Murder Is Easy 

A village is plagued by a spate of seemingly accidental deaths, but Miss Marple is convinced a more sinister hand is involved when a villager on her way to Scotland Yard is conveniently dispatched.

Director:

Hettie Macdonald

Writers:

Stephen Churchett (screenplay), Agatha Christie (novel)

Stars:

Julia McKenzie, Steve Pemberton, Shirley Henderson

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Julia McKenzie	...	Miss Marple
Steve Pemberton	...	Henry Wake
Shirley Henderson	...	Honoria Waynflete
Sylvia Syms	...	Lavinia Pinkerton
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Luke Fitzwilliam
Lyndsey Marshal	...	Amy Gibbs
James Lance	...	Dr Geoffrey Thomas
Tim Brooke-Taylor	...	Dr Edward Humbleby
Camilla Arfwedson	...	Rose Humbleby
Hugo Speer	...	James Abbot
Anna Chancellor	...	Lydia Horton
David Haig	...	Major Hugh Horton
Margo Stilley	...	Bridget Conway
Jemma Redgrave	...	Jessie Humbleby
Russell Tovey	...	PC Terence Reed

Storyline

While traveling on a train to London, Miss Marple is told by a woman she has never met, Lavinia Pinkerton, that she is certain there have been two murders in her village of Wychwood. When Lavinia dies in what is purported to be an accident - she fell, or was pushed, down the escalator in a tube station - Miss Marple decides to visit Wychwood and see what she can find. As Miss Marple is apt to say, one English village is like another and Wychwood has its secrets like any other. The first woman to die was Florie Gibbs who, despite being experienced in such things, supposedly ate poison mushrooms she picked herself. The second was the local vicar who failed to wear his mask when using poison near his beehives. The third is a young woman who, it is said, accidentally drank hat dye instead of her cough medicine. Miss Marple finds a clue that points to a motive with origins many years before and a secret someone will do anything, including murder, to keep hidden.

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Plot Keywords:

colon in title | four word title | murder mystery | character name in title | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 July 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie Marple: Murder Is Easy

Filming Locations:

Southgate Underground Station, Southgate Circus, Southgate, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, WGBH, Agatha Christie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Haig's character Major Horton's wife's name is Lydia. His character in Four Weddings and a Funeral married a character named Lydia.

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Goofs

According to the gravestone Miss Pinkerton died in 1955, but the MG being driven by Bridget Conway had the number 2326EL which was issued in 1959.

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Connections

Version of Murder Is Easy (1982)

User Reviews

Miss Marple meets Sherlock Holmes

While on a train, a woman tells Miss Marple that two deaths that occurred in the town of Wynchwood and that everyone thought were accidents were in fact murders. After getting off the train the woman is pushed down an escalator and dies. Miss Marple is intrigued and visits Wynchwood. People continue to die in strange circumstances and the suspect list is long. Luckily she has the assistance of former policeman Luke Fitzwilliam, played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

One of the better Miss Marple episodes, and one of the bloodiest. The murder count ends well above the norm for the series. Quite intriguing, and the murderer is not obvious. A few good twists and red herrings along the way too.