At Bertram's Hotel

Frankly, i think Joan Hickson established the standard for Miss Marple in the 1980s and early 90s. If I remember correctly, she was actually portraying a character younger than herself. (She played Marple into her mid-80s.) She did it wonderfully -- a great example of an actor coming into her own in later years.

Geraldine McEwan is an excellent actor, but she falls into the trap so many have playing Marple -- she plays it too lightly. Hickson took the role more seriously, gave it more gravity, and conveyed the essence of Miss Marple -- somewhat reclusive, quiet, wise observer. Miss Marple has an almost Buddhist quality. I have only seen Hickson capture that.

As for this episode another reviewer is right on the mark -- the audio mix is terrible. For some reason, British television productions chronically suffer from this problem (not always, but typically).

Here, the sound mix makes the program almost unwatchable, not simply because it drowns out everything else, but because the scoring is abysmally syrupy and overwrought.

At Bertram's is one of my least favorite Christie novels, and the 80s adaptation managed to be both a snooze and a mess. In short, anything would have been an improvement. And while this adaptation cannot be accused of subtlety or reserve, it packs a lot of stimulating characters and subplots into its world. McCutcheon is wonderful. I'd love for her to have her own series as an aspiring Marple figure. My jury has been out on McEwan as Marple, but this one cemented my admiration for her. The stories herein are ridiculous, improbable, and densely shuffled, but a welcome change from the austerity of the original. And for all of these idiots who keep claiming the adaptations are ruining the originals because of added homosexual characters: Give me a freaking break. Christie could only insinuate about the sexuality of her characters, or gesture very broadly. Now we have the luxury of getting fleshed out characters who in fact HAVE sexualities of their own, even if they were unconventional for the time. If 10% of the population is LGBT, then why not accept the characterization of 10% of her characters as such? Apparently some straight people squirm when close to 3-4% of Christie's characters are rendered as queer. Sad state of affairs.

This has to be once of the most unfairly maligned productions ever made. If some of the comments on here were believed too readily, nobody would watch this. Which is a pity, because the other production of this that I have watched pales into insignificance compared to this one.

Geraldine McEwan shines again.!

It was an unbelievable surprise to see reviewers leaving such low scores for this version of Miss Marple, as low as 3s..???

I understand everyone deserves to lay down their own opinion in reviews but, 3s, that is outrageous..!

Have you all been watching the same drama that I have been watching? It seems unlikely..:( 'Miss Geraldine McEwan' is absolutely fantastic and, her ability to convince an ordiance of the reality of the character is flawrless..! She is absolutely convincing, energising, meticulous, methodical, and lovably humorous.!.

Joan Hickson played 'Miss Marple' in a completely different narrative and style..! I found some of her episodes of 'Miss Marple' were slow, dreary and drowsy, that really took too long to take off I would end-up switching over..sorry.. There is no comparison to Miss Geraldine McEwans' version of Marple, no way shape or form does her Miss Marple character appear like a nosy old woman, poking her nose where it doesn't belong; even though she does:) She is a meticulously minded woman whom has trodden the depths of society:):):) 'Quoted' by 'Miss Marples' friend Dolly bantry in episode "Body in the Library" (played by Joanna Lumley) Geraldine McEwan has made my Sunday afternoons a much more pleasant one having these wonderful episodes of 'Marple' to watch..! I have enjoyed immensely all of the episodes with Miss Geraldine McEwan playing 'Miss Marple', I just hoped she would have remained with and continued until the end of series six; that would have been superb..!!! I do not know why she ended her role at the end of series three, disappointed for sure..! Maybe to encapsulate, start from the beginning of series one, "Body in the Library" that way, you can watch and have all twelve episodes to treasure:)

Sorry my review was wrong.

It was love actually not notting hill .

The romance between the police and jane and between prime minister and his secretary? Almost the same.