Murder She Said (1961)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

George Pollock

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
David D. Osborn (adaptation)

Release Date:

7 January 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Agatha Christie-The First Lady of Mystery and Margaret Rutherford-The Last Word in Detectives, Bring You a Killer of a Suspense Yarn...No Ifs, Ands or Butlers About It!

Plot:

Whem Miss Marple reports witnessing a murder through the window of a passing train, the police dismiss her has dotty spinster when no trace of the crime can be found.

Plot Keywords:

Train Station | Mummy Case | Precocious Child | Curmudgeon | Dysfunctional Family

Cast

Margaret Rutherford	...	Miss Jane Marple
Arthur Kennedy	...	Dr. Paul Quimper
Muriel Pavlow	...	Emma Ackenthorpe
James Robertson Justice	...	Ackenthorpe
Thorley Walters	...	Cedric Ackenthorpe
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell	...	Inspector Craddock (as Charles Tingwell)
Conrad Phillips	...	Harold Ackenthorpe
Ronald Howard	...	Brian Eastley
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Kidder
Stringer Davis	...	Mr. Jim Stringer
Ronnie Raymond	...	Alexander
Gerald Cross	...	Albert Ackenthorpe
Michael Golden	...	Hillman
Barbara Leake	...	Mrs. Hilda Stainton
Gordon Harris	...	Bacon

Also Known As:

Agatha Christie's 'Murder, She Said' (USA)
Meet Miss Marple

Runtime:

USA:87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

George H. Brown Productions

Trivia:

The voice heard for actor Ronnie Raymond (who plays Alexander) has been dubbed.

Quotes:

Alexander: You know, it isn't just that you don't look like Jane Mansfield. You're not *my* idea of a maid, either.
Miss Marple: Well, quite honestly, I don't think *you're* everybody's idea of a boy.

Movie Connections:

Version of Crime est notre affaire, Le (2008)

Grand-Dame Good Film

Grand Dame Margaret Rutherford gives a fine performance as super sleuth Jane Marple in this, the first of four films based on Christie's detective. Agatha Christie was upset with the casting of Rutherford in the role of her dowdy, inquisitive, rather passive detective who solves crimes more on what she hears from other people more than anything else. And who cannot understand her concerns, initially? Rutherford is the antithesis of the fictional Marple. She is a battleship on screen with her plump, statuesque build, her one-of-a-kind visage, her English aristocratic bearing and wit, and her anything but passive behaviour. To put it bluntly, Christie's character was only that character in name.....but....this does not detract from the film in the least for me. And I should expect that only die-hard fans of Miss Marple will not enjoy this film for it is a good mystery, has excellent character acting, a zippy score, and some wonderful witty dialogue. Most of all, it has Dame Margaret Rutherford give a larger-than-life performance that promises to bring you many smiles and some good laughs.