daniel_clancy2001

It was with a sceptical frown that I put the tape in the machine and pressed "Play" - I had already seen four atrocious US TV films from the '80s. I was surprised enough to manage to watch it all the way through. FInally, the production team was starting to get the hang of Agatha Christie... just. However, I will not pretend that more Hayes-Marple films would be a good thing.

The updated plot is ridiculous and fanciful. The cast aren't even trying. Sparks flew between Bette Davis (Playing the kindly Carrie-Louise) and the rest of the cast. This shows, subtly, in that none of the cast will touch her and they always stay a good foot or two away, even in the friendly greeting scenes.

This is always advertised as "One of Bette Davis's last films", but most people fail to realise it was Helen Hayes's very last film, and Miss Hayes was critically ill at the time of shooting. This may be why everyone involved seems to lack passion. I don't like the cheap American titles, the cheap American sets, the cheap American costumes, the cheap American accents and the cheap American attitudes.

Guess which two words spring to mind (they begin with "C" and "s"). Frances de la Tour is more irritating than her character gives scope for, John Mills gives a reliable performance, as ever, but it is sadly wasted. The viewer can tell that the cast-members have just had a laugh at the writer's expense.

Compared to the less-than-perfect 1991 version, this is just a waste of film.

The last reviewer has got it spot on, but I will add my comments nonetheless. Here we have a remarkable mystery in an unremarkable film. The Radio Times described this as an "unexceptional mystery" and then went on to talk about Sir John MIlls in the review, as there is little more to say about the film.

I watched this film because John Mills is my hero. I taped it and am pleased I did. This is a completely original story, and one I've not heard of elsewhere. I'm not a fan of remakes, but this cries out for one (Not with Chris Columbus). When I'm rich I'll produce, direct and star in a remake.

Possibly.

I am 15 and have been watching this show since it began, nearly five years ago. Since then, almost every thirty-minute episode has been of consistently high quality - now in it's eighth series, the show has lost none of the hilarity it started out with. The show is very amusing; it caters for all levels. The acting here is absolutely superb from everyone involved. I can honestly say that, as far as I know, this is one of the only shows on TV with child actors who can act. Not only that, but they are all very good actors. The loss of Barbara Durkin in 2001 led to a lot of people thinking: "Well, that's it." She cut a highly amusing figure as Sophie, the mother. The casting of the very different Carla Mendonca was, however, masterful, and I commend whoever thought of it. There is not a single weak performer in the show, the writing has sustained unbelievably high quality - although some of the humour can get rather crude at times - and there is little to criticise. The only thing I would advice they dropped in the next series is the canned laughter, which removes the sophistication of the all-round masterful show.