Murder Most Foul

Jane Marple joins a rather interesting acting troupe in order to find out the real killer of Mrs. McGinty, a woman hanged in her apartment. Marple initially is a member of a jury judging the case of a man who she believes was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once a part of the acting company, murder follows and Jane's life becomes in great peril. Margaret Rutherford once again dons the role of super-sleuth Jane Marple. She looks like she is having so much fun with the role as she rolls her eyes, makes suggestive facial expressions, and furls her capes. She truly is a joy to watch as she waltzes her way through this rather tame, uninspired material. But what the story lacks in creativity, she adds with her screen persona. Her recitation of the Robert Service poem "The Killing of Dan McGrew" is worth a look at the film alone. Stringer Davis, as her librarian friend(and real-life husband) and Charles Tingwell, as Inspector Craddock, are back once again to aid Miss Marple(not that she really needs their help). Both actors are fun to watch as they interact with the grand dame. Ron Moody plays the head of the acting troupe. He is as ever very eccentric and plays nicely off Rutherford as well. It's a pity this was the last of the Marple/Rutherford films. They are so much fun to watch!

Jane's on jury duty and is the only one to find NOT GUILTY to a murder charge so she is off to find the real killer. She auditions to join the cast of a traveling players group in a get-up with a huge hydrangea blossom plunked in her bosom and recites "The killing of Dan McGrew". It's wonderful. The rest of the film is entertaining and the finale typically ironic and comical. These films are great, easy to watch and very light hearted.

Margaret Rutherford makes an amusing Miss Marple in this all-English version of Agatha Christie's "Mrs. McGinty's Dead". With an outstanding supporting cast she manages to solve the murder mystery after joining the cast of a local theater group. A quiet but very english film; filmed in black and white it looks as if it is an older film than it is, but also has a modern feel to it since it was filmed in 1964. Ron Moody is wonderful as the theatrical Clifford Cosgood, who tries to convince Miss Marple to invest in his next play. Charles Tingwell plays the police inspector who gets all his clues from Miss Marple and seems always to be three steps behind her.

Enjoyed this Agatha Christie murder mystery and especially with the great acting by Margaret Rutherford, (Miss Jane Marple). Miss Marple sticks her nose into another murder mystery of a woman and manages to enter the murder victims apartment under the pretense of looking for old clothes and things for a church benefit. Miss Marple even joins a theatrical group and volunteers her so-called talents as an elderly British lady. There is a strange bunch of actors in this theater, one girl walks in her sleep and acts like she is in a trance and even tries to kill Miss Marple with a knife. There is a great deal of comedy through out the film and Miss Marple always seems to give the Police Inspector valuable information which he takes complete credit for himself. Nice old scenes from England and a very enjoyable classic film from 1964.

Some lovely bits here, based again on an Agatha Christie novel, not featuring Jane Marple however, but a Hercule Poirot mystery adapted and extremely loosely plotted to enhance the idiosyncratic manner of actress Miss Margaret Rutherford.

Margaret, trying out for a local theatre group in order to expose the real murderer, reciting a Robert Service poem to the disinterest of cast members, director and stagehands has to be seen to be believed. Her clicking knitting needles in the jury box, her one dissenting vote invalidating the whole judicial process, her self righteous oblivion to the glares of the judge, are comedic timing at its best. Her scenes with the company are wonderful and her slow, methodical denouement of the murderer exquisite.

Just curl up with this one. Great old actors from the sixties. A brilliant series. 8 out of 10.