Product Details

• Actors: Joan Hickson, Caroline Blakiston, Helena Michell, James Cossins, Joan Greenwood
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1997
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303404839
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,999 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Joan Hickson stars as Agatha Christie's most beloved character, the prim and proper Miss Marple, in this classic whodunit. London's Bertram's Hotel is a well polished retreat where dowager duchesses, retired clergymen and aging generals can indulge in the comforts of a bygone era. But it's just a little too proper for guest Miss Marple she feels something sinister lurks beneath the hotel's genteel veneer. And rightly so! Society beauty Bess Sedgwick, known for her appetite for adventure and men, has registered at the very same time as a certain woman who happens to be her greatest rival her daughter. When the Irish doorman turns up dead, Miss Marple launches her investigation and the hotel's respectable facade begins to crumble.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too Much Hotel; Not Enough Mystery, November 23, 2004

By 

Stephen Pletko "Uncle Stevie" (London, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel [VHS] (VHS Tape)

+++++

I watched this movie without reading the 1965 Dame Agatha Christie novel that it was based on. (Christie wrote twelve Miss Marple murder mysteries altogether.) I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.

A murder occurs at London's Bertram's Hotel where Miss Marple (the late Joan Hickson) is staying. An official police investigation ensues with Chief Inspector Fred Davy (George Baker) as one of the investigators. Unofficially, Miss Marple puts all the clues together.

Who are the people staying at or associated with this hotel? They are as follows:

(1) Bess Segwick who has been married several times (Caroline Blakiston)
(2) Elvina Blake, a person who is soon to be wealthy (Helena Mitchell)
(3) Selina Hazy, Miss Marple's friend (Joan Greenwood)
(4) Canon Pennygather, an absentminded retired clergyman (Preston Lockwood)
(5) Michael Gorman, the hotel's Irish doorman (Brian McGrath)
(6) Ladislaus Malinowski, an ex-racecar driver and womanizer (Rob Reynolds)

Joan Hickson (whom Agatha Christie herself wanted to play Miss Marple) captures the essence of the heroine super sleuth in her performance. (Hickson was 81 years old in this movie!)

The interior filming of the hotel is fantastic. All costumes and props are authentic looking. The background music adds to each scene.

Unfortunately, this movie has a few problems:

First, it takes way too long for the murder to occur. In fact, I had to check a few times to see if this movie was really a murder mystery! When the murder finally does occur, it then seems that the movie becomes rushed.

Next, the final deduction scene, I felt, was incomplete. I still had a few questions that Miss Marple never answered.

Finally, the Chief Inspector mentioned above actually sings when he is investigating and interrogating. I found this very distracting.

In conclusion, despite the problems mentioned, this is still a decent movie!

(1987; 100 min; made for TV; British drama; full screen; color)

+++++

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HICKSON IS MISS MARPLE, January 21, 2009

By 

Kristy Bruner (Burleson, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I HAVE ALL THE MISS MARPLE'S AS PORTRAYED BY JOAN HICKSON. SHE JUST SEEMS TO BE THE REAL THING. I WATCH THEM OVER AND OVER, AND ON A DAY THAT IS BAD OUTSIDE, WE DO A MARATHON OF THESE MOVIES.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Muffins vs. tea cakes with raisins, September 6, 2000

By 

bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It is not easy comparing movies to books, especially Agatha Christie's novels. However this one has the feel and just the right actors. There is great attention to detail.

If you have the nagging feeling that you saw Chief Inspector Fred Davy (George Baker) before it may be that he has been in at least 100 movies and shows, recently as Detective Chief Inspector Wexford in Ruth Rendell Mysteries.

Bertram's Hotel is just how Jane remembered it as a child. She soon comes to the conclusion that it is to good to be true. The Chief Inspector is of the same mind. This film has several overlying plots. However just being in the hotel will distract you from them.

So get out your muffins, sit up in bed and watch "At Bertram's Hotel."