The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

Miss Marple comes to solve the mystery when a local woman is poisoned and a visiting movie star seems to have been the intended victim.

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Jonathan Hales (screenplay), Barry Sandler (screenplay)

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Angela Lansbury	...	Miss Marple
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Ella Zielinsky
Tony Curtis	...	Martin N. Fenn
Edward Fox	...	Inspector Craddock
Rock Hudson	...	Jason Rudd
Kim Novak	...	Lola Brewster
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Marina Rudd
Wendy Morgan	...	Cherry
Margaret Courtenay	...	Mrs. Bantry
Charles Gray	...	Bates, The Butler
Maureen Bennett	...	Heather Babcock
Carolyn Pickles	...	Miss Giles
Eric Dodson	...	The Major
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Vicar (as Charles Lloyd-Pack)
Richard Pearson	...	Doctor Haydock

Storyline

The year is 1953. The small English village of St. Mary Mead, home to Miss Jane Marple, is delighted when a big American movie company arrives to make a movie telling of the relationship between Jane Grey and Elisabeth I, starring the famous actresses Marina Rudd and Lola Brewster. Marina arrives with her husband, Jason, and when she discovers that Lola is going to be in the movie with her she hits the roof as Lola and Marina loathe each other on sight. Marina has been getting death threats and at a party at the manor house, Heather Babcock, after boring Marina with a long story, drinks a cocktail made for Marina and dies from poisoning. Everybody believes that Marina is the target but the police officer investigating the case, Inspector Craddock isn't sure so he asks Miss Marple, his aunt, to investigate...

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Plot Keywords:

woman murders a woman | murderess | amateur sleuth | strong female lead | strong female character | 

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Taglines:

Even if you didn't love her last movie, that's no reason to try and kill her... But somebody sure is!

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's The Mirror Crack'd

Filming Locations:

St. Clere Estate, Heaverham, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,000,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

G.W. Films, EMI Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (opening sequence) Color Color (colour) (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reunites Elisabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson as a married couple after Giant (1956).

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Goofs

Set 1953, Marty Fenn drives a 1959 model car.

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Quotes

Lola Brewster: I could eat a can of Kodak and puke a better movie.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: 1953

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Connections

References For Them That Trespass (1949)

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Soundtracks

A Wandering Minstrel, I
(uncredited)
Composed by Arthur Sullivan

User Reviews

Not the best of Christie's works but Taylor and Novak as catty rivals are fun...

THE MIRROR CRACK'D gives some fine stars at the tail end of their careers something worthwhile to chew on--a good script and some gorgeous Bririth scenery substituting for the little town of St. Mary Mead where most of the action takes place.

The choicest bits of dialog go to ELIZABETH TAYLOR and KIM NOVAK as catty rivals who find themselves co-starring in a new film to be produced by Novak's husband, TONY CURTIS and directed by Taylor's husband, ROCK HUDSON. Also involved, of course, is ANGELA LANSBURY, as the famous sleuth, Miss Marple, who has a funny bit at the film's start where she attends a screening of a murder mystery where the film breaks down. To the disappointed audience, she tells the rest of the plot which she has figured out.

When a local girl is murdered, it's up to Miss Marple to solve the real-life mystery. Though slow in developing its storyline, it's interesting to note that an incident that occurred to movie star Gene Tierney is incorporated into the plot as an important clue.

Fans of Christie will most likely come away from this one recalling the catfight remarks between Taylor (getting a little hefty here) and Novak (still streamlined enough). Other than that, the only member of the supporting cast that really stands out is EDWARD FOX as Inspector Craddock, Miss Marple's nephew, who finds himself doing most of the legwork when Miss Marple becomes ill.

Interesting but certainly not the best of Christie, lacking the usual amount of taut suspense one expects in any murder mystery.