The Body in the Library 

Dolly Bantry calls upon her old friend Miss Marple when the strangled corpse of an unknown blonde girl is found in the library of her home, Gossington Hall.

Director:

Andy Wilson

Writers:

Kevin Elyot (screenplay), Agatha Christie (novel)

Stars:

Geraldine McEwan, Ian Richardson, Tara Fitzgerald

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Geraldine McEwan	...	Miss Marple
Ian Richardson	...	Conway Jefferson
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Adelaide Jefferson
Jamie Theakston	...	Mark Gaskell
Giles Oldershaw	...	Edwards
Florence Hoath	...	Pamela Reeves
Joanna Lumley	...	Dolly Bantry
James Fox	...	Colonel Arthur Bantry
Simon Callow	...	Colonel Melchett
Ben Miller	...	Basil Blake
Emma Cooke	...	Dinah Lee
Robin Soans	...	Dr. Haydock
Bruce Mackinnon	...	Scamper (as Bruce MacKinnon)
Jack Davenport	...	Superintendent Harper
Mary Stockley	...	Josie Turner

Storyline

A young woman's corpse is dumped in the library of Gossington Hall, home of Jane Marple's friend Dolly Bantry and her husband Arthur. Pompous Chief Constable Melchett suspects a connection with Basil Blake, an arty young man who lives locally but Blake is dismissive when Melchett visits him. Then Superintendent Harper rings from the coastal town of Danemouth. Ruby Keane, a young girl employed as a dancer at the Majestic Hotel there, has gone missing, and her cousin Josie Turner identifies the corpse as Ruby's. Ruby is in favour with millionaire Conway Jefferson, whose own son and daughter were killed in a wartime air raid, and he wants to adopt her. His son-in-law Mark Gaskell, and daughter-in-law Adelaide react variously to the news. Miss Marple is convinced that the solution to Ruby's murder may be found at the hotel and she and Dolly book into a suite to investigate. There is no shortage of suspects, not only family members but the handsome Raymond Starr, another of the hotel's ...

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Plot Keywords:

library | murder | amateur detective | secret marriage | detective | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Official Sites:

PBS [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's Marple

Filming Locations:

Dorney Court, Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada, WGBH Boston, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The producers of this series of Miss Marple TV dramas have set her home village of St Mary Mead in Oxfordshire. From clues given in the Agatha Christie books, if a real county was guessed at, Hampshire would be the likely location for St Mary Mead.

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Goofs

In the scene showing the Pier at "Danemouth", a modern double decker bus is visible driving past.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Dolly Bantry: Isn't she marvellous?

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Connections

Followed by Agatha Christie's Marple: Marple: What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw (2004)

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Soundtracks

Blue Moon
(uncredited)
Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
(dance music)

User Reviews

Disappointing

Maybe I've watched the definitive Joan Hickson Miss Marples once too often and expected too much, but this did not live up to my expectations. The inclusion of David "Little Britain" Walliams, Jamie Theakston and the chap who played Myles in "This Life" did little to raise my confidence in the piece.

Technically and visually it was very good, but the characterisation by Geraldine McEwan was too light hearted, as was the whole piece; it totally lacked the quiet menace it needed. Miss Marple herself should be a lot more sly and outwardly scatty, as she appears in the original books and in Joan Hickson's superb portrayals. McEwan makes her more like Mavis Riley in Coronation Street.

If you want something thats easy to watch then this is for you. If you want to watch a Miss Marple mystery find a rerun of the BBC Joan Hickson series as it's far superior in every way.