Greenshaw's Folly 

Miss Marple aids a young mother and son by spiriting them away to the estate of an eccentric botanist, not knowing that it will soon become the scene of murder.

Director:

Sarah Harding

Writers:

Tim Whitnall (screenplay), Agatha Christie (short stories: "Greenshaw's Folly" & "The Thumb Mark of St Peter")

Stars:

Julia McKenzie, Kimberley Nixon, Bobby Smalldridge

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Julia McKenzie	...	Miss Marple
Kimberley Nixon	...	Louisa Oxley
Bobby Smalldridge	...	Archie Oxley
Martin Compston	...	Alfred Pollock
Vic Reeves	...	Cracken (as Jim Moir)
Julia Sawalha	...	Mrs. Cresswell
Fiona Shaw	...	Miss Katherine Greenshaw
Sam Reid	...	Nat Fletcher
Rufus Jones	...	Horace Bindler
Joanna David	...	Grace Ritchie
Robert Glenister	...	Father Brophy
Judy Parfitt	...	Cicely Beauclerk
Candida Gubbins	...	Minnie Tulliver
John Gordon Sinclair	...	Inspector Welch
Matt Willis	...	Cayley

Storyline

When old family friend Louisa Oxley visits Miss Marple one stormy night seeking help, Miss Marple decides to send her and her son, Archie, to safety at the labyrinthine estate of Greenshaw's Folly, owned by Miss Marple's good friend Katherine Greenshaw, an eccentric botanist and the last surviving Greenshaw. Louisa becomes Miss Greenshaw's secretary, and quickly attracts the attention of the gardener Alfred Pollock and actor Nat Fletcher. Things turn sinister when the Folly's faithful butler, Walter Cracken, is killed in what appears to be a tragic accident. Then a guest at the house, Horace Bindler, disappears without a trace. Miss Marple is convinced all is not well, and her suspicions are confirmed when Miss Greenshaw herself is brutally murdered. Suspects are everywhere, but none can imagine the secrets, both past and present, which Miss Marple uncovers.

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Plot Keywords:

apostrophe in title | colon in title | three word title | character name in title | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 2014 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agatha Christie, Chorion, ITV Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

As Alfred turns, while holding the drawn bow, and a finger securing the shaft, he calls out, "Who's there?" The arrow is incorrectly nocked in the bowstring. The fletching of the arrow would be torn off by the bow, causing the arrow to miss its intended target.

User Reviews

combo of two short stories

Miss Marple helps out an abused mother and son in "Greenshaw's Folly," from Season 6 of the Miss Marple series.

Louisa Oxley and her little boy, Archie, appear on Miss Marple's doorstep one night; Louisa is on the run from her abusive husband. Marple brings them to her friend, Katherine Greenshaw, who owns a huge estate, known as Greenshaw's Folly. Katherine is a botanist and needs the help of a secretary, so she hires Louisa.

Katherine's butler Walter is there, as well as her nephew, an actor, Nat Fletcher, and the gardener, Alfred, who takes a shine to both mother and son.

Walter falls and is killed; and then a guest at the house, Horace Bindler, disappears. Miss Marple, who is helping out at the orphanage, doesn't like the atmosphere and believes something is wrong. Then Miss Greenshaw herself meets with an untimely end.

There are secrets to be uncovered and plenty of suspicious characters in this adaptation of two Christie stories. The atmosphere is great, as is the acting. Julia McKenzie is an excellent Marple, and one of England's finest actresses, Fiona Shaw, plays Miss Greenshaw.

A couple of subplots could have been left out, but on the whole, it's an intriguing story and good episode.