a little dull but McKenzie was good and I look forward to seeing her again.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Hugely enjoyable Agatha Christie mystery!, 7 September 2009
10/10
Author: Bethany_Cox25 from United Kingdom

A Pocket Full of Rye was hugely enjoyable, and a definitive improvement over the other recent Marples with Geraldine McEwan. I will admit I was worried, after how poorly Nemesis and Sleeping Murder were adapted. Julia McKenzie, though she could have done with more screen time, was terrific as Jane Marple. While Joan Hickson is the definitive Marple, MacKenzie fitted the part much better than Geraldine McEwan. When I picture Miss Marple I picture a wise and clever woman, exactly how Joan Hickson portrayed her, and MacKenzie actually manged to stay true to the character of the books too. As for the adaptation itself, I admit I haven't read the book, it was beautifully filmed, and the music was good too. The acting is very fine, from Kenneth Cranham, Prunella Scales, Rupert Graves to the late Wendy Richard, and are careful not to overshadow MacKenzie as she clearly enjoys herself here, and as the series develops as I do hope it will, she will develop too. The story is very clever, and the final solution with a couple of red herrings along the way, is very unpredictable, I was left gob smacked when I found out who the murderer really was. And I never realised Sing A Song Of Sixpence had such an ominous feel to it, and it ws put to good use here. All in all, hugely enjoyable, and a definitive improvement on the Geraldine McEwan outings. 10/10 Bethany Cox

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Solid murder mystery that holds a tone consistently well and is inoffensive without being bland or dull, 15 September 2009
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

When successful businessman Rex Fortescue is poisoned at his desk it appears to Inspector Neele that he has plenty of suspects to work with. Rex's much younger wife is in line to inherit his fortune. Of his children, Percival felt trapped below him in the business, Lance had a falling out with him and moved to East Africa while his daughter is clearly relieved that her father is dead. Things become more complex when Gladys the maid is also murdered – bringing in the attention of Miss Marple, former employee of Gladys.

I shall leave it for others much better read than I to debate how "faithful" this film is to the source material because, to be blunt, I don't care. If I want something that is accurate and faithful to the book then I shall read the book – not watch an adapted version of the book, what I am looking for from the film is that it works, that it intrigues, that it entertains, that it thrills – really whatever it is trying to do, I hope it does it and that I like it, simple as. I was not so taken by previous ITV Marple films even if some of them did have light entertainment qualities that I appreciated, so I saw the new casting of Marple as a "reboot" of sorts for the series.

In a way this is the case because A Pocket Full of Rye seems more interesting in the mystery and less interested in being camp and gaudy in the way the other films often did. So although we had some flamboyant touches and some "big" names in supporting roles, it never felt daft and these qualities were never overdone to the detriment of the film. So, in theory what it delivers is a solid piece of Sunday night drama. The mystery is not really open to the viewer to solve but it has enough going on in it so I was happy to follow along with Marple and the Inspector as they went about their business. It never gripped me but I was reasonably interested in it throughout and, as a basic approach to these next few films, it does offer me hope that they will be more reliable and sturdy as films.

I cannot say the same for McKenzie though because although she didn't fill me with dread, she didn't give me much to be hopeful about either. Her take on Marple doesn't appear to be fit in anywhere. We've had versions that go the "batty, flamboyant" route, others that are harsher/sharper and others that are a bit colourful and dithery. Again, not looking for brand loyalty, I'm happy to judge each as they come on their own merits but with McKenzie it wasn't clear who she was trying to make her character as she just came over quite ordinary and bland – certainly all I took away from her role as Marple is the comfort that, should she ever be unavailable to finish a film mid-shoot then we can just get Jim Broadbent in drag (and to anyone who says she doesn't look identical to Broadbent clearly is confusing him with someone else). Maybe she was playing it safe though, looking for somewhere middle where she sacrifices making the role her own in favour of not upsetting everyone but she does benefit from a support cast who also do the "solid but not showy" direction. I liked Macfadyen's turn as the Inspector while Graves delivers a good character without ever being camp or ridiculous. Little, Baxendale, the late Wendy Richards, Madeley, Haddock and others all match this as well and I thought the cast were well directed in terms of the tone that the film was aiming for.

So nothing amazing but then it is not awful either. It is a solid murder mystery that holds a tone consistently well and is inoffensive without being bland or dull. I like this approach and will watch the remaining Marple films to see if they hold and build on this, but it must be said that on the basis of this first film, McKenzie's goal is to avoid upsetting anyone's vision of what Miss Marple should be by simply not doing anything in any specific direction.

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9 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
The actors, 6 July 2009
8/10
Author: Jay Vos (jamespvos) from United States

What I like about the current Marple series (now shown on PBS - this mystery was shown in America last night)...

Not only have most of the actors in these series of Christie mysteries had experience in rep theater in Britain, but the repeat use of some of the actors in the Poirot and Marple have become their own "Christie" rep group! I like that.

I have no criticism of using the different actors in the role of Jane Marple. These accomplished actors are giving their interpretations to what's become a mythic role in the Christie oeuvre. The each bring their theater background to the role and that's great!

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9 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
A new Miss Marple takes over from Geraldine McEwan..., 5 July 2009
6/10
Author: Neil Doyle from U.S.A.

Actually, I pictured an older woman as Miss Marple, but JULIA McKENZIE does nicely in the role of the sly sleuth who's always one step ahead of the detective on the case. She has a sympathetic, intelligent look that suits the role.

A POCKET FULL OF RYE is a nifty Agatha Christie story--always with those improbabilities lurking around every corner but cleverly disguised as satisfying enough to pass inspection. The use of the nursery rhyme theme is something Christie has done before, but seldom better than here. The revelation of the murderer, however, came as less than a surprise to me since the murderer, in this case, is the most logical suspect.

Well acted and staged, very faithful to the novel, it's a pleasure to watch. RUPERT GRAVES does a good job as one of the sons, as do the other British players with whom I'm unfamiliar.

Hopefully, this indicates the new series will stick more faithfully to the original--even though I see from the trailer that MURDER IS EASY has been turned into a Miss Marple story when she wasn't in the book at all. And that happens to be one of my favorite Marple stories.

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