this weekend on Masterpiece...

This weekend on Masterpiece sees the premiere of season two of The Paradise followed by a new Miss Marple mystery entitled Endless Night (reading the book now, which is a non-Marple tale, and boy is it trippy...can't wait to see how they translate THIS to the screen)! I'll be watching The Paradise later next week On Demand, because Sunday ALSO sees the start of Once Upon a Time's fourth season, and priorities, priorities, I need to reconnect with Captain Hook. *wink* Enjoy!

The Paradise Season 2 Preview:



A scene from Endless Night:

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 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)

Masterpiece Mystery preview

I believe I linked to a page on the PBS website where this preview was embedded a while back, but it recently came to my attention that PBS uploaded the 2010 Masterpiece Mystery preview to YouTube. Enjoy clips from Foyle's War, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Inspector Lewis, Wallander, and the new modern-day Sherlock.

Masterpiece Mystery 2010 Schedule

PBS has finally, finally released the upcoming Masterpiece Mystery schedule. I am absolutely thrilled with this schedule:

FOYLE’S WAR
Michael Kitchen returns as Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in three brand new episodes of the acclaimed series. It is June 1945, and VE Day has been celebrated in Britain. The state of the country, however, is far from jubilant in the aftermath of war. Keen to retire, but bound to his old job by the steep rise in violent crime that swept the country, Foyle is thrust into the dangerous worlds of international conspiracy and execution, military racism and national betrayal. He must feel his way through this new world as he faces some of his toughest challenges and gripping plots to date. (All episodes 90 minutes.)

May 2 Foyle’s War, Series VI: “The Russian House”
May 9 Foyle’s War, Series VI: “Killing Time”
May 16 Foyle’s War, Series VI: “The Hide”

MISS MARPLE
Julia McKenzie is back in the role of Agatha Christie’s spinster sleuth, pursuing a series of new crimes and dark occurrences. Appearances by Hugh Bonneville (Filth, Ms. Austen Regrets) and Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) round out the stellar cast. (All episodes 90 minutes.)

May 23 Miss Marple, Series V: “The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side”
Jun. 6 Miss Marple, Series IV: “A Pocket Full of Rye” (Encore)
Jun 13 Miss Marple, Series IV: “Murder is Easy” (Encore)
Jun 20 Miss Marple, Series V: “The Secret of Chimneys”
Jun 27 Miss Marple, Series V: “The Blue Geranium”

HERCULE POIROT
David Suchet reprises his role as suave detective Hercule Poirot in three new episodes. Whether he’s on holiday or simply going about his business near his London home, Poirot finds himself exercising his “little grey cells” by helping police investigate crimes and murders…whether they ask for his help or not. (All episodes 90 minutes.)

Jul 11 Hercule Poirot, Series X: “Murder on the Orient Express”
Jul 18 Hercule Poirot, Series X: “The Third Girl”
Jul 25 Hercule Poirot, Series X: “Appointment with Death”
Aug 1 Hercule Poirot, Series IX: “Cat Among the Pigeons” (Encore)

INSPECTOR LEWIS
Kevin Whately returns for a third season as Inspector Lewis in five new episodes. Once again joined by Laurence Fox (A Room with a View) as Lewis’ young partner DS Hathaway, the detectives continue solving cases in the seemingly perfect academic haven of Oxford. (All episodes 90 minutes.)

Aug 8 Inspector Lewis, Series II: “Allegory of Love” (Encore)
Aug 15 Inspector Lewis, Series II: “Quality of Mercy” (Encore)
Aug 22 Inspector Lewis, Series II: “Point of Vanishing” (Encore)
Aug 29 Inspector Lewis, Series III: “Counter Culture Blues”

Additional Lewis titles to be announced.
 
You can watch a preview of the new season here. It looks like the schedule is not yet finalized (the Lewis series III eps have apparently not all been assigned broadcast dates yet) since the preview mentions the modern-day Sherlock series and Wallander series II. Perhaps those shows will be incorporated in the Contemporary season? We'll have to wait and see. :) Right now I'm most excited about the return of Foyle's War which is one of the best shows EVER. Seriously.

Review: Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur
ISBN: 0-312-98159-7

About the book:

Was it a misstep that sent a handsome stranger plummeting to his death from a cliff? Or something more sinister? Fun-loving adventurers Bobby Jones and Frances Derwent’s suspicions are certainly aroused – especially since the man’s dying words are so peculiar: Why didn’t they ask Evans? Bobby and Frances would love to know. Unfortunately, asking the wrong people has sent the amateur sleuths running for their lives – on a wild and deadly pursuit to discover who Evans is, what it was he wasn’t asked, and why the mysterious inquiry has put their own lives in mortal danger…

Review:

While Agatha Christie is best-known for her sleuths like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, I’ve discovered that some hidden gems among her “standalone” novels. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? Is a thoroughly enjoyable read, anchored by the terrific chemistry between the protagonists, lifelong friends Bobby Jones, son of the local vicar, and Lady Frances Derwent. Their relationship, particularly the way they constantly spar and view their case, reminds me of another pair of Christie sleuths – Tommy and Tuppence. I could Christie turning Frances & Bobby’s adventures into a series – but perhaps that never happened because it would have been a little too similar to Tommy & Tuppence’s adventures.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is a thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s fast-paced and quite humorous, thanks in large part to Frankie’s character. She operates in a constant, dizzying state of activity that tends to leave everyone she encounters in a wake of confusion – so generally speaking, she can get away with pretty much anything. Witnessing the quieter, more deliberate Bobby keep up with her is a lot of fun. Christie packs the novel with her trademark twists and turns, and keeping up with how the large cast of characters is related can be a bit confusing if you’re not focused on the story. By the end of the novel, the guilty parties have become apparent, but that doesn’t detract from one’s enjoyment of the tale in the least – watching Bobby and Frankie survive their excursion into the detective world is far too entertaining. I rank this as one of my favorite Christie novels.

Book vs. Film:

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? was the final film to air in Marple series 4 on Masterpiece Mystery a few weeks ago. Despite how the resolution of the episode jumped the proverbial shark and veered into the realms of improbable craziness, the film ranked as one of my favorites of the series. You can read my full review of the film here. This was primarily due to the fact that Sean Biggerstaff played the role of Bobby Jones. But let’s start at the beginning to point out a few key changes:

Since the novel doesn’t feature the character of Miss Marple, she’s inserted into the story as an old friend of Bobby’s mother. She doesn’t disturb the flow of the story too much, probably due to the fact that she’s given rather little to do except to facilitate Frances & Bobby’s investigation. Speaking of Bobby & Frances (a.k.a. Frankie), Biggerstaff and Georgia Moffett absolutely nail their respective portrayals of the amateur detectives and lifelong friends. Their chemistry, and the way they banter back and forth, perfectly mirrors the way their relationship develops in the novel.

Having read the novel, it only confirms how ridiculously over-the-top and contrived the whole China connection was to the resolution of the film. It completely changed the motives of the villains. While I still like this very “loose” film adaptation, the way the mystery plays out in the book makes a hundred times more sense than the way the story was rewritten for the screen.

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. :)

Review: They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie

They Do It With Mirrors (A Miss Marple Mystery)

By: Agatha Christie

Publisher: Signet/Penguin

ISBN: 978-0-451-19990-4

About the book:

Responding to her friend Carrie's urgent invitation, Miss Jane Marple has arrived at her sprawling estate. To Miss Marple's surprise, Carrie's remote "Gothic monstrosity" has been turned into a home for delinquent boys. What's more, Carrie's own children and grandchildren have taken up residence - and few of them are thrilled at how mother is squandering the family fortune. Then a brutal murder proves that philanthropy is the least of Carrie's problems - and Miss Marple finds that where there's smoke, there's mirrors.

Review:

Sisters Carrie and Ruth are two of Miss Marple's oldest friends - and it's at the behest of Ruth that Jane accepts an invitation to visit Carrie, because of Ruth's worries that something is not quite right in that household. When she arrives, she discovers any number of potential reasons for Ruth's unease - the delinquents Carrie and and her husband Lewis are attempting to rehabilitate, the flirtatious granddaughter and her sullen husband, and the controlling housekeeper who may or may not have Carrie's best interest at heart - just to name a few of the potential suspects. When Carrie's stepson is murdered with little apparent reason, it becomes frighteningly apparent that the universally loved Carrie's life might be threatened. The entire situation is a shell game, and Miss Marple and the local Inspector must work to unravel the truth from the lies before Carrie becomes a victim of her own benevolent, trusting nature.

They Do It With Mirrors has many of the elements of a classic Christie mystery. The setting is tightly contained to a well-off family home - a family where everything *should* be perfect, but everyone has their secrets. Everything's very genteel, but that veneer of proper English respectability masks some pretty passionate familial discord. In the best Dame Agatha Christie fashion, this cast of characters gives her plenty of opportunity to pack the story with red herrings and misdirection. As far as the actual mystery goes - this story falls a bit short when compared to some of Christie's other gems. The culprit becomes apparent rather early on, which is kind of surprising, but it allows Christie to take a look at their motivations and how exactly this "conjuring trick" of a murder was seemingly so flawlessly executed. What's more interesting for me than the actual case is the analysis of Carrie's character, and how this woman who never seemed to have a good grasp of reality sees situations and people much clearer than others. Enjoyable (aren't all Christies?), but not a runaway favorite.

Book vs. Film:

Compared to the recently adapted A Pocket Full of Rye (film review, book review), the novel They Do It With Mirrors features the character of Miss Marple to a much greater degree. I just think it's really interesting how some Marple books barely feature the iconic sleuth - but that's neither here nor there. Overall I'd rate the most recent film version of They Do It With Mirrors as a pretty faithful adaptation of Christie's story. The cast of characters is slightly compressed or their roles are rearranged a bit, but it makes sense within the context of watching the story as a film. For example, instead of having Carrie's granddaughter (Gina) at odds with her aunt Mildred, in the film Gina is elevated to the role of daughter - it makes the sisterly conflict a bit more compelling IMO. Ruth is given a bigger role in the movie, but Joan Collins's portrayal is pitch-perfect when compared to the text. The same applies to Elliot Cowan's take on the role of Wally, Gina's husband - if anything he makes the injured American a bit more sympathetic than he appears in the novel. And Alex Jennings gives an excellent performance as Inspector Curry - absolutely nails it, especially when you look at his scenes with Miss Marple. While some changes were made to the story, I really feel like the filmmakers remained true to the essence of the story, which made for a well done and enjoyable flick.

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!

Review: Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie

Murder Is Easy

By: Agatha Christie

Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur

ISBN: 978-0-312-97982-9

About the book:

It was just Luke Fitzwilliam's luck to be stuck next to a dotty old woman like Miss Fullerton on the London-bound train - although he found himself quite entertained with her tall tales about a series of perfect murders in the quaint village of Wychwood. But when he reads the next day of the freak accident that killed her, too, Fitzwilliam's amusement turns to grave concern. A visit to the isolated village confirms his worst fears. For Wychwood seems to be divided by an eccentric lot of locals: those who are in on a dark and dangerous secret - and those who don't live long enough to share it.

Review:

In many ways Murder Is Easy reminded me of one of my favorite Christie novels, the Miss Marple outing The Moving Finger. Both books draw back the curtain on seemingly tranquil, "ideal," English village life where everyone has secrets and no one is as they seem. Luke Fitzwilliam, newly retired from overseas police work, has a chance encounter with the eccentric Miss Fullerton on the London train. She tells him a fantastic tale of a murderer running loose in her village, knocking off people left and right - really too incredible to be believed. Or so Luke thinks, until he gets the news that his elderly informant was killed in a freak accident on the way to report her findings to Scotland Yard. He hatches a plan to pose as a friend's cousin writing a book on local customs, and goes to stay with his cousin Bridget, who turns out to be a stunning beauty engaged to the local bigwhig, Lord Easterfield. Not knowing who to trust, Luke joins forces with Bridget - but the murderer could be craftier than they think...

Most of my Agatha Christie reading has been confined to the Poirot or Marple novels, so it's always a treat to discover one of her standalones that delivers a good corker of a mystery. The pacing is excellent, and the way Christie introduces the cast of suspects, only to dismiss each in turn, is supberbly handled. Being something of a hopeless romantic (LOL), I loved the romantic, but atypical subplot between Bridget and Luke. They sparred and fought like crazy, but couldn't help falling for each other. :) And the last few chapters, where the murderer is revealed, are absolutely un-put-downable. With this book Christie created one of her creepiest, most disturbing villains, proving the revenge is a frightening dish best served cold. For all the pros, I did think the dialogue is a bit "clunky" and just does flow as well as some other Christie efforts I've read. But that's a small quibble, and certainly shouldn't detract one from reading what is a thoroughly enjoyable puzzler from Dame Agatha Christie.

Book vs. Film:

The differences between the book and the recent film version of Murder Is Easy absolutely boggle my mind. I don't think I could even keep all of the changes straight to the point where I could list them and have them make even some sort of sense. The first change is, of course, the insertion of Miss Marple - what's shocking is that it's far from the most glaring change to the plot. Most of the townspeople are present, but their history and motivations are completely mixed up or changed wholesale. I think it's a real shame that the culprit's history and motives were completely rewritten for the screen. In the book, the murderer's motives are so creepy and disturbing as is, Christie didn't need to fabricate an incest/rape plot. The bottom line is, changes to Christie's novels typically don't bother me - when they make sense. But this film pretty much completely rewrote the novel from the ground up, and the filmmakers went for an ick factor rather than the psychologically disturbed, way more creepy, villain Christie created. I will give the filmmakers credit for building up the character of Constable Reed (Russell Tovey). The constable is only mentioned in the novel, never really introduced, and Tovey made the character a lot of fun to watch (not that I'm biased or anything, HA!). And while the filmmakers completely rewrote Bridget's character, the romantic tension between Bridget and Luke (Benedict Cumberbatch) is pretty true to the way the two characters are written in the novel. The bottom line, though, is that this film pales in comparison to the book.

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.

Review: A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie

A Pocket Full of Rye (A Miss Marple Mystery)
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Signet/Penguin
ISBN: 978-0-451-19986-7

About the book:
The shocking thing about Rex Fortescue’s murder was that the contemptible tycoon wasn’t knocked off sooner. But when two less-deserving souls fall victim to the killer, Miss Jane Marple is engaged to detect. The only link appears to be buried in a not-so-innocent verse. So what’s the rhyme and reason behind the playful hint? The answer draws the shrewd sleuth into the heart of a family secret – and an increasingly menacing game that’s anything but child’s play.

Review:

No one could create puzzlers like Dame Agatha Christie. A Pocket Full of Rye is so jam-packed with red herrings, Christie could’ve taken the story towards a half dozen or so different resolutions (at least!). The victim, Rex Fortescue, was a thoroughly unlikable man, and the dysfunctional family he leaves behind are, for the most part, equally unpleasant. The incredibly competent Inspector Neele is assigned to investigate the case, and what at first seems like a “routine” poisoning case soon grows into a veritable maze of lies and misdirection – beginning with the curious discovery of rye in Rex’s pockets. When Rex’s much younger widow is subsequently poisoned while taking tea, and the maid is found murdered by the clothesline, Neele struggles to find the connection between these seemingly random crimes.

Miss Jane Marple barely appears in this novel, but her scenes are critical in revealing the killer’s identity. She’s the catalyst that helps Neele connect the threads of these seemingly random killings. I was quite impressed with Neele’s character – for my money he’s one of Christie’s most interesting inspectors. He’s extremely intelligent, intuitive, and knows how to read people. Most importantly, he knows how to use a person's tendency to underestimate him. He’s not one of those investigators who must have every clue handed to him by the “civilian” or “amateur” sleuth. Christie could’ve written more novels featuring Neele’s character and I wouldn’t have complained at all.

Christie incorporated rhymes or famous quotes as clues in her mysteries on more than one occasion (Poirot’s One, Two, Buckle My Shoe or Tommy and Tuppence’s By the Pricking of My Thumbs, to name just a few). Pocket probably isn’t one of my favorites – the pool of suspects is relatively limited after all. But Christie throws so many misdirections and possible motives into the setting of this dysfunctional, very English, household that it’s a delight to spend a few hours with Neele and Marple sorting through the red herrings in order to reveal the culprit.

Book vs. Film:

Possible spoilers…

I was a little shocked, actually, by how faithful the most recent film adaptation of A Pocket Full of Rye is to the original book. Whole sections of dialogue from the novel made it into the script almost verbatim. Matthew Macfadyen absolutely nailed the role of Inspector Neele. He perfectly captures the right balance of Neele’s intelligence and dry, almost awkward sense of humor. The only alterations that immediately come to mind is the omission of Miss Ramsbottom’s character (Rex’s sister-in-law), and increasing the presence of Miss Marple just a bit, since her presence is so minimal in the novel (i.e., in the film Marple discovers the newspaper article about uranium deposits in East Africa, while in the novel Neele is the one who connects that article to Lance’s lies). You can read my review of the film A Pocket Full of Rye here.