Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel (1987)

During a stay at one of London's most elegant and venerable hotels Miss Marple uncovers a sinister undercurrent of corruption and murder beneath Bertram's stuffy veneer.

Director:

Mary McMurray

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel), Jill Hyem (screenplay)

Stars:

Joan Hickson, Caroline Blakiston, Helena Michell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joan Hickson	...	Miss Marple
Caroline Blakiston	...	Bess Sedgwick
Helena Michell	...	Elvira Blake
James Cossins	...	Colonel Luscombe
Joan Greenwood	...	Selina Hazy
George Baker	...	Chief Inspector Fred Davy
Preston Lockwood	...	Canon Pennyfather
Irene Sutcliffe	...	Miss Gorringe
Brian McGrath	...	Michael Gorman
Neville Phillips	...	Henry
Robert Reynolds	...	Ladislaus Malinowski
Peter Baldwin	...	Mr. Humfries
Douglas Milvain	...	Sir Ronald Graves
Philip Bretherton	...	Det. Inspector Campbell
Edward Burnham	...	Dr. Whittaker

Storyline

Miss Jane Marple is staying at an elegant hotel from her childhood compliments of her nephew Raymond. Also there is international adventurer Bess Sedgwick and Lady Selena Hazy (Joan Greenwood in her next to last performance). A doorman working at the hotel turns out to be from Bess' past, and when he is killed, she is the prime suspect. But what does his murder have to do with the disappearance of an elderly vicar staying at the hotel, and a string of robberies over the last few months? Miss Marple must find out before the murderer strikes again!!!

---

Plot Keywords:

hotel | miss marple | murder | doorman | robbery | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

---

Details

Country:

UK USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 1987 (UK)

Also Known As:

Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel

Filming Locations:

Brown's Hotel, Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), A+E Networks, 7 Network

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Miss Marple is directed to the "television room" which is said to be "tucked well away" and that "the Americans like it" as if no proper English person would watch. In fact, the BBC is credited with the world's first regular television service with high-level image resolution, starting 2 November 1936.

---

Quotes

Miss Jane Marple: Ah, Bertram's! It's always sad when a work of art has to be destroyed.

---

Connections

Followed by Miss Marple: The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (1992)

---

Soundtracks

A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One
(1887) (uncredited)
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics by W.S. Gilbert
Performed by George Baker
A few bars are idly sung to himself while waiting

User Reviews

One of the best Miss Marple adaptations

Very faithful to the book and a joy to watch. Aspects of the plot of "At Bertram's Hotel" admittedly are far-fetched, but the theme and setting are among Christie's best. We also see a highly active and reflective Miss Marple, functioning as a superb amateur detective and not just dithering. Hickson is great as always, and the supporting cast is uniformly good, including a sadly aged but still delicious Joan Greenwood in one of her last performances, Carolina Blakiston as the madcap aristocrat Lady Selina Blakiston, Helena Mitchell as her daughter Elvira and George Baker as a marvelous Chief Inspector Fred Davy (one of Christie's best policemen). A wonderful show, one deserving of a far better transfer than the one avaailable in America currently.