Agatha Christie Marple: The Blue Geranium (2010)

A cruel, superstitious woman dies of apparent fright after her fate is foretold by a medium. Miss Marple, however, is convinced of foul play when another death occurs.

Director:

David Moore

Writers:

Stewart Harcourt (screenplay), Agatha Christie (short story)

Stars:

Julia McKenzie, Sharon Small, Toby Stephens

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia McKenzie	...	Miss Marple
Sharon Small	...	Mary Pritchard
Toby Stephens	...	George Pritchard
Claudie Blakley	...	Philippa Pritchard
Joanna Page	...	Hester
Claire Rushbrook	...	Caroline
Ian East	...	John the gardener
Kevin McNally	...	Detective Somerset (as Kevin R. McNally)
Richard Betts	...	Clerk of the Court
Derek Hutchinson	...	Concierge
Donald Sinden	...	Sir Henry Clithering
Jason Durr	...	Eddie Seward
David Calder	...	Dermot
Paul Rhys	...	Lewis Pritchard
Patrick Baladi	...	Jonathan Frayn

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

murder mystery

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 June 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie: Marple - The Blue Geranium

Filming Locations:

Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, WGBH Boston, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original story can be found in 'The 13 Problems', a collection of short stories told at Miss Marple's home by her companions and solved by Miss Marple on the spot.

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Goofs

When Goerge and Jerry are outside arguing about George always supporting Jerry, a long shot shows a car pull up from the left. When the camera cuts back to George, the car is in the background facing the other direction. It then returns to its original position in the next shot.

User Reviews

Harcourt is the best!!!!

A frightfully good adaptation of a Marple short story,uncannily creepy and faithful to the source,despite the very huge padding.Harcourt is becoming the better writer of the series,and his match of wits with Kevin Elyot is more interesting than a football cup. Personally,I consider this Geranium and A Murder is Announced the two better episodes of the whole series,but Geranium is a more successful task,and a more difficult one,because it was based on a very short tale,a very surprising and pleasant one,but with a very stark material for a quite longish TV movie.It's the first time that the padding of a short story has not destroyed completely the original tale:even TR Bowen failed with the absolutely abominable Bachelor in the Jeremy Brett series.Certainly ITV is winning the best laurels with creeper,darker and psychological stories.They simply don't have the lighter,funnier string.But when they are dark and grim and spooky they are really great (and it's very promising for Pale Horse,pity it's not an Harcourt or an Elyot!). The actors were simply perfect. Julia McKenzie is now perfectly confident in Marple's sensible shoes:if they give to her a good script,like this one or Mirror Crack'd or They Do It With Mirrors she's a real stunner.The fault in past episodes was not hers,and we must put the blame absolutely on the unfortunate, unpleasant and unfaithful plots. Sharon Small is pathetic but never ludicrous in her role of a neurotic ,bedridden woman.Toby Stephens is very possibly now the best English leading actor,and he would have been perfect in an Hitchcock movie.Claudie Blakley shines in her role of Phillipa,the overanxious sister of the deceased,Ms.Rushbrook is a very good Christiean nurse ,and she could have been tending Laura Welman in Sad Cypress.Jason Durr is a wondrous loony in the Edgar Lawson's vein.David Calder and Donald Sinden,two old battle-horses are winning their battle for the umpteenth time.And the village,with its eerie Seven Sins fresco is a malignant marvel of murderous merriment.This episode and the two Mirrors are the perfect models for a perfect Marple episode.This is the correct garden path for a long and highly pleasant series.