Product Details

• Actors: Ricki Lake, Linden Ashby, Bruce McGill, Christina Pickles, Judith Scott
• Directors: Simon Wincer
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: April 10, 2001
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000055ZJQ
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #517 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #18 in	Video > Kids & Family > Adapted from Books > Feature Films

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Disney's delightful whodunnit mystery Murder She Purred is told through the eyes of two four-legged critters considerably smarter than the humans they are observing. Based on the novel by Rita Mae Brown, the film is set in a small Virginia town where secrets run as deep as Southern-style charm. Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen (Ricki Lake) calls the shots around town as she runs the post office. But the real brains of the burb belong to Harry's cat, the acerbic Mrs. Murphy (voiced by Blythe Danner), and the interminably hungry Tucker (voiced by Anthony Clark), a Welsh corgi who suffers from little-dog syndrome. This feline/canine duo is quickly on the scent when a local man is found murdered at the bottom of the lake. All evidence points to Dr. Blair Bainbridge (Linden Ashby) a town newcomer who moves in next to Harry, and, it turns out, has buried some secrets of his own. While local sheriffs try to unmask the murderer, Harry falls for Dr. Bainbridge in spite of his questionable character. As the plot thickens, so do the amusing antics and one-liners from Mrs. Murphy and Tucker. It's up to the animals to solve the mystery, despite their "pet peeves" over the bumbling efforts of humans. Lake is terrific as the low-key, likeable, but lonely Harry, and the rest of the cast deliver decent performances, but the biggest kudos go to our furry friends who save the day in a surprise ending that is certain to please family audiences. --Lynn Gibson

Product Description

A fun, spoofy thriller, MURDER SHE PURRED is based on a book from Rita Mae Brown's popular MRS. MURPHY mystery series! In the spirit of AIR BUD, a crime-solving cat named Mrs. Murphy talks with her canine counterpart, Tucker ... and together, they conspire to help their unsuspecting owner, amateur sleuth Mary "Harry" Haristeen (Ricki Lake -- MRS. WINTERBOURNE), get to the bottom of some baffling local mysteries! So when there's a suspicious death in their cozy little Virginia town, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker become the secret accomplices in Harry's investigation! Your entire family will be entertained as this intrepid threesome set out to sort through the bizarre events, wild rumors, and shocking revelations that stand between them and the truth!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great film for all dog/cat fans, June 2, 2001

By	"[e-mail]" (Florissant, MO United States) - See all my reviews

I have read (devoured) nearly all the books in the Sneaky Pie mystery series and this movie is a great addition. I've rented it 3 times and watched it at least 4 times. We plan on adding this to our video collection. The movie is suspenseful without being too scary for the younger crowd as well as funny. Ricki Lake as Mary Minor Haristeen is perfect. The only changes I would make is to have the voice of Tucker be a female, as Tucker is a female in the books, and add Pewter. It's great entertainment especially for Corgi lovers. I'm anxiously waiting for more.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Want More Mrs. Murphy Msteries!!!!, October 11, 2000

By	H. Wheeler (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery (VHS Tape)

This movie is one that the entire family can enjoy together. No foul language or violent scenes. Solely a good hearted mystery with moments of humor and a dash of suspense. Ricki Lake is believable as the towns Post Mistress Mary Minor Harriston (Harry). The interactions betwen Tucker (the dog) and Mrs. Murphy (the cat) are what I always envisioned cats and dogs are saying to, and about, one another. The voice overs for the animals seem to fit their personalities wonderfully. My family has enjoyed reading the Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown books for years. They loved Murder She Purred so much that I had to rent it because the copy I purchased has not arrived yet. Of course we watched it every day during our five day rental. We anxiously await the next installment in the Mrs. Murphy series. My only hope is that they keep the core actors and animals, as there is true movie magic with that group!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, June 1, 2001

By	Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

When amateur sleuth Mary "Harry" Haristeen (played by Ricki Lake) finds that there were two men in the empty house next door, she begins to investigate. When a local banker suddenly turns up at the bottom of a local pond, the stakes rise steeply. Little does Harry realize, though, that there is someone else on the case, someone who is one "paw" ahead of her.

Harry's trusted cat, Mrs. Murphy (voice provided by Blythe Danner), loves reading Harry's mystery books over her shoulder, and considers herself a superior detective. Together with Harry's dog, Tucker (Anthony Clark), Mrs. Murphy already thinks she knows who the murderer is, and is determined to protect Harry from this miscreant. Can Mrs. Murphy protect Harry, and expose the murderer? Watch to find out! [Color, created in 1998, with a running time of 1 hour, 28 minutes.]

I got this tape on a whim, and I am very glad that I did. The story is quite cute, and yet interesting enough to keep adults entertained. My children are getting old enough to where they are moving away from cartoons, and this movie was perfect for them. I highly recommend this family friendly movie!