Murder She Said (1961)

When Miss Marple reports witnessing a murder through the window of a passing train, the police dismiss her as a dotty spinster when no trace of the crime can be found.

Director:

George Pollock

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), David D. Osborn (adaptation) (as David Osborn)

Stars:

Margaret Rutherford, Arthur Kennedy, Muriel Pavlow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Margaret Rutherford	...	Miss Marple
Arthur Kennedy	...	Dr. Quimper
Muriel Pavlow	...	Emma
James Robertson Justice	...	Ackenthorpe
Thorley Walters	...	Cedric
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell	...	Craddock (as Charles Tingwell)
Conrad Phillips	...	Harold
Ronald Howard	...	Eastley
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Kidder
Stringer Davis	...	Mr. Stringer
Ronnie Raymond	...	Alexander
Gerald Cross	...	Albert
Michael Golden	...	Hillman
Barbara Leake	...	Mrs. Helen Stainton
Gordon Harris	...	Bacon

Storyline

Old miss Marple is on a train ride when she witnesses a murder in a passing train. She reports it to the police but they won't believe her: since no body can be found there can't have been any murder, right? As always, she begins her own investigation. The murder was committed while passing Ackenthorpe Hall and miss Marple gets herself a job there, mixing cleaning and cooking with searching the house for clues.

---

Plot Keywords:

1960s | female protagonist | train | murder | miss marple | 

---

Taglines:

See the strange case of the strangler-killer on the night express!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's 'Murder, She Said'

Filming Locations:

Amerden Lane, Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), George H. Brown Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Miss Marple gives her address as Old Pasture Lane, Milchester. In reality the house was owned by John Mills in Denham, Buckinghamshire.

---

Goofs

The train Miss Marple boards at Paddington has two-tone coloured carriages pulled by a locomotive with a tender. She's never seen to change trains but is then on one with carriages of one colour pulled by a smaller engine with side water tanks.

---

Quotes

Ackenthorpe: Cod's as good as lobster any day, and much cheaper.
Miss Marple: Well, that depends on whether or not one has a palate unsullied by cheap opiates.
Ackenthorpe: If you mean what I think you mean, I'll have you know this cheroot cost two shillings!
Miss Marple: Yes. Quite.

---

Connections

Followed by Murder at the Gallop (1963)

---

Soundtracks

Frère Jacques
(uncredited)

User Reviews

Delightful depiction of Miss Jane Marple

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.