Miss Marple returns!

This Sunday, Miss Marple finally returns to Masterpiece with two -- TWO!! -- back-to-back mysteries:

A Caribbean Mystery

Greenshaw's Folly

Both star Julia McKenzie as Agatha Christie's famous sleuth, and while she's never managed to equal Geraldine McEwan's portrayal in my book, she did finally grow on me...so I'm really looking forward to these new films! You can check out trailers and clips below:

A Caribbean Mystery trailer:



A Caribbean Mystery sneak peek:



Greenshaw's Folly trailer:



Greenshaw's Folly sneak peek:

Miss Marple: The Pale Horse

Masterpiece Mystery concluded the Agatha Christie portion of its season with a Miss Marple episode entitled The Pale Horse. For some reason, Masterpiece elected to hold this episode in reserve from the 2010 season, so this is the only Marple episode we're getting this year which feels a little odd. But that aside, The Pale Horse was one of Julia McKenzie's better outings as Miss Marple in my opinion, and an enjoyable ninety minutes of 1950s period drama bliss. Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

Fair is foul and foul is fair in the hamlet of Much Deeping, where the Pale Horse Inn is run by a trio of entrepreneurial witches, and the annual celebration of the town's witch trials of 1664 is about to commence. Arriving just in time is Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie, Cranford), who has set her knitting aside to pursue the murderer of her old friend, Father Gorman. Armed with a cryptic list of names sent to her by the good clergyman just prior to his death, Miss Marple follows clues as she joins the assemblage of eccentric guests and infiltrates the witches' sanctum santorum. But when a fellow guest at the Pale Horse Inn is found dead, the tidily tailored and unassuming sleuth must determine whether black magic or something even more sinister is at work. The Pale Horse is based on the novel by Agatha Christie. (One episode; 90 minutes)

The Pale Horse is another case of filmmakers taking a standalone Agatha Christie novel and inserting Miss Marple into the storyline. Sometimes this plot device works better than others. :) I haven't yet read The Pale Horse, so I have nothing with which to compare the film adaptation - and that said, I really enjoyed watching the mystery unfold. The story opens with Father Gorman (Nicholas Parsons) called to the bedside of a dying woman (Elizabeth Rider), tormented by guilt and knowledge of "wickedness." She entrusts Father Gorman with a list of names and dates, which he immediately mails to his old friend (HAHA so convenient) Miss Marple for safe-keeping, with a promise of a phone call the next day. Father Gorman's only addendum to the list is a biblical reference - Revelation 6:8 ("And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.") - a cryptic clue for Miss Marple to decipher as the next day she receives the news that the priest was brutally murdered.

Miss Marple cannot, of course, leave her friend's murder investigation to the police, no matter how capable or interested in the case the assigned detective, Inspector Lejeune (Neil Pearson) seems to be. Pearson is another Inspector Lewis veteran, having appeared in the episode And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (my review). I really  enjoyed Lejeune's interactions with Miss Marple. Whether face-to-face or through the telephone, his befuddlement and exasperation at Miss Marple's insistence on getting involved in the investigation provided some of the episode's most humorous moments. I cackled when Miss Marple played the old "bad phone connection" gag on him - one doesn't expect that in 1950s-era films. :) Pearson had a great rapport with McKenzie, definitely one of the better Marple/Inspector pairings in this film series.

The investigation leads Miss Marple to The Pale Horse Inn, which she discovers is run by a pair of self-styled (and stylish - HA) witches, Sybil (Susan Lynch) and Thyrza (Pauline Collins). It was great to see Collins on-screen again - she gave a memorable turn as Queen Victoria in Doctor Who, as well as playing Miss Flite in Bleak House and most recently, an appearance in the BBC series Merlin. Led by Thyrza, the witches have made a business of their reputation to "will people to death." This fits in nicely with the atmosphere of their town, Much Deeping, which makes a living drawing tourists for re-enactments of their version of the Salem witch trials. Individuals place "bets" with Thyrza's lawyer, Mr. Bradley (Bill Paterson), on whether or not the unlucky target will live past a certain date. If they don't, the death is credited to their "black magic" and the wager is paid off. It was fantastic to see Paterson on Masterpiece again - he's appeared in Wives and Daughters, Amazing Grace, Little Dorrit, and Doctor Who, to name just a few of his credits. And I really got a kick out of Collins's scenes with McKenzie - hedging around the issue that Thyrza is convinced Miss Marple has come to The Pale Horse to take advantage of her little "murder club," they dance around the issue in conversation resulting in Thyrza's hilarious puzzlement.

I was really looking forward to seeing JJ Feild's return to Masterpiece, even if he didn't play quite the heroic role I expected. :) Feild is a longtime favorite of mine, as I think he's just too adorable for words. He's appeared in a slew of Masterpiece productions, starting with The Railway Children, the Poirot episode Death on the Nile, The Ruby in the Smoke, and Northanger Abbey (my review), as well as the oustanding film O Jerusalem (my review). Looking forward, we'll get to see Feild in Captain America as Montgomery Falsworth/Union Jack and Austenland (squee!). Feild's character, Paul Osbourne, is introduced as an early investigative ally for Miss Marple - and he so adorable in his 1950s clothes, and so cute and respectful towards Marple, you can't help but like him - even if he seems a little *too* nice, if you know what I mean. :) All things considered, by the end of this episode it was a real treat to see Feild "flip" in his portrayal of Osbourne and play against his good guy, heroic image.

On the other hand, Jonathan Cake gave a much more satisfactory appearance as Mark Easterbrook, the godson of one of the names on Father Gorman's list. Cake is notable for having one of my all-time favorite guest stints on Chuck, playing spy Cole Barker in a two-part story arc. Considering Easterbrook's character is the hero of the actual novel, I was a bit surprised by just how much the script sidelined him in this production. I would've liked to have seen his reasons for "shadowing" Miss Marple's investigation better articulated - that way, when he jumps in to stage a death request, his willingness to participate would have seemed more organic to the storyline. But what the heck does Mark care about motivation, since he gets a love interest (Amy Manson)? :P

I can't forget to mention the appearance of Tom Ward as the unlucky Captain Cottham, staying at The Pale Horse with his wife and secretary after being displaced by a fire. Ward made an indelible impression on me in the A&E miniseries The Lost World (based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel), where he played the dashing adventurer Lord Roxton. It's been ages since I've seen him in anything, so his appearance in this episode was a real treat. And if you've never seen that version of The Lost World, I highly recommend it - it's highly watchable and wildly entertaining.

The whole "murder, inc." storyline was wildy intricate, and by its very nature threw red herrings left and right at the viewer, doing its best to leave you unsure of the identity of the man behind the curtain, pulling the strings of the suspicious deaths found on Marple's list. I thought the idea of using consumer research surveys to collect ideas for how to kill people was really terribly, fiendishly clever - the idea that an anonymous killer strikes with poisoned everyday products is rather unsettling, no?

This episode of Miss Marple was colorful, fast-paced, and nicely atmospheric. Despite the fact that Miss Marple was inserted into this storyline, I think this was one of McKenzie's better outings as the venerable sleuth, and one of the more effective examples of reworking a Christie plot to include one of her iconic characters. I loved watching this story unfold. McKenzie seemed genuinely, emotionally invested in her quest to bring justice to Father Gorman  - and since I have no idea if new episodes are going to be produced for this film series, if this is McKenzie's last appearance as Miss Marple it's a fitting coda to her tenure in the role. Though I sincerely hope that we'll see Miss Marple back on our screens as part of Masterpiece Mystery sooner rather than later!
 
If you've read the novel, I'd love to hear your take on how this film adaptation stacked up to the book. And if you're a Miss Marple film fan, where does this episode stand in your series ranking?

• Watch The Pale Horse online through 8/10/11
• Order the original novel from Amazon
• Order the DVD from Amazon

Miss Marple returns to Masterpiece

I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this. :) Miss Marple returns to Masterpiece Mystery tomorrow night with a brand-new episode entitled The Pale Horse (based on a non-Marple Agatha Christie novel). Here's a bit about the story:

Julia McKenzie (Cranford) is back as Miss Marple in the all-new The Pale Horse, premiering Sunday, July 10, 2011 on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! Miss Marple's old friend is found murdered, and when she receives a list of names sent by the victim before his death, Miss Marple seeks justice.

What the above blurb neglects to mention is that this episode features a favorite of mine - the one and only JJ Feild of Northanger Abbey fame!

Review: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 0-312-97974-6

About the book:

A bit of adventure and quick cash is all that good-natured drifter Anthony Cade is looking for when he accepts a messenger job from an old friend. It sounds so simple: deliver the provocative memoirs of a recently deceased European count to a London publisher. But the parcel holds more than scandalous royal secrets. It contains a stash of letters that suggest blackmail - and lead to the murder of a stranger who's been shadowing Anthony's every move. Discovering the dead man's identity means retracing his steps - to the rambling estate of Chimneys where darker secrets, and deadlier threats, await anyone who dares to enter.

Review:

When good-natured adventurer Anthony Cade accepts two commissions from his friend Jimmy McGrath, he little realizes that the simple delivery jobs will throw him into a web of international intrigue and danger. His first task is to deliver the recently deceased Herzoslovakian Count Stylpitch's memoirs to his London publisher - a manuscript whose secrets warring political factions will do anything to prevent being published. Anthony's second task is to return a package of indiscreet love letters to one Virginia Revel. From the moment he returns to England his every movie is shadowed, and when the letters are stolen and the thief turns up murdered in Virginia's home, he discovers a surprising connection between the Count's secrets and the scandalous letters, with the thread tying them together being the famed Chimneys estate. Political alliances are formed and careers made within Chimney's famous - and scandal-ridden - walls. As the players in the Herzoslovakian business gather, Anthony finds himself in a race against time to catch a killer, unmask a thief, and determine his future.

I was first introduced to Agatha Christie through her most famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. It's only in recent years that I've delved into her standalone fiction, and now The Secret of Chimneys has rocketed to the top of my favorites list. It's a dizzingly fast-paced read, chock-full of enough of Christie's trademark plot twists and turns to give the reader whiplash. The political intrigue-saturated storyline is reminscent of a Hitchcock film, but it's the characters that set this little gem apart. Anthony Cade is an absolutely delightful hero - self-assured, intelligent, snarky, and humorously irreverent, Christie had me in stitches with his every scene. The country house setting provides a nicely isolated setting for Christie to examine a microcosmic slice of early twentieth-century English stereotypes - the devlishly smart amateur investigator, the glittering socialite, the unflappable inspector, and the long-suffering, eccentric British nobleman - all are forced to confront secrets, lies, and threats within the walls of Chimneys.

The Secret of Chimneys requires a healthy suspension of disbelief as the royal intrigue aspect of the storyline is a bit more far-fetched than some of Christie's other country house-set mysteries. However, the red herrings and dizzying plot twists, combined with intelligent, appealing leads, a well-drawn, humorous supporting cast of characters, and sparkling dialogue make Chimneys one of Christie's most delightful, entertaining standalone mysteries.

Book vs. Film:

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Masterpiece Mystery presentation of Miss Marple: The Secret of Chimneys. Besides the glaringly obvious insertion of Miss Marple into the storyline, I'm not sure I know where to even begin discussing the differences between the book and the film. The film rewrite of The Secret of Chimneys is peppered with outlandish plot twists, but when compared to the original novel I can't say they're worse or more ridiculous, only different. :) The novel's Inspector Battle is transformed into Inspector Finch, played by Stephen Dillane, and though the names were changed the essence of Christie's inspector is kept alive in Dillane's screen version. I loved Finch's interactions with Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie), but the insertion of Marple in this storyline forced Anthony Cade's character to be significantly diminished and his motivations rewritten. This is a crying shame, because now that I've read the novel I think Jonas Armstrong would've done a superb job playing the Cade of the novel if given the chance. While the storyline for Lord Caterham was signficantly re-written for the film, Edward Fox absolutely nails the essence of Christie's character. He's overwhelmed, long-suffering, and humorously out-of-touch, all in keeping with his bookish counterpart.

Though the novel was significantly revised, in many respects the film does a fairly creditable job of remaining true to the adventurous spirit of Christie's book. I only hope that some day we'll get to see Christie's brilliant Anthony Cade brought to life on-screen and allowed to retain the humor, intelligence, and appeal that makes the novel such an enjoyable read.

Miss Marple: The Secret of Chimneys

As I mentioned last week, Masterpiece took the weekend off in honor of the Memorial Day holiday, but made an encore presentation of last year's Miss Marple episode, The Secret of Chimneys, available for online viewing. Since I didn't officially review any of the Marple Series V episodes on the blog last year, I thought this would be a great time to revisit my DVD copy of this show, which is in my opinion one of Julia McKenzie's strongest outings as Miss Marple. Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

History has been written within the walls of the stately Chimneys estate. But Chimneys's luster was tarnished after a grand party that ended in the theft of a revered Indian diamond. Now, more than 20 years later, Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie, Cranford) is accompanying Virginia Revel to Chimneys, her family home, for a weekend with Virginia's father Lord Caterham (Edward Fox, Oliver Twist), Austrian count Ludwig van Stainach and an odd array of other guests. But when Count Ludwig is found shot, it seems scandal has come again to Chimneys. Is there a coded message in the dead man's pocket? An esteemed chief inspector (Stephen Dillane, God on Trial) arrives from Scotland Yard, and with the clear thinking of Miss Marple, the two will uncover decades old secrets, and navigate through the smokescreen of perplexing clues to the truth of what happened at Chimneys. The Secret of Chimneys is based on the novel by Agatha Christie. (One episode; 90 minutes)

I haven't yet read the Christie novel on which this film is based, but a cursory glance at the summary of the book makes it obvious that this is another mystery that's been well re-written for the screen. The most obvious change is that once again this series of films has taken a non-Marple novel and inserted the beloved sleuth into the storyline. Since I have nothing with which to compare this adaptation (yet, at any rate! haha!), I can only review it on whether or not I feel as though the story works on-screen. I have an admitted bias to the Marple films from the last few years - while I still prefer Geraldine McEwan's Miss Marple, Julia McKenzie's portrayal is growing on me. And these films, no matter the accuracy of the adaptation, are a great excuse to gather a slew of British acting talent in once place, and drop them in a period setting - the recipe for a cozy mystery lover's dream.

At the opening of the film, we catch a glimpse of Chimneys in its glory days, a place where fabulous parties were held and sensitive diplomatic negotiations were brought to a successful resolution. But at one fateful party, a romantic assignation is interrupted, and a priceless diamond is stolen. The subsequent scandal sidlelined the career of prominent politician Lord Caterham (Edward Fox), until twenty years later an opportunity for redemption appears. Caterham is approached by the smarmy politician George Lomax (Adam Godley), who presents Caterham with a proposal - Ludwig von Stainach (Anthony Higgins), an Austrian count, is being courted for iron ore concessions, and he requested talks take place at the once-famed Chimneys. Lomax has a secondary motive for pushing the Chimneys gathering - he's attempting to coerce Caterham's daughter, Virginia (Charlotte Salt), into marrying him in exchange for the financial security of her now cash-strapped family. Virginia is sorely tempted to agree to the marriage of convenience, except for her attraction to the highly unsuitable (i.e. poor) but adventurous Anthony Cade (Jonas Armstrong).

As the principle players gather, Miss Marple becomes one of the party since she is apparently a beloved distant cousin. (Seriously, it is hilarious how easy it is for Miss Marple to be related in some distant way to any random person, or connected through her all-seeing and knowing nephew Raymond. *wink*) Joining Miss Marple as part of the Chimneys party is Lomax's easy-going assistant Bill (Mathew Horne) and the nosey Miss Blenkinsopp (Ruth Jones) who wants to see Chimneys purchased by the National Heritage Foundation and opened for tours, the latter of whom quickly becomes the nemesis of Bundle (Dervla Kirwan), Virginia's unfortunately named older sister, who is passionate to see Chimneys remain in the family. Silently watching them all is Treadwell (Michelle Collins), the observant and loyal housekeeper guarding secrets of her own. When the count turns up murdered and Anthony is suspected, much to Virginia's horror, the dashing Inspector Finch (Stephen Dillane) descends on the house and with the aide of Miss Marple, sets to work uncovering the culprit. But someone at Chimneys wants the home's secrets to stay buried, and will do anything to keep the truth from being discovered, no matter the cost.

Now, if you look too closely at this story it will fall apart. I suspect that when I read the novel (hopefully later this year), the differences between the text and the script will prove somewhat shocking. I have more faith in Christie's ability to pen a cracking good yarn than I do in the hope of any screenwriter substantially improving on her storytelling gifts. *wink* That said, I love these films. They're my equivalent of cinematic comfort food, I guess. Despite the jumps in logic, Chimneys is an entertaining hour and a half spent in the company of great acting talent decked out in delicious 1950s costumes. The look and feel of the film is just fun, in my view. :)

McKenzie hasn't quite captured my imagination as Miss Marple the way McEwan did in her twelve films as the sleuth (she lacks a certain spark that I feel is necessary), but she's an undeniably accomplished actress and brings a nice charm and warmth to the role. McKenzie is a Masterpiece veteran, having played the role of Mrs. Forrester in Cranford. Based on Miss Marple's interactions with Inspector Finch, it's obvious that she was conveniently inserted into the storyline, and not necessary except for "brand" value when it comes to films. That said, I love watching Miss Marple's interactions with Finch. Dillane is just fabulous as the sauve, poised, intelligent inspector who is determined not to be shown up by a spinster from St. Mary Mead. Dillane appeared in the Masterpiece Contemporary production God on Trial a couple of years ago, and I'd venture to guess he's perhaps best known (at least in the last few years) for his turn as Thomas Jefferson in the HBO miniseries John Adams. McKenzie seems quite taken with Dillane, and really who can blame her? :) They make a pretty adorable on-screen investigative pair.

Isn't Dillane's fedora AWESOME? I love it.

Initially I was most interested in this film because it would mark the first post-Robin Hood appearance of Jonas Armstrong. And Anthony Cade is quite the departure from Armstrong's years as a forest-dwelling outlaw. Armstrong is absolutely adorable in his fifties-era clothes (especially the jeans - *wink*). Now that I think about it, the role of Anthony isn't that much of a stretch from Armstrong's angst-ridden turn as Robin. Cade has a flair for the dramatic (his "rescue" of Virginia from a mugger on a bicycle is too cute for words!) and a propensity for melodrama. Admittedly I have a soft spot for Armstrong since his Robin Hood days, and I dearly hope some good projects come his way in the future. He and Charlotte Salt (Virginia) make a lovely on-screen pair. I'm not familiar with Salt's previous film work, but she fits the time period extraordinarily well and epitomizes a classy 1950s woman. I loved her independent spunk and determination to see Anthony exonerated.

While the role of Lord Caterham isn't perhaps Edward Fox's most memorable Masterpiece turn, I love the man and am always interested to see him appear in a new project. He is, of course, the uncle of one of my alternate-universe husbands, Laurence Fox (a.k.a. Hathaway in the Inspector Lewis series). Fox is a Masterpiece veteran, having appeared in Foyle's War, Poirot, and Daniel Deronda (to name a few productions), as well as films like The Importance of Being Earnest. He manages to endow the role of Caterham with a sort of tragic nobility, the like of which only an actor of his stature could achieve.

Rounding out the rest of the cast, we can look forward to seeing the dashing Anthony Higgins later this year in the Zen mystery series. Higgins has such poise and presence, it's not hard to imagine how as the Count he managed to hold all of the Chimneys residents enthralled. Fans of Little Dorrit might recognize Miss Blenkinsopp actress Ruth Jones as Flora Finching in that production (oh for an entire day to spare re-watching that classic!). Adam Godley as Lomax makes a delightfully oily politician - I really enjoyed his turn in the Merlin season two two-parter, "Beauty and the Beast."

This production of The Secret of Chimneys is melodramatic and over-the-top, but nevertheless I enjoy it. I think it's an excellent example of refined, historical British soap opera. *wink* I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this film for review purposes. Stretches in logic notwithstanding, the characters stay grounded in their world, and really at the end of the day any excuse for Stephen Dillane to charm Julia McKenzie is fine by me. I'd love to hear your thoughts (especially if you've read the novel)!

• Watch The Secret of Chimneys online through 6/12/11
• Purchase the film as part of the Marple Series V DVD set

Masterpiece presents a Miss Marple encore

According to the e-mail I received this week from Masterpiece, instead of broadcasting an encore presentation of Marple: The Secret of Chimneys on 5/29/11, they are showing a Memorial Day concert and making the Marple episode available for online viewing 5/30-6/12. You might want to check your local listings, just in case some markets are re-airing the episode at an alternate time, especially since it features a post-Robin Hood appearance by Jonas Armstrong! :) Here's some info about the episode:

History has been written within the walls of the stately Chimneys estate. But Chimneys's luster was tarnished after a grand party that ended in the theft of a revered Indian diamond. Now, more than 20 years later, Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie, Cranford) is accompanying Virginia Revel to Chimneys, her family home, for a weekend with Virginia's father Lord Caterham (Edward Fox, Oliver Twist), Austrian count Ludwig van Stainach and an odd array of other guests. But when Count Ludwig is found shot, it seems scandal has come again to Chimneys. Is there a coded message in the dead man's pocket? An esteemed chief inspector (Stephen Dillane, God on Trial) arrives from Scotland Yard, and with the clear thinking of Miss Marple, the two will uncover decades old secrets, and navigate through the smokescreen of perplexing clues to the truth of what happened at Chimneys. The Secret of Chimneys is based on the novel by Agatha Christie. (One episode; 90 minutes)

Masterpiece Mystery 2011 Schedule

Masterpiece Mystery has finally announced its summer schedule! Here's a look at what's in store for us in the coming weeks:

AGATHA CHRISTIE MYSTERIES

Agatha Christie’s beloved characters return to this season’s MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! lineup, featuring the suave Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) and the charming spinster sleuth Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie). (All episodes 90 minutes unless otherwise noted. National broadcast dates in bold; online viewing dates in parentheses.)

• May 22 (May 23 – Jun 5) Poirot: “Murder on the Orient Express” (Encore)*
• (May 23 – Jun 21) “David Suchet on the Orient Express: A Masterpiece Special” 60 min. (Encore)*
• May 29 (May 30 – Jun 12) Marple: “The Secret of Chimneys” (Encore)*
• Jun 5 (Jun 6 – Jun 19) Poirot: “Appointment with Death” (Encore)*
• Jun 12 (Jun 13 – Jun 26) Poirot: “The Third Girl” (Encore)*
• Jun 19 (Jun 20 – Jul 19) Poirot: “Three Act Tragedy”
• Jun 26 (Jun 27 – Jul 26) Poirot: “The Clocks”
• Jul 3 (Jul 4 – Aug 2) Poirot: “The Hallowe’en Party”
• Jul 10 (Jul 11 – Aug 9) Marple: “The Pale Horse”

ZEN

What does an honest cop do when his bosses are on the side of the lawbreakers? Detective Aurelio Zen brings justice to modern-day Italy—whether the authorities want it or not. This trio of spellbinding cases, based on the bestselling novels by Michael Dibdin, stars Rufus Sewell (Middlemarch). (All episodes 90 minutes. National broadcast dates in bold; online viewing dates in parentheses.)

• Jul 17 (Jul 18 – Aug 30) “Vendetta”
• Jul 24 (Jul 25 – Aug 30) “Cabal”
• Jul 31 (Aug 1 – Aug 30) “Ratking” 

*Limited local airings; please check local listings.

All episodes can be viewed online for a limited time at pbs.org/masterpiece

More titles to be announced.

***
I am not thrilled about four Christie encores, and only one new Marple episode, but I'll take it. And I am SUPER excited about the Zen mysteries with my darling Rufus Sewell!

You can download a printable copy of the Mystery schedule here.

Tomorrow on Masterpiece!

Tomorrow night on Masterpiece Mystery, Miss Marple concludes with a new adaptation of the story The Blue Geranium. Here's a bit about the tale (and the exciting guest stars!):

Miss Marple concludes this Sunday, June 27, 2010, with a brand-new episode on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! In The Blue Geranium, Mary Pritchard is found dead, reportedly from the shock of seeing the pink flower in her wallpaper turn blue. The tension and accusations in Pritchard's small village blossom wildly. Can Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie) untangle this case rooted in desire and greed? Sharon Small (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) also stars in this adaptation of an Agatha Christie short story.  

What this summary doesn't mention is that this film also features TOBY STEPHENS!! And the world rejoiced. ;-)

Tomorrow on Masterpiece Mystery...

Tomorrow Masterpiece Mystery continues with a brand-new Miss Marple film, an adaptation of The Secret of Chimneys. Here's a bit about the story:

An all-new episode of Miss Marple premieres this Sunday, June 20, 2010, on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! In The Secret of Chimneys, a decades-old murder may be connected to a mysterious diamond theft. Can Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie, Return to Cranford) sort through the smokescreen of perplexing clues at the stately Chimneys estate? Stephen Dillane (God on Trial) and Edward Fox (Oliver Twist) guest star.

What this summary doesn't mention is that this film features the one and only Jonas Armstrong, a.k.a. ROBIN HOOD from the lately lamented BBC television series. Woo-hoo, can't wait! :)

This Sunday on Masterpiece Mystery...

This Sunday Masterpiece Mystery will be airing an encore presentation of Agatha Christie's A Pocket Full of Rye, starring Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple. Here's a bit about the story:

Revisit a favorite case this Sunday, June 6, 2010, on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! In an encore presentation of A Pocket Full of Rye, the murders are following the themes of a nursery rhyme, but the case is anything but child's play for Miss Marple. Julia McKenzie (Cranford) stars as Miss Marple with a guest appearance by Matthew Macfadyen (Little Dorrit) in this adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel.

If you missed this film last year, it's worth checking out as it's one of the strongest entries from Julia McKenzie's debut season as Miss Marple (plus it features Matthew Macfadyen, so how can you go wrong?).

Click here to read my review of the film.

Click here to read my review of the novel and a book/film comparison.

Miss Marple Series V begins tomorrow

Tomorrow on Masterpiece Mystery, Series V of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple begins with a new adaptation of The Mirror Crac'd from Side to Side. Here's a bit about the story to whet your appetite:

A new series of Miss Marple premieres on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! this Sunday, May 23, 2010. In Agatha Christie's The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, a glamorous celebrity and her dashing husband have settled in St. Mary Mead, and everyone is excited for a party to welcome them. But the hospitality turns horrific when a guest is murdered, and the high drama is just beginning! Julia McKenzie stars as Miss Marple along with Joanna Lumley and Lindsay Duncan. (One episode; 90 minutes; TV-PG)

Return to Cranford, part 2

Spoilers...

I was so, so impressed with the conclusion of Return to Cranford. My only complaint about this second series is that is wasn’t longer. Here’s the brief episode summary of part two from the Masterpiece website:

William Buxton's big news is not warmly received by his father. William, in turn, decides to strike out on his own in an apprenticeship with Captain Brown on the railway. But the work is difficult, and his separation from Peggy problematic.

The social scene of Cranford becomes the center of focus when Mrs. Jamieson's sister-in-law Lady Glenmire arrives. The women of Cranford eagerly anticipate some interactions, but are seemingly spurned by their friend Mrs. Jamieson. Lady Glenmire, with the encouragement of Captain Brown, takes matters into her own hands, and plans a party.

In the meantime, Miss Galindo is concerned about Harry Gregson, who has disappeared from school. Worse still, it becomes clear he has a very good reason for running away.

The friendships in Cranford are strained when a surprise wedding shocks everyone. But no one can know the tragedy and challenge that await and will threaten the ties of the close-knit Cranford community, putting the women to their ultimate test.

As I mentioned in my review of part one, my favorite storyline in Return to Cranford is the romance that develops between William (Tom Hiddleston) and Peggy (Jodie Wittaker). I didn’t see how it would be possible, but this storyline gets oh so much better in part two when the stakes are raised. When William makes his intentions known regarding Peggy, his father (Jonathan Pryce) erupts in anger, since marriage to a woman of Peggy’s standing does not fit with his plans for William’s political future. Thankfully, William tells his father just what he can do with his plans (in a very respectful, 19th-century manner, of course – LOL), and goes to work for the first time in his life as an engineering apprentice to Captain Brown (Jim Carter), who’s overseeing construction of the new railway. William and Peggy become Cranford’s star-crossed lovers, the town’s own version of Romeo and Juliet, only much less annoying than those two and thankfully, with happy ending after much heartache. There is something so incredibly romantic watching William and Peggy’s relationship grow through secretly exchanged letters, and watching William struggle to establish himself as an engineer and prove that he can support himself, and a wife, without his father’s patronage. Tom Hiddleston is just swoon-worthy here – I loved every moment.

Since I mentioned Captain Brown, I’m going to backtrack here and discuss his surprising courtship and marriage, which resulted in some wonderfully funny and poignant scenes. Brown has mellowed out considerably since he first came to Cranford, learning to see the merits of Cranford’s slower pace of life, thanks to residents like Miss Matty. When the pretentious Mrs. Jamieson’s (Barbara Flynn) widowed sister-in-law, Lady Glenmire, comes to visit, the rumor mill starts wagging since she’s titled. Mrs. Jamieson offends everyone when she makes it known that the women of Cranford need not bother her illustrious relative (played by Celia Imrie). Brown intervenes when the newcomer is snubbed, resulting in an especially hilarious scene when Lady Glenmire takes Mrs. Jamieson’s dog for a walk near the railroad construction, and the dog apparently nearly dies or something and has to be “revived.” It was so funny to watch them “consult” over the proper course of treatment. When their friendship results in a whirlwind surprise marriage, it’s fascinating to watch the social ramifications of so “rash” an action play out in the small town atmosphere. Those obsessed with social status are horrified by the impropriety of such a match involving two people from very different social backgrounds, while others (like Miss Matty) love seeing a romance between two people “their own age” play out right before their eyes. The latter group breaks your heart just a bit, because you know these characters can’t help but relive their pasts and wonder what might have been.

Harry (Alex Etel) had returned to school at the end of part one. Several months later, his advocate in Cranford, Miss Galindo (Emma Fielding), is horrified to discover that he’s run away from school due to abuse suffered at the hands of his classmates. Though we only hear about these events after the fact, this is one more way in which this miniseries brings to light class distinctions during this time period and how incredibly hard it was to change one’s circumstances. When Harry runs away again, he sets in motion a chain of events that will bring great tragedy to Cranford – a fiery train wreck. This wreck is cause by, of all things, Mrs. Forrester’s pajama-wearing cow wandering onto the tracks. Honestly, and I promise I’m not overstating things here, the cow’s death is probably one of the most shocking things I’ve ever seen in a BBC period drama. I was quite traumatized. :P Anyway, after this near death experience, Harry receives the happy ending he’s longed for – a home with Miss Galindo and the chance to attend school closer to Cranford. These two are bonded together by a shared love and admiration for Mr. Carter, Harry’s benefactor, and it brought a tear to my eye to see the two of them form their own little family.

The train wreck also proves to be the making of William and Peggy’s happiness, after a very close call of course. Throughout this series, Peggy’s been on a character-building fast-track, learning to stand up to her domineering mother and brother, and proving her mettle to William’s father. She also receives some romantic encouragement from Miss Matty (Judi Dench), who tragically had her own romantic hopes thwarted twice. When Matty informs William that Peggy is taking her embezzling, worthless brother out of the country, he races to intercept the train. And yes, maybe the whole racing-to-stop-the-train thing is clichéd, but I loved every moment of it. William really seizes the moment here and becomes even more of a romantic hero by rescuing Peggy from the overturned railcar – and then he nearly gets himself blown up. I could barely stand the drama, people!! The two are only reunited after William spends several weeks convalescing, and Peggy remains a faithful visitor even while being denied entrance to the house. The moment when they’re finally united, after months of hardship and separation, is oh so sweet.

Tom Hiddleston as William Buxton

Jodie Wittaker as Peggy Bell

Since the heart of Cranford is Miss Matty and her dearest friends, it’s only fitting that this series ends with Miss Matty using her savings to renovate the neglected assembly rooms and bring in an exotic magician for a Christmas performance. Along with Mrs. Jamieson, Mrs. Forrester, Miss Pole (Imelda Staunton), and Miss Tomkinson (Deborah Findlay), Miss Matty restores Cranford’s assembly rooms to their former glory, and the entire town is brought together to celebrate the power of community following the devastating shock of the train wreck. It’s touching and humbling, in a sense, to watch these women relive past glories through this process – but they don’t dwell on the past. No matter what happens, this core group of friends has always learned to look forward. I have to mention Tim Curry as Signor Brunoni, the visiting magician. He’s perfectly cast in the role, and the fact that Miss Pole is quite taken with him just adds to the fun. While much has changed in Cranford over the course of this series, the importance of family and friends has, if anything, only been amplified. Again, this show nearly made me cry when Miss Matty receives the best present she ever could’ve wished for – Martha’s daughter Tilly, and her now-widowed husband Jem have returned to Cranford for good. Though change can be indescribably difficult, it’s heartening to witness how the residents of Cranford have weathered the storms that come their way. I only hope that maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to visit this town again in the future.

Return to Cranford, part 1

Spoilers...

My intention to blog about the return of Masterpiece Classic in a timely fashion went up in smoke (obviously). Blame the long-awaited (and awesome) return of Chuck and 24 on the last two Sundays. But I do intend to catch up. :) Here's the brief synopsis of episode one of Return to Cranford from the Masterpiece website:

New life is charmingly apparent in Cranford as Matty Jenkyns enjoys sharing her home with Tilly, the daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem Hearne. Familiar faces including Miss Pole, Mrs. Forrester and Mrs. Jamieson surround Miss Matty in a loving community.

Some new faces have arrived as well — Mrs. Bell, her daughter Peggy and son Edward. Mr. Buxton and his son William have returned to town after years away. Young William eagerly aspires to be an engineer, while his father is grieving the loss of his wife.

The railway has crept closer to Cranford, but has been halted several miles outside the village. For it to move any further, Lady Ludlow would have to sell part of her land. Captain Brown is determined to make progress for the railway, but meets resistance from the village residents.

An unexpected and alarming shift signals yet more change in store for Cranford. Can Matty and the women of Cranford muster support for what inevitably awaits?

The original Cranford was a stand-out miniseries for the way in which it documented and relished the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life. Unlike many shows that keep characters around forever, for fear of losing an audience, no one is "safe" in Cranford, because changed, partings, and death are as much a constant of life as births, marriages, and the promise of new beginnings.

The heart of Cranford is Miss Matty Jenkyns, wonderfully played by Judi Dench, and her close circle of friends - Mrs. Jamieson (Barbara Flynn), Mrs. Forrester (Julia McKenzie), Miss Pole (Imelda Staunton), and Miss Tomkinson (Deborah Findlay). These women hold the traditions of village life near and dear to their hearts, but when Cranford is "threatened" by change - in the form of the highly contentious railway plans seen in the first series - they must decide if the bonds of friendship and the values forged in Cranford can survive the progress of industry that's changing the country.

This installment of Cranford contains a good balance of beloved, familiar characters (see above) and several new faces for the women of Cranford to interact with in their own special ways. I absolutely loved seeing Miss Matty play grandmother to her beloved maid Martha's (Claudie Blakley) first child. After all the heartbreak Miss Matty endured in the first series of Cranford, it's wonderful to see her so happy - for a while, anyway. Because it seems that in Cranford, happiness is all to often tempered with a healthy dose of heartbreak. The scene when Martha passes away giving birth to her stillborn second child absolutely broke my heart. And witnessing the women of the village come together to prepare her body for burial brought tears to my eyes. I was reminded of my grandmothers, and others, who over the course of their lives have lost so many who were near and dear to them - and I wonder and marvel at the strength they found to keep going. That's just one of the reasons I think Cranford is such a powerful little show, because it taps into the tried-and-true emotions and experiences of life that are timeless. Everything changes, yet some things stay the same, you know?

Another familiar face to Cranford fans is Lady Ludlow, played with an icy strength and dignity by the marvelous Francesca Annis. Can I just tell you, I had no idea Annis could play someone at death's door quite so well. The great tragedy of Lady Ludlow's character was always her refusal to see that her son, Septimus (Rory Kinnear) was such a freaking loser. All things considered, it's probably best she passed away before he returned to wreck her estate. Septimus's selfishness has grave ramifications for another favorite character - young Harry Gregson (Alex Etel), who benefited from the mentorship and generosity of Lady Ludlow's now-deceased estate manager. Harry's innocence and sense of responsibility towards Cranford and his inheritance makes him an easy mark for Septimus's machinations, and he stands to lose most of his promised inheritance unless his only advocate, Miss Galindo (Emma Fielding) can help. Whether or not they will be successful remains to be seen.

The romantic in me loved the Cinderella-esque romance that blooms between newcomers William Buxton, an aspiring engineer played by Tom Hiddleston, and Peggy Bell, played by Jodie Wittaker, who is constantly dumped on by her needy, controlling mother and pretentious brother. Hiddleston is a Masterpiece veteran, having played in Miss Austen Regrets and the Wallander mystery series, as the character Martinsson. I can't decide if I like him because he's a good actor, or because he's a dead ringer for an old favorite of mine - Sam West. *wink* I'm loving watching their romance play out.

I was quite pleased to see the return of Miss Matty's dear friend Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon). Mary's now engaged to some guy who owns a button factory, apparently. What I love about her character is that she's a sort of bridge between the past, and the traditions Miss Matty and her generation hold dear, and the future. It's Mary's support that helps Miss Matty muster the courage to reconsider her point of view on the advisability of the railroad entering the idyllic Cranford. I also loved little touches like seeing the return of Mrs. Forrester's pajama-wearing cow (Julia McKenzie's humor in this role is wonderful to see all the way around). Imelda Staunton is also absolutely hilarious as the gossipy, somewhat pretentious Miss Pole, especially once she acquires a rather exotic pet. :) There are also a few other familiar faces that I won't go into detail about here. This show is quite literally bursting at the seams with wonderful characters and interwoven storylines.

My review of part two will be coming shortly. So, if you watched Return to Cranford, did you enjoy it? Do you prefer the previous miniseries to this one? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments! :)

Masterpiece Classic returns!

After what seems like an interminable wait, the new season of Masterpiece Classic begins this Sunday with part one of Return to Cranford, the sequel series to the fabulous Cranford miniseries, based on the works of Elizabeth Gaskell. Here's just a bit about what's in store:

This Sunday, January 10, revisit Cranford — the sleepy English village that captured the hearts of MASTERPIECE viewers in 2008. In Return to Cranford, the distinguished cast is back, including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie and Francesca Annis, as Cranford continues to come to terms with wrenching social change against the backdrop of a close-knit community. Return to Cranford is based on the works of Victorian-era writer Elizabeth Gaskell.

Isn't this cast fantastic? Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, and Francesca Annis are just a few of the familiar faces due to appear in this production. I don't know about you all, but I for one am very excited about Masterpiece Classics posts returning to the blog. :)

Miss Marple: Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? is the final installment of series 4 of Miss Marple, and I quite enjoyed it. Haven't read the book (yet), so I'm not sure how it compares to this film - especially since the book isn't a Marple novel - but I'll rectify that situation shortly. :) Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

Bobby Attfield finds a man near death sprawled out on a cliff. His final, enigmatic words — "Why didn't they ask Evans?" On a whim, Bobby and his friend, socialite Frankie Derwent, decide to investigate. The amateur sleuths, along with Miss Marple, uncover several enticing clues — a hotel room key, a pipe and a map with the Savage Castle circled. Getting into the castle under false pretenses, the trio meets a cadre of shadowy characters — the widow of loathed businessman Jack Savage, his two teenage children, a handsome piano teacher, a psychiatrist and his delicate wife. Before long, Bobby and Frankie's playful inquiry turns even more deadly. Amid a backdrop of poisonous snakes and exotic but lethal orchids, will the three decipher the dead man's final words before they are exposed?

This movie is a bit of a Harry Potter fangirl's dream, as Sean Biggerstaff, a.k.a. Oliver Wood (!!), stars as Bobby Attfield, thrust into a dangerous web of intrigue and murder when he discovers a dying man sprawled out on a cliff. I thought he was a cutie in the first and second Potter films (Hey he's only 3 years younger than me! LOL!), but I've got to say he's aged well. Just sayin'. :) Georgia Moffett plays opposite Biggerstaff as his friend and possible romantic interest, socialite Frankie Derwent. I almost didn't recognize her with dark brown hair, but it turns out she played in one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes as Jenny, the Doctor's daughter. She also dated David Tennant - don't know if that's still going on - so by any estimation I should hate her guts (*wink*), but I really liked the spunk she exhibited playing opposite Biggerstaff. It's a lot of fun to watch the way Frankie and Bobby needle each other throughout this film, always dancing around their attraction to each other. (BTW, I just have to point out how adorable it was when Bobby gets dressed up in a tux and rides his bicycle over to Frankie's party, only to leave without announcing his presence - that was such an "awww" moment. :)

This film also has a 2nd Potter connection - Mark Williams, who plays Arthur Weasley, plays Claud Evans, orchid aficianado, who meets a rather grisly end. And then there's a 3rd, more distant Potter connection - Rafe Spall, son of Timothy Spall - a.k.a. Peter Pettigrew - plays the mysterious piano playing Roger who vies with Bobby for Frankie's affections. This brings up an interesting point - why on earth would Rafe Spall be a serious contender against - well, ANYONE else?! I don't get it. *rolls eyes* Oh, and I can't forget to mention Richard Briers as Wilson (a sort of butler I guess??). Briers is a veteran of several Kenneth Branagh films, including Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Love's Labours Lost.

Now, I enjoyed this episode, but I have to admit it gets a little looney towards the resolution. Not only does the reveal go on forever, but as far as Agatha Christie goes the whole China subplot seems more than a little far-fetched. I could be going out on a real limb here but I think I'm going to discover the film rewrites a great deal of the original novel. In fact - this may be a case where it turns out that inserting Miss Marple's character into a non-Marple novel actually takes away from the punch of the story. While I enjoyed Julia McKenzie's portrayal of Jane Marple in this episode, and by the end of the ep I thought she interacted quite nicely with Bobby and Frankie, her presence wasn't absolutely necessary. Bobby and Frankie had a kind of Tommy and Tuppence chemistry, a whole lot of fun to watch on their own.

Book review coming soon. Overall, series 4 of Miss Marple has been enjoyable - not quite up to the standard set by the Geraldine McEwan years, a bit hit-or-miss, but there are enough enjoyable moments that I hope a series 5 is commissioned. I'd hate to see Miss Marple disappear from the Masterpiece Mystery roster. :)

Miss Marple: They Do It With Mirrors

Miss Marple and PBS's run of six Agatha Christie adaptations concluded this Sunday on Masterpiece Mystery, and due to a variety of reasons I am once again, way behind in blogging. :P They Do It With Mirrors was the third entry in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

Glamorous Ruth Van Rydock (Joan Collins) is convinced her sister Carrie Louise is in danger, and confesses her suspicion to Miss Marple over tea. Carrie Louise, a quirky philanthropist with a string of ex-husbands, runs a correctional facility for young men on her estate. Miss Marple arrives to make some gentle inquiries and finds chilling danger lurking surprisingly close to home. When murder is the real-life plot twist during an amateur theater rehearsal on the estate, Miss Marple has to separate theatrical tricks from reality in an attempt to save Carrie Louise from the dire final act that awaits her.

Of the three episodes shown so far in this series, this one is by far the best showcase for Julia McKenzie's take on the role of Miss Marple. She's prominently featured throughout the film, and it's this performance that's finally, fully won me over into the ranks of McKenzie-Marple fans. Here McKenzie manages to be sharp and intuitive all while coming across as extremely warm and personable. Very well done. :)

The "stunt" casting is pretty spectacular for one hour and a half program. Let's start with the Rydock sisters, the flashy Ruth (Joan Collins) and the shy, universally loved Carrie Louise (Penelope Wilton). I haven't finished reading the novel yet (which is an actual Marple story BTW), but I can tell you that Joan Collins was pitch-perfect casting for the role of Ruth. It's uncanny. Penelope Wilton is a veteran of several of my favorite British programs and films. She played Mrs. Hamley in Wives and Daughters (a role quite similar to Carrie Louise), Mrs. Gardiner in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, and Harriet Jones, former British Prime Minister, in Doctor Who. Carrie's husband is played by Brian Cox, most recently seen in the FREAKING FANTASTIC series Kings as Silas's prisoner, King Vesper. I will have to do a write up on that show when the DVDs come out in September - it was a wonderful drama that really deserved a second season renewal (if renewals were based on quality merits anyway).

Carrie's daughters are played by Emma Griffiths Malin (Gina), who starred opposite JJ Feild in the Poirot mystery Death On the Nile, and Sarah Smart (Mildred), who was also a Poirot alum. She appeared in the mess that was Mrs. McGinty's Dead a few weeks ago, as well as the AMAZING Wallander, where she played Anne-Britt Hoglund, a member of Wallander's team. To round out the household we have Tom Payne appearing as Edgar Lawson - he was also seen in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day as the producer Phil Goldman and the most recent version of Wuthering Heights as Heathcliff's son Linton. Maxine Peake plays Jolly Bellever, Carrie's friend and housekeeper, and also a Little Dorrit alum. It was so very, very weird seeing her play a "good" character after she made such an impression as the wicked Miss Wade. Oh - thought not a member of the household, I have to mention Alex Jennings's portrayal of Inspector Curry. So far from my reading of the book he's nailed the character. Jennings may look familiar to fans of Cranford, where he played the Reverend Hutton.

My favorite bit of casting deserves its own paragraph. :) Elliot Cowan plays Gina's husband Wally, and AMERICAN, and I have to say this Brit pulls off the role of former American G.I. quite well. I absolutely fell in love with Cowan when I saw Lost in Austen, where he put his own unique stamp on the role of Mr. Darcy (the man broods quite nicely, just have to point that out). Cowan's also appeared in episodes of Foyle's War, Poirot, and the first (and best) Sally Lockhart mystery, The Ruby in the Smoke. The man's got a rather uncanny ability for disappearing in roles, all the more unique I think because he's really got rather striking features IMO. I had to do a double take when he first appeared on-screen (thank goodness for pausing & rewinding live TV, HA!), because it was so hard to wrap my head around his appearance as a blonde American. Love, loved the fact that he got a great kissing scene at the end of this episode. :)

This film is a great example of the Marple series at its best, and an excellent showcase of all the reasons I love the program - great cozy mystery feel and TONS of wonderful guest stars. The story takes a bit of attention to follow - it's one of Christie's more convoluted plots IMO. I think it's a bit easier to keep track of how everyone is related to everyone else in the novel - a bit hard to follow on-screen, especially since some roles are compressed or omitted for the sake of time. My review of the book and the book vs. film comparison will follow shortly!

Miss Marple: Murder Is Easy

Spoilers...

Considering a new Marple episode is on Masterpiece Mystery tonight, I know I'm really late in posting about last week's episode a week late. But I was left, quite honestly, slightly freaked by last week's episode (I couldn't get my head around the idea of Christie writing an incest/rape plot), and wanted to read the novel before I blogged about the film. So now that that's accomplished, on to a bit about the film from the PBS website (because trust me, the film and the book are two entirely different things!):

Miss Marple coincidentally meets a woman on the train who confides that she is on her way to Scotland Yard to report two murders. "Murder is easy," the woman says conspiratorially. "As long as no one thinks it is murder." When Pinkerton herself is found dead, Miss Marple travels to the quaint village of Wychwood to pick up the trail. The village is populated with any number of suspects — a beautiful, young American on some sort of mission, a successful politician and an ambitious lawyer. But even with the help of retired policeman Luke Fitzwilliam (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Last Enemy) will Miss Marple be able to unlock the secrets of this sleepy village?

In many ways this film resembles one of my favorite entries in the rebooted Miss Marple franchise - The Moving Finger. Both stories take place in what are, apparently, peaceful, tranquil little villages - the most unlikely locale for homicidal maniacs, right? Or not, as the case is proved here once again. To start with, I should say Murder Is Easy isn't actually a Miss Marple book. Before I'd even read the novel this week, it was easy to spot that Miss Marple co-opted at least half of the role of Luke Fitzwilliam (Benedict Cumberbatch). Miss Marple has been quite successfully inserted into non-Marple books in other episodes of this series (particularly By the Pricking of My Thumbs, which is a Tommy & Tuppence novel). I'm all for inserting Miss Marple into non-Marple books, since those are rarely, if ever, filmed. And, at least to date, they remain fairly faithful adaptations of the original stories in basic essentials in spite of the new investigative presence. So, let's start off by talking about the "stunt" casting in this episode. :)

First up we have the aforementioned Benedict Cumberbatch (Amazing Grace, Atonement) as Luke, recently returned from policework overseas, and attempting to recalibrate to English life. As the main character in the novel, in order to "make room" for Miss Marple he loses half of his role. Luke's character isn't as compelling as I would've liked to see, given that I think Cumberbatch is a fantastic actor, but I did enjoy the scenes where he got to play off Julia McKenzie's Marple. Which brings me to my second favorite piece of casting - Russell Tovey (Little Dorrit) as Reed, the local constable. Tovey does a terrific job of playing Reed with the right balance of go-get-'em smarts and uncertainty at being caught way out of his depth investigatively. My favorite scene in the film is, I think, the sequence where Reed interviews several townspeople, and it turns out that Miss Marple is listening in from the next room, coaching him along with the occasional note. Tovey and McKenzie played off each other really well here, and were a lot of fun to watch.

It was great to see Anna Chancellor in a new project. Anyone familiar with the "Colin Firth" Pride and Prejudice will recognize her as the one and only Miss Caroline Bingley. She plays the doomed Lydia Horton, who "stole" the Major from Shirley Henderson's character, Honoria Waynflete. Hands down the creepiest bit of casting is Henderson (Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day). Henderson plays creepy and disturbing extraordinarily well. It's freakishly uncanny!! The woman is 44, apparently, but she looks a good 15 years younger than that at least, and her height (only 5'1/2") only reinforces her waif-like appearance. The idea of someone, who looks like Henderson, killing five people, just boggles the mind.

I ended up appreciating this film a bit more on the second viewing as a creepy show. The first time I watched it I went in expecting more of a creepy, cozy-style mystery, along the lines of The Moving Finger. You get that, of course, but then for reasons I've yet to figure out the filmmakers had to go for the low, salacious angle of having all of these crimes stem from the results of Honoria's mentally retarded brother getting drunk and raping her, resulting in a pregnancy which led to the randomly inserted American orphan angle, Bridget searching for her roots. (Speaking of Bridget, when she discovers her roots why is she not more...disturbed?! Just sayin'...) I'm not completely naive - I get that the 1950s weren't all Donna Reed, and a lot of crappy things happened then as happens today. But this movie seemed determined to show that veneer of gentility everything crappy and awful that could happen, did. I mean there's a fine (okay, sometimes it's a neon flashing sign, but whatever) line between a nicely mysterious, creepy story and outright distasteful. And I guess what I'm trying to say, is this show ended up more on the "eewww" distasteful end of the scale for me than not. Book vs. film comparison after my review of the novel, which will be in the next post.

Miss Marple: A Pocket Full of Rye

The Miss Marple mysteries are like the equivalent of television “comfort food” for me, so it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the savvy sleuth’s return to Masterpiece Mystery Sunday night. However, I have to admit that my excitement was somewhat tempered by the knowledge that a new actress was taking up Miss Marple’s ever-present knitting needles – after three series as Miss Marple, Geraldine McEwan retired from the role, and with the fourth series, Julia McKenzie took the reins. I absolutely loved Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple – she’s the reason I now love the character, and have been inspired to really delve into the Agatha Christie novels she brought to life on-screen. I grew up watching the Marple television show that featured Joan Hickson in the title role – and while I certainly get why people love the show, and that it was a faithful adaptation of the stories, Hickson’s take on Marple bored me to tears. McEwan brought life and humor and zest to the role – and if some liberties are taken with scripts, I don’t have enough of an emotional attachment to the stories themselves to really get up in arms about it.

A Pocket Full of Rye is the first film to feature McKenzie, and I am so, so relieved that the basic tone and style of the series isn’t changing. McKenzie effortlessly fills the gap left by McEwan’s departure, and brings her own spark and brand of humor and compassion to the role. I thought it was a little strange that this story didn’t feature Miss Marple as prominently as she has been in other mysteries, especially considering this is a “Marple” book, not a regular mystery where the character is inserted into the action. However, I’ve never read this book and decided to start it yesterday for comparison purposes – and so far, Miss Marple isn’t front & center in the action of the book, either. Go figure. ;-)

A bit about the story (taken from the PBS website):

Businessman Rex Fortescue drops dead after breakfast, apparently poisoned. The only clue is incomprehensible — grain found in his suit pocket. It's obvious that Fortescue isn't exactly missed. Between his estranged and angry children and a wife who seems to not be at a loss for comfort, the Fortescue house is full of secrets. Inspector Neele (Matthew Macfadyen, Little Dorrit) is dispatched to investigate, but makes little progress until the arrival of Miss Marple. For Marple, the case is child's play — the killer seems inspired by the rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence." As the murders pile up, Marple discovers a motive as dark as blackbirds. Julia McKenzie makes her debut as Miss Marple along with a strong supporting cast (Rupert Graves, The Forsyte Saga; Hattie Morahan, Sense and Sensibility) in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's A Pocket Full of Rye.

One of the biggest treats in the previous three series of Marple mysteries is identifying and enjoying the wild variety of familiar British acting talent that have taken on guest star roles in the various films. A Pocket Full of Rye continues this tradition, and I have to call out my favorites:

Of course the most important reason to view this episode is the presence of Matthew Macfadyen as Inspector Neele (that little moustache does a surprisingly good job of disguising him, LOL!). This has been an excellent year for Matthew on Masterpiece, as earlier this year he played Arthur Clennam superbly in the out-of-this-world, amazing, fantastic miniseries Little Dorrit. Inspector Neele was a fun role to watch Matthew take on – Neele isn’t a romantic lead, he’s competent, straight-laced, and has a wicked gift for dry understatement (i.e., the "dead as a dodo" line). My favorite moment of the entire show is when Miss Marple looks at Neele rather slyly remarks that he resembles Errol Flynn. Looking extremely pleased with that comparison, Neele smoothes is ‘stache and remarks, quit happily, “you think so?” H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S. The exchange is a wonderful example of how Miss Marple succeeds in winning those who doubt her abilities or her usefulness over. This little old lady may seem quite harmless, but she’s an astute observer and knows exactly when the right word or look needs to be played in order to advance her cause. Well played by Julia McKenzie!

Lucy Cohu plays Pat, the elegant wife of Lancelot Fortescue, the “black sheep” of the family. Two of Cohu’s most recent appearances have been as Jane Austen’s sister-in-law, Eliza, in Becoming Jane and dance teacher Theo Dane in the delightful Ballet Shoes. I really, really like her and look forward to seeing her in new projects – she’s elegant, classy, and not a stick figure like so many actresses out there.

Anna Madeley, playing Adele Fortescue, is a familiar face to Masterpiece viewers. In 2006 she starred as the title character in The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton, and in 2008 she played Lucy Steele in Sense and Sensibility. Though Adele only makes a brief appearance in Pocket, Madeley brings a lot of Lucy Steele-esque humor to the role which is fun to see.

Hattie Morahan is another Sense and Sensibility alum – she played the best version of Elinor Dashwood to date (in my view anyway, LOL!). In Pocket she plays Elaine Fortescue, who’s not at all sorry to have her father out of the way, since that frees her to marry her communist boyfriend. Since she hasn’t been acting all that long, I thought Hattie Morahan was almost unrecognizable as Elaine. However, I thought she fit the period well and enjoyed seeing her take on a more “modern” role, albeit a small one.

I had to look up Ben Miles - he plays the straight-laced eldest son, Percival Fortescue. Miles bears more than a passing resemblance to Primeval star Ben Miller IMO (weird, no?), yet I can’t find any info that they are related. He seems extremely familiar, but the only project I can recall seeing him in is the loverly Under the Greenwood Tree, where he played the thwarted Parson Maybold. Apparently he’s also been in series 1 of Lark Rise to Candleford, a BBC series that looks very Cranford-esque, which finally comes to region one DVD this October.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It contained everything I love about this mystery series - great pacing, excellent costumes and period detail, topped off with wonderful performances by the cream of British acting talent. Next up in the series is Murder is Easy. Can't wait!

The return of Miss Marple!

I am extremely excited and thrilled about the return of Miss Marple to Masterpiece Mystery, starting tomorrow night. Series four marks the debut of Julia McKenzie as the sharp-witted, astute, knitting-loving sleuth. Here's a bit about series four and the upcoming schedule:

With a gentle smile and a probing mind, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple often finds herself at the center of trouble — a witness to betrayals, poisonings and all manner of mayhem. Knitting needles in hand and a cup of tea always at the ready, Marple quietly earns confidence while uncovering secrets and exposing killers.

In Series IV, the famous knitting needles change hands, passing to actress Julia McKenzie (Cranford). Stepping into the shoes of a succession of screen Marples, including Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Joan Hickson, and Geraldine McEwan, McKenzie feels both honored and awed. "I'm very excited but also slightly daunted by the enormous responsibility that comes with taking on such an iconic role," she says. "And I suppose I'll have to remind myself how to knit!"

JUL 5 – 26 Miss Marple, Series IV

One of Agatha Christie's signature characters returns to Mystery!, with Julia McKenzie taking over the role of spinster sleuth Miss Marple in four new episodes.

Jul 5 A Pocket Full Of Rye (90 minutes)

Jul 12 Murder is Easy (90 minutes)

Jul 19 They Do It With Mirrors (90 minutes)

Jul 26 Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (90 minutes)

A Pocket Full of Rye features Matthew Macfadyen (woo-hoo!) as a guest star. Can. Not. WAIT. :)