Customer Reviews

Miss Marple: The Moving Finger [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bravo to the makers of this film, who faithfully adapted Agatha Christie's story to the screen, keeping the plot and characters true to the novel. Joan Hickson is the quintessential Miss Marple and finds herself with an excellent supporting cast that enhances this classic whodunit. A generous helping of romance and two deadly murders make this a most entertaining way to spend two hours. Mystery lovers will be challenged with the unexpected twists and red herrings that made the book so popular. Was it the overzealous sister? the genteel antiques collector? the timid spinster? the glamorous governess? the unhappy stepdaughter who evolves into Cinderella? All is revealed on location in a picturesque English village. Sit back and enjoy!

Joan Hickson has come to define Miss Marple. Her performances are flawless, entertaining, and blessed with a beautifully subtle humor. The Moving Finger is no exception to this rule. In this installment of the Miss Marple series, Joan Hickson receives the added assistance of an excellent supporting cast. Even those with minor roles do full justice to their parts. This particular Christie mystery offers something for everyone: classical whodunit twists and turns, the transformation of an 'ugly duckling' into a swan, and a touch of heartwarming romance. The interaction between Miss Marple and Inspector Nash is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Scotland Yard's Lestrade, adding yet another dose of deliciously sly British humor to the mix. Fans of the book will be pleased to note that the film remains quite true to the plot and dialogue with only minor exceptions. The Moving Finger is really a must for any mystery film library.

This is one of my favorite stories of the Miss Marple series. Joan Hickson, who plays Miss Marple, looks like Miss Marple and, as mentioned elsewhere, was Agatha Christie's choice for the role. If you've seen the mish mash that some movie makers and TV producers have made of Christie's stories, you'll appreciate her concern

And though Poirot novels have some of the most brilliant and controversial plots (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," for instance, caused a furor in its day for not adhering to the laws of the English mystery novel), Miss Marple finally came into her own, in large part thanks to "Mystery," which is fine because she's a more believable character than Poirot.

Just as the Poirot features take place in the wonderful Art Deco period, the producers have set Miss Marple in the mid-1950s, a more homey but less picturesque time.

A brother and sister move into a small English village while he recovers from a plane accident and they are soon recipients of a poison pen letter. Their shock is mitigated when they learn that practically every one in town has received a letter. In fact, the lawyer's wife appears to have committed suicide after getting one.

Soon Miss Marple is called in to set everything straight. This is a very clever mystery with a surprise ending., and it shows that Agatha Christie at her best is a genius. There's been no one to take her place.

Christie's books were very clever, but the films are often better because they omit her Antisemitic jibes, something Christie herself stopped after WW2.

+++++

I watched this movie without reading the 1942 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 series of poison-pen letters (lurid, wicked, untrue letters) is being circulated in an English village. A resident of this village and a friend of Miss Marple calls Miss Marple (the late Joan Hickson) to her home to try and learn the identity of the author of these letters. Miss Marple gets more than she bargains for since a person is found killed with a suicide note being left. Also, a poison-pen letter is found. Eventually another body is discovered. To rule out murder in both cases, Police Superintendent Nash (Geoffrey Davion) is officially called in to investigate. Unofficially Miss Marple investigates.

Who are the people affected by these letters? They are as follows:

1. Gerry Burton, a renter (Andy Bickhell)
2. Joanna Burton, Gerry's sister (Sabina Franklin)
3. Maud Calthrop, a friend of Miss Marple (Dilys Hamlett)
4. Emily Barton, the owner of the estate Gerry and Joanna are renting (Hilary Mason)
5. Partridge, the cook/housekeeper of this estate (Penelope Lee)
6. Beatrice, the estate's maid (Juliet Waley)
7. Mr. Cleat, the estate's gardener (Gordon Rollings)
8. Edward Symmington, the estate owner's lawyer (Michael Culver)
9. Angela Symmington, Edward's wife (Liz Counsell)
10. Ellise Holland, the Symmington's nurse/maid (Imogen Smith)
11. Dr. Owen Griffith (Martin Fisk)
12. Eryl Griffith, Owen's sister (Sandra Payne)
13. Megan Hunter, Edward Symmington's stepdaughter (Debbie Appleby)

Joan Hickson (whom Agatha Christie herself wanted to play Miss Marple) captures the essence of the heroine super sleuth in her performance. (Hickson was 79 years old in this movie!)

This murder mystery is especially good because it's not obvious who the murderer is.

Finally, the cinematography of this movie is good. All costumes are authentic looking. The background music adds to each scene.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie even if you have read the novel it's based on!

(1985; 100 min; made for T.V.; British drama; full screen; color)

+++++

Miss Marple is called upon by her friend Maude Calthrop, the victor's wife for help. It seems there are poison-pen letters showing up in the quiant village of Lymston that are casuing a great stir. Who wrote them and why? Even the brother and sister who just rented a home, so he can recover from an airplane accident are getting them! Then the solicitor's wife turns up dead with one of the letters and a suicide note, our Miss Marple suspicions are aroused. Then a second death happens and it is unmistakably murder but still the letters keep coming. Who is next and will Miss Marple find the murderer before another death occurs? As always a great mystery with twist and turns and also some romance and a couple of love stories.

Naturally, if they kept the subplots and characterization the same as the book, this movie would be a mini series. However they did do a good job of consolidating characters and sticking to the main points of the story. Even if you have read the book you will enjoy watching the movie.

One of the plusses of this movie is the character that plays Edward Symmington (Michael Culver.) He is in several other English films and plays Prior Robert in the Brother Cadfael Series.

One of the minuses of this movie is the Lisa Doolittle scene; it is totally out of character for aunt Jane films.

You have the characteristic mystery and the usual (or unusual) suspects. Aunt Jane is confronted with a problem that may snowball into murder if she does not figure it out in time. But as everyone says, "Ask Miss Marple." She usually has the right answer."