Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Joan Hickson | ... | Miss Jane Marple | |
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Juliette Mole | ... | Anna Stravinska |
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David Beames | ... | Bryan Eastley |
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Mona Bruce | ... | Mrs. McGillicuddy |
Nicholas Blane | ... | Paddington Porter | |
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Katy Jarrett | ... | Mary |
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Leslie Adams | ... | Desk Sergeant |
David Horovitch | ... | Detective Inspector Slack | |
Ian Brimble | ... | Detective Sergeant Lake | |
Rhoda Lewis | ... | Mrs. Brogan | |
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Jill Meager | ... | Lucy Eyelesbarrow |
Joanna David | ... | Emma Crackenthorpe | |
Maurice Denham | ... | Luther Crackenthorpe | |
Andrew Burt | ... | Dr. John Quimper | |
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Pamela Pitchford | ... | Mrs. Kidder |
When Miss Marple's visiting friend sees a woman being strangled on a passing train, they immediately report it to the police. Inspector Slack sees Miss Marple as a bit of a busy body and drops the investigation after only a few days. Miss Marple however determines that there is only one spot along the line where a body could have been dumped and it happens to be very near the Crackenthorpe estate. She asks a professional housekeeper, Lucy Eyelesbarrow, to go there undercover as a domestic. She soon finds the dead woman's body at which time the police take on a renewed interest but it is left to Miss Marple to solve the mystery. Written by garykmcd
This is my first experience with Joan Hickson as Agatha Christie's second most famous sleuth, Miss Marple, so I will refrain from making any strong judgements on her portrayal yet (after all, she doesn't really get THAT much screen time here, as Lucy Eyelesbarrow and the two police inspectors have at least equal, if not bigger in Lucy's case, parts). As for the film itself, I found it fair but a bit plodding. The script and direction hold your attention without ever really cranking up the suspense, and the performances are perfectly fine without being outstanding. It's a film that gets the job done, but rarely (as in a moment where the first victim's boss recollects her past) goes above that level. Fans of grand old English country houses will get an eyeful, in any case. (**1/2)