"TOWARDS ZERO" (2007) Review

 

"TOWARDS ZERO" (2007) Review

When it comes to the television adaptations of Agatha Christie’s Jane Marple novels, I tend to stick with those that featured the late Joan Hickson as the elderly sleuth. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to watch a movie that starred Geraldine McEwan as Miss Jane Marple. And this movie is the 2007 adaptation of Christie’s 1944 novel called "Towards Zero".

The adaptation of Christie’s novel has drawn a good deal of criticism from purists. First of all, the novel is not a Jane Marple mystery. Instead, the main investigator in "Towards Zero" turned out to be Superintendant Battle, who had been featured in a few other Christie novels, including one Hercule Poirot tale - "Cards on the Table". However, Battle did not appear in the 2007 adaptation. Jane Marple replaced him as the story’s main detective, with the police represented by Alan Davies as one Superintendant Mallard. Since "Towards Zero" has always been one of my favorite Christie novels, I decided to give the movie a chance.

In "TOWARDS ZERO", Jane Marple is invited to a house party hosted by an old school friend named Lady Camilla Tressilian. Also included in the party are the following:

*Neville Strange – Professional tennis star and Lady Tressilian’s ward

*Kay Strange – Neville’s younger second wife

*Audrey Strange - Neville’s reserved ex-wife

*Thomas Royce – Owner of a Malaysian plantation and Audrey’s distant cousin

*Mary Aldin – Lady Tressilian’s companion

*Ted Latimer – Kay’s childhood friend

*Mr. Treves- Lady Tressilian’s friend and solicitor

The house party turned out to be a tense affair, due to emotions running rampant between the characters. Neville discovered that he was still in love with his first wife, Audrey. She seemed to harbor emotions for him, despite her reserved behavior. Thomas seemed jealous of Neville, due to his love for Audrey. Mary seemed attracted to Thomas and a little envious of Audrey. Kay was obviously jealous of Audrey. And Ted was also jealous of Neville, due to his love for Kay.

During a supper party, Mr. Treves recalled an old murder case in which a child had made deliberate preparations to kill another and make it look like an accident. That child, according to Mr. Treves, had a peculiar physical trait. All of the suspects possessed a peculiar physical trait. And following the supper party, Mr. Treves died from a heart attack after climbing some stairs that lead to his hotel room. Someone had placed a NOT IN SERVICE sign in front of his hotel’s elevator. Another day or two later, this same person brutally murdered old Lady Tressilian with a blow to the head.

As I had earlier stated, the 1944 novel has always been a favorite of mine. Christie had crafted a complex and original mystery filled with characters of great psychological depth. By inserting another Christie creation – Jane Marple – as the story’s main investigator, I feared that this 2007 adaptation would prove to be a bust. Imagine my surprise when my fears proved to be groundless. Thanks to director David Grindley and screenwriter Kevin Elyot, I found myself surprisingly satisfied with this movie. Despite a few changes – namely the post-World War II setting, Jane Marple as the story’s main detective, the deletion of a character named Andrew MacWhirter, the addition of another character named Diana, the new police officer in charge of the case – Superintendant Mallard, and the budding romance in the story’s conclusion that did not happen in the novel. Perhaps that is why I had enjoyed it so much. Both Grindley and Elyot recognized the novel’s first-rate plot and tried to follow it as closely as possible.

The production values for "TOWARDS ZERO" impressed me as well. Production designer Michael Pickwoad did an excellent job in re-creating Britain of the early-to-mid 1950s. And he was ably supported by Sue Gibson’s beautiful photography, which struck me as rich in color and sharp. Sheena Napier’s costumes not only captured the era perfectly, but also the personality of each character. I do have one quibble – namely Saffron Burrows’ hairstyle. I am aware that some women wore their hair slightly long past the shoulders. But I got the impression that the hairdresser could not decide whether to give Burrows a 1950s hairstyle or a modern one. Her hair struck me as a confusing mixture of the mid 20th century and the early 21st century.

The cast turned out better than I had expected. If I must be honest, I could not spot a bad performance amongst the entire cast.  The whole lot of them - Julian Sands, Paul Nicholls, Julie Graham, Greg Rusedski, Guy Williams, Amelda Brown, Jo Woodcock and especially Tom Baker - gave first-rate performances.  But there were a handful that really impressed me. One came from Saffron Burrows, who gave one of the most enigmatic and intense performances I have ever encountered in a Christie film. I could never tell whether her character was guilty of the two murders or not. And Burrows did a superb job in conveying this ambiguity of the Audrey Strange character with very little dialogue. I was also impressed by Zoe Tapper’s portrayal of the more extroverted Kay Strange. Tapper could have easily given an over-the-top performance, considering the type of character she had portrayed. But the actress conveyed Kay’s passionate nature without turning the character into a one-note scream fest. I also enjoyed Alan Davies as Superintendent Mallard, the new police investigator in this mystery. I not only enjoyed his wit, but also his transformation from his contempt toward Jane Marple’s investigative skills to a full partnership with the elderly amateur sleuth. And Eileen Atkins provided a great deal of comic relief as the second victim, Lady Camilla Tressilian. Not only did she provide much of the story’s sharp humor, Atkins also captured the character’s bombastic and arrogant nature. Her Lady Tressilian struck me as a modern-day Lady Catherine de Bourgh, but with a stronger moral center.

But I believe the two best performances came from Greg Wise and Geraldine McEwan as Jane Marple. I found myself completely surprised by Wise’s impressive portrayal of the tennis pro with the two wives, Neville Strange. His performance perfectly portrayed Neville as the complex force of nature that had a major impact upon the other characters in "TOWARDS ZERO", without indulging in any hammy acting. But I was more than impressed by Geraldine McEwan’s portrayal of Jane Marple. I had seen McEwan’s portrayal of Miss Marple in "THE SITFORD MYSTERY" and found her performance ridiculously mannered and annoying. No such exaggerated mannerisms marred McEwan’s performance in "TOWARDS ZERO". The actress gave a subtle performance laced with subtle humor and her character’s intelligence. One of McEwan’s best moments featured very little dialogue on her part in a scene between Miss Marple and the verbose Lady Tressilian, inside the latter’s bedroom.

Most Agatha Christie purists might automatically dismiss this adaptation of "TOWARDS ZERO". Especially since the script changed the main investigator from the literary Superintendent Battle to a cinematic Jane Marple. But despite this major change, along with another that included a romance that emerged in the film’s final scene; David Grindley’s direction and Kevin Elyot’s script remained surprisingly faithful to Agatha Christie’s novel. Normally, I would care less about changes in an adaptation of a novel. But in the case of "TOWARDS ZERO", the choices made by Elyot worked in the movie's favor.

R.I.P.  Julian Sands (1958-2023)

"TOWARDS ZERO" (2007) Photo Gallery

 

Below are images from "TOWARDS ZERO", the 2007 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1944 novel. The movie starred Geraldine McEwan as Miss Jane Marple:




"TOWARDS ZERO" (2007) Photo Gallery

"ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" (2007) Review

 

"ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" (2007) Review

Many people would be surprised to learn that not many of Agatha Christie's novels featured another one of her famous literary sleuths, Miss Jane Marple. The latter served as the lead in at least twelve novels, in compare to the thirty-three novels that starred her other famous sleuth, Hercule Poirot. It is because of this limited number of novels that the producers of "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S MARPLE" featured adaptations of Christie novels in which she appeared in the television films, but not in the novels. One of them is "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE".

Based upon Christie's 1958 novel, "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" opened with the murder of the Argyle family's controlling matriarch, Rachel Argyle. Mrs. Argyle was a wealthy heiress who had adapted several children, due to her inability to have her own. She also proved to be a controlling - almost tyrannical - mother who managed to alienate her adoptive children and husband. It did not take the police very long to focus upon one suspect - the family's black sheep, Jack "Jacko" Argyle. Apparently, the latter quarreled with the victim over money. Jacko claimed that he had been given a lift by a stranger, when Rachel was murdered. But said stranger never stepped up to give him an alibi and Jacko was hanged for the crime. Two years later found the Argyle family celebrating the family's patriarch Leo Argyle to his secretary, Gwenda Vaughn. The latter had invited her former employer, Jane Marple, to attend the wedding. A day or two before wedding, a stranger named Dr. Arthur Calgary appeared at the family estate, claiming to be the stranger who had given Jacko a lift on the night of Rachel's murder. Due to Dr. Calgary's confession, the Argyle family and Gwenda found themselves under suspicion for murder.

As I have stated in other movie reviews, I never had a problem with changes in adaptations of novels and/or plays, as long as these changes worked. "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" featured a few changes. The biggest change featured in the inclusion of Jane Marple as the mystery's main investigator. Arthur Calgary served in that role in the novel. The television film also featured the addition of a character that was not in the novel - Jacko's fraternal twin Bobby Argyle. Another major change featured the film's second murder victim. Screenwriter Stewart Harcourt switched the identity of the story's second victim. And how did these changes work?

I have to be frank. The addition of Bobby Argyle to the story did not seemed to have much of an impact upon me. The character became the executor of his adopted mother's will, which placed him in charge of her money and his siblings' trust funds. The problem I had with his story arc is that audiences were left in the dark on whether he had lost their money when he committed fraud . . . or he simply lost his own money. As I had previously stated, Harcourt and director Moira Armstrong had switched the identity of the story's second victim. I will not reveal the identities of both the old and new identities. But I must admit that the second victim's death - at least in this television movie - added a rather sad and poignant touch to this adaptation. The last major change featured Jane Marple as the story's major investigator. Arthur Calgary, the man who could have provided Jacko Argyle an alibi, was the main investigator in Christie's novel. In this film, he was more or less regulated to the role of a secondary character. Ironically, this change did not diminish his role, for Calgary more or less served as Miss Marple's eyes, ears and feet; while remained at the Argyle estate. And this meant several scenes that featured Calgary engaging in a good deal of investigations on Miss Marple's behalf.

Despite these changes, "ORDEAL OF INNOCENCE" more or less retained the main narrative Christie's story. More importantly, I thought both Harcourt's screenplay and Armstrong's direction did an excellent job in maintaining the story's angst, poignancy and more importantly, irony. Thanks to the director and screenwriter, "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" conveyed how Rachel Argyle's presence managed to cast a shadow upon her family. And how her absence lifted that shadow, until Dr. Calgary's revelation about Jacko's innocence. I was also impressed at how the television movie did an effective, yet subtle job in conveying the bigotry faced by the family's only person of color - Christina "Tina" Argyle.

While watching "ORDEAL OF INNOCENCE", it occurred to me that Christie's tale would not have worked if it had not been for the cast's exceptional performances. All of them, I believe, really knocked it out of the ballpark. Mind you, there were solid performances from supporting cast members like Reece Shearsmith, Andrea Lowe, Camille Coduri, Pippa Haywood, and James Hurran. But I must confess that I was really impressed by those who portrayed members of the Argyle household. Burn Gorman radiated a mixture of charm and slime as the doomed Jacko Argyle. Richard Armitage was equally memorable as the avaricious and bitter ex-R.A.F. pilot who had married into the Argyle family, Philip Durrant. Singer Lisa Stansfield gave a subtle performance as Philip's emotional, yet reserved wife Mary Argyle Durant, blinded by intense love for her husband. I enjoyed Bryan Dick's portrayal of the volatile Micky Argyle, but there were moments when he threatened to be over-the-top. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, on the other hand, gave a performance that matched Stansfield's subtlety as the blunt Tina Argyle, who hid her resentment of the racism she faced behind a sardonic mask. Stephanie Leonidas gave an effectively tense performance as the family's youngest member, Hester Argyle, struggling to face her past involvement with brother-in-law Philip. And the always reliable Tom Riley did an excellent job with his portrayal of morally questionable Bobby Argyle.

But the performances that really impressed me came from the cast's more veteran performers. Geraldine McEwan was marvelous as always in conveying the quiet intelligence of Miss Jane Marple. Despite being on the screen for only a few minutes, Jane Seymour really knocked it out of the park and domineering and sharp-tongued Rachel Argyle. She made it easy to see how the character managed to cast a shadow over the Argyle family. Julian Rhind-Tutt struck me as both entertaining and effective as the scholarly Dr. Arthur Calgary, who gave Jacko Argyle his alibi two years too late. What I found impressive about Rhind-Tutt's performance is that he managed to convey his character's intelligence and strength behind the nebbish personality. Alison Steadman's portrayal of the Argyle's judgmental housekeeper struck me as both subtle and frightening - especially in her stubborn belief that Gwenda Vaughn was Rachel's killer. Denis Lawson has my vote for the best performance in "ORDEAL OF INNOCENCE". There . . . I said it. And I stand by this. Lawson did a brilliant job in conveying the weak and suggestible personality of Leo Argyle. There were moments when I could not decide whether I liked him or despised him. It is not every day one comes across a fictional character brimming with quiet charm and unreliability.

It has been years since I saw the 1984 television adaptation of Christie's 1958 novel. So, I have no memories of it. And I have seen the recent 2018 television adaptation. But I must be honest. I really enjoyed this 2007 adaptation. Yes, it has a few flaws. But I really believe that it did a superb job in conveying the poignant and ironic aspects of the novel. And I have director Moira Armstrong, screenwriter Stewart Harcourt and a superb cast led by Geraldine McEwan to thank.

"ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" (2007) Photo Gallery

 

Below are images from "ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE", the 2007 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1958 novel. The movie starred Geraldine McEwan as Miss Jane Marple:



"ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE" (2007) Photo Gallery

"NEMESIS" (2007) Review

"NEMESIS" (2007) Review

Without a doubt, Agatha Christie's 1971 novel, "Nemesis", is one of her most unusual works. It is not as celebrated as 1934's "Murder on the Orient Express" or her 1926 novel, "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". But it was the last novel she had written. And it possesses a slow, yet melancholic air that I find very rare in her body of work.

Two adaptations of the novel have aired on British television. BBC aired the first adaptation, which starred Joan Hickson as Jane Marple, in 1987. Twenty years later, the ITV network aired its own version with Geraldine McEwan in the lead. While the 1987 version adhered as close as possible to the novel, this latest version turned out to be a very loose adaptation, thanks to screenwriters Stephen Churchett and Nicolas Winding Refn, who also served as the film's director.

"NEMESIS" begins in 1940, when a German Luftwaffe pilot is forced to bail from his damaged plane during the Battle of Britain. Not long after he reaches the ground, he is spotted by a young, beautiful woman, who comes to his aid. The movie jumps some eleven years to 1951. Jane Marple has received news about the death of a friend - a financier/philanthropist named John Rafiel aka Faber, who was a refugee from Nazi Germany twenty years earlier. Rafiel recruits her from the grave to solve a murder that the murder may or may not have taken place. And the victim is unknown. All that he has given her are two tickets on the Daffodil Tour Company's Mystery Tour. Miss Marple recruits her nephew, novelist Raymond West, to accompany her on the tour. During the early stages of the tour, Miss Marple and Raymond realizes that the other members of the tour had also been "selected" by Rafiel. Miss Marple also discovers that she had been recruited the solve the murder or disappearance of a young woman named Verity Hunt - the same woman who had met the German pilot during the war. And the German pilot turned out to be one Michael Faber, Rafiel's estranged son.

I might as well state it loud and clear. "NEMESIS" is not one of the best Christie adaptations featuring Geraldine McEwan. Refn and Churchett had inflicted so many changes in the plot, it almost left me confused. Not only were some of the characters from Christie's novel eliminated, new ones were created for the film. Refn and Churchett also changed the identity of the murderer and the crime's setting. The pair even changed the identity of the Rafiel character from an English millionaire, whom Miss Marple had met in an earlier novel, to a German refugee from Nazi Germany who had befriended the elderly sleuth (he remained wealthy). And his son transformed from a ne'er-do-well to a former Luftwaffe pilot, embittered by his father's refusal to help him and Verity during the war.

The addition of World War II as a setting for Verity's death brought about other changes that left me scratching my head in confusion. In the novel, another young woman was murdered, so that her body would be confused with Verity's. In the movie, there was some kind of confusion over the identity of a RAF pilot who had died at the very convent where Verity was serving, when she first met Michael. I wish I could explain the whole matter, but I found it rather confusing. Come to think of it, I found the Verity/Nora body switching rather confusing in Christie's novel. The war did serve the movie's plot in one positive manner - namely the character of Michael Faber and his brief, wartime romance with Verity. Their romance proved to be more poignant and tragic than Verity's literary romance with Michael Rafiel.

The cast for "NEMESIS" proved to be a mixed bag. There were some . . . theatrical performances that I found wince inducing. The worst came from Ronni Ancona, who gave a ridiculously hysterical performance as Verity's half-cousin and Raymond West's former paramour, the aristocratic Amanda Dalrymple. Another over-the-top performance came from Emily Woof, who portrayed Rowena Waddy, the possessive wife of war veteran and former RAF pilot, Martin Waddy. At the other extreme, Amanda Burton gave a disturbingly minimalist performance as Sister Clotilde, one of the two nuns who knew Verity. Perhaps I had been kind by describing Burton's performance as "minimalist". Frankly, she struck me as silent and wooden.

Thankfully, there were plenty of first-rate portrayals that made "NEMESIS" enjoyable. I was impressed by solid performances from Laura Michelle Kelly, who had to portray two characters - Verity Hunt and a young wife named Margaret Lumley; George Cole, who portrayed the former butler of Verity's illegitimate father; Ruth Wilson, who gave a charming performance as the tour's guide and potential paramour for Raymond; Lee Ingleby, who portrayed the main investigator and budding novelist, DC Colin Hards; and Anne Reid, who portrayed Sister Clotilde's older and pragmatic colleague, Sister Agnes.

But there were at least four outstanding performances from the cast. One came from Will Mellor, whose portrayal of Martin Waddy, the war veteran with the damaged face, struck me as very intense and sympathetic. An equally intense performance came from the future "DOWNTON ABBEY" star, Dan Stevens. He did an outstanding job in portraying the many aspects of Michael Faber's complex personality. Richard E. Grant was a marvelous addition as Miss Marple's nephew and traveling companion, the witty Raymond West. I was amazed at how he managed to create some kind of screen chemistry with more than one cast member - especially Ruth Wilson, Lee Ingleby and Geraldine McEwan. Speaking of Ms. McEwan, she was superb as the quiet and always observant, Jane Marple. She also infused a great deal of wit and warmth into her portrayal of the elderly sleuth.

"NEMESIS" has some aspects of its production to admire. Production designer Michael Pickwoad, costumer designer Sheena Napier and cinematographer Larry Smith all did a great job in contributing to the movie's early 1950s setting and even the 1940 preclude. The movie could also boast some fine performances, especially from Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. But many of the changes to Agatha Christie's original plot left me shaking my head in confusion. Honestly, it is not one of the better adaptations I have seen. The 1987 adaptation is better . . . but only slightly better.

"A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" (2005) Review

"A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" (2005) Review

I have been a fan of novels written by Agatha Christie since the age of the thirteen. Mind you, I do not like all of her novels. But there are a handful that have been personal favorites of mine for years . . . and remain personal favorites even to this day. One of those is the 1950 novel, "A Murder Is Announced". 

Superficially, the plot to the 1950 novel seemed pretty simple. During Britain's post-World War II era, a handful of citizens from Chipping Cleghorn read a notice in their local newspaper announcing that a "murder is announced" and would take place at Little Paddocks, the home of a spinster named Letitia Blacklock. Many of Little Paddocks' inhabitants and local neighbors assume that this "murder" is actually a game in which a fake murder occurs and the party guests have to solve it. However, Miss Blacklock never placed the advertisement. Realizing that some people might pay a visit out of sheer curiousity, she makes arrangements for an impromptu party.

Right on cue, several guests arrive. They include:

*Colonel Archie Easterbrook, a retired Army officer
*Mrs. Sadie Swettenham, a local widow
*Lizzie Hinchcliffe, a local farmer
*Amy Murgatroyd, Miss Hinchcliffe's companion and lover
*Edmund Swettenham, Mrs. Swettenham's only son

Also attending the party are other inhabitants of Little Paddock:

*Dora Bunner, Miss Blacklock's old friend and companion
*Patrick Simmons, Miss Blacklock's cousin
*Julia Simmons, Patrick's sister and Miss Blacklock's cousin
*Phillipa Haymes, Miss Blacklock's tenant and a war widow
*Mitzi Kosinski, Miss Blacklock's Central European servant and a former war refugee

Not long after the party begins, the lights inside Little Paddock immediately go out. Someone brandishing a flashlight announces a stickup and demands that everyone raise their hands. Seconds later, several gunshots ring out. When the lights are restored, Miss Blacklock and her guests discover the dead body of a young man on the floor. Detective-Inspector Dermot Craddock is assigned to solve the case. Before long, he finds himself being assisted by the story's leading lady, the elderly amateur sleuth, Miss Jane Marple. The latter was staying at the hotel where the dead victim, Rudi Scherz, worked at. And she eventually arrived at Chipping Cleghorn as a vistor of one of Miss Blacklock's guests. After a bit of investigation into Scherz's past as a hotel clerk and a petty thief, both Miss Marple and Inspector Craddock come to the conclusion that the killer had intended to kill Miss Blacklock and merely used Scherz to set up the crime and be used as a patsy. 

All right. Perhaps the plot of "A Murder Is Announced" was not that simple, especially since involved family conflicts, a great inheritance and greed. I do know there have been one stage and three television adaptations of the 1950 novel. One of the TV adaptations aired on NBC's "THE GOODYEAR TELEVISION PLAYHOUSE" back in 1956. The second TV adaptation aired on the BBC series, "MISS MARPLE" and starred Joan Hickson. And the third adaptation, Geraldine McEwan, aired on ITV's "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S MARPLE" back in 2005. This article is a review of the 2004 adaptation.

I noticed that screenwriter Stewart Harcourt made a good deal of changes from Christie's novel. And yet . . . "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" did not suffer from these changes. Certain characters were deleted from this adaptation. Laura Easterbrook, wife of Colonel Archie Easterbrook did not appear in this story, making the latter a divorced man. This scenario also allowed Harcourt to create a romance between Easterbrook and the widowed Mrs. Sadie Swettenham. As for the latter's young son Edmund, his literary romance was nipped in the bud due to his opposition against his mother's romance with the alcoholic Colonel Easterbrook. That is correct. Colonel Easterbrook is an alcoholic in this story. Two other characters deleted were the Reverend Julian Harmon and his wife, Diana "Bunch" Harmon. This proved to be something of a problem, considering that in Christie's novel, Miss Marple stayed with the Harmons during her visit to Clipping Cleghorn. In this adaptation, Miss Marple stayed with farmer Miss Hinchcliffe and her companion, Amy Murgatroyd. Miss Murgatroyd, like the literary Mrs. Harmon, was her goddaughter. Also, Harcourt made it slightly more apparent than Christie did that Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd were also lovers. Aside from these changes, Harcourt's adaptation of the 1950 novel was faithful. 

And yet . . . Harcourt's changes did not harm Christie's novel one bit. Perhaps the reason why his changes did not have a strong and negative impact was due to them being quite minor. Creating a slightly different romance along with deleting two minor characters simply did not have an impact on Christie's story. Thank God. "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" has always been one of my favorite novels written by the author. The idea of a movie or television screenwriter inflicting major changes upon its narrative would have been abhorrent to me.

The main reason behind my admiration for "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" is its portrayal of post-World War II Britain and how it affected the actions of various characters in this story. In one paragraph of the 1950 novel, Miss Marple explained how the war had upset the staid and knowing world of various villages and towns throughout the country:

"(Chipping Cleghorn is) very much like St. Mary Mead where I live. Fifteen years ago (before the war) one knew who everybody was . . . They were people whose fathers and mothers and grandfathers and grandmothers, or whose aunts and uncles, had lived there before them. If somebody new came to live there, they brought letters of introduction, or they’d been in the same regiment or served on the same ship as someone already there. If anybody new – really new – really a stranger – came, well, they stuck out . . . But it’s not like that any more. Every village and small country place is full of people who’ve just come and settled there without any ties to bring them. The big houses have been sold, and the cottages have been converted and changed. And people just come – and all you know about them is what they say of themselves."

In "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED", Miss Marple and Detective-Inspector Craddock discovered that Miss Blacklock had been a wealthy financier's secretary before the war. Following Randall Goedler's death, his widow inherited his money. However, Mrs. Goedler is dying. But since they had no children, Goedler left his money to Miss Blacklock in the event of his wife's death. The will also stipulated that if Miss Blacklock should die before Mrs. Goedler, then the children of Goedler's estranged sister - Pip and Emma. Due to the upheaval nature of British society during the post-war years, neither Miss Marple or Inspector Craddock know who Pip or Emma are. Or for that matter, their mother, Sonia. Either two or all three might be residing at Chipping Cleghorn, waiting for Belle Goedler's death and ensuring that Miss Blacklock will die before it happens. "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" is one of those rare Christie stories in which the story's time period has such a major impact upon it. And despite the changes regarding some of the adaptation's characters, Harcourt never changed the core of the teleplay's narrative.

Do I have any complaints about "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED"? If I must be honest . . . not really. Well . . . perhaps a few minor ones. A part of me wish that Harcourt had expanded a bit more on Miss Marple's conversation with Dora Bunner, Miss Blacklock's companion and old friend, at a local tea cafe. A part of me felt as if enough had been said. I also wish that Harcourt had utilized the role of Miss Blacklock's maid, Mitzi, just as Christie had did in the novel. I found the literary version of Mitzi's role in the murderer's exposure very dramatic. It seemed that the drama of that moment had been cut by Harcourt's screenplay. In fact, I would add that that the teleplay's last ten to fifteen minutes struck me as a bit rushed. A part of me wish that this adaptation had been a little longer than 94 minutes.

Another aspect that made "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" work for me were the performances featured in the production. The teleplay marked Geraldine McEwan's fourth outing as Miss Jane Marple and she did an excellent job in conveying the character's intelligence and subtle sense of humor. However, I was especially impressed by the actress in a scene that featured Miss Marple's discovery of a third murder victim. 

There were four other performances that I regard as first-rate. The first came from Zoë Wanamaker, who gave a superb performance as Letitia Blacklock. Wanamaker did an excellent job of conveying her character from a competent retired secretary to a beleaguered woman who becomes increasingly paranoid over the threat of being killed for a great fortune. The second excellent performance came from Robert Pugh, who was excellent as Archie Easterbrook, the alcoholic former Army officer battling his demons, romantic desire and loneliness. Cheri Lunghi also gave a superb performance as Colonel Easterbrook's object of desire, the lonely widow Sadie Swettenham. One of my favorite characters from Christie's Miss Marple novel was the police investigator, Dermot Craddock. Just about every actor who has portrayed Craddock has done an excellent job. And that includes Alexander Armstrong, who portrayed the police detective in "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED". I was surprised to learn that Armstrong is basically known as a comedian and singer in Great Britain, especially since he gave such a strong performance as the no-nonsense Detective-Inspector Craddock.

However, the television movie also featured excellent performances from the rest of the cast. They include performances from the likes of Keeley Hawes, Frances Barber, Claire Skinner, Elaine Page, Matthew Goode, Sienna Guillory, Christian Coulson, Virginia McKenna, Catherine Tate and Richard Dixon. And if you are patient, you just might catch Lesley Nicol of "DOWNTON ABBEY" in a small role. I can honestly say that I did not come across one performance that I would consider questionable or merely solid. 

Overall, I did not merely enjoyed "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED". I loved it. Yes, I thought its running time could have stretched a bit past 94 minutes. But I thought screenwriter Stewart Harcourt and director John Strickland did an excellent job of adapting one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels of all time. And both were ably supported by a first-rate cast led by the always talented Geraldine McEwan.

"A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" (2005) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED", the 2005 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1950 novel. The movie starred Geraldine McEwan as Miss Jane Marple: 



"A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED" (2005) Photo Gallery