Agatha Christie - Tumblr Posts
MURDER SHE SAID (Dir: George Pollock, 1961).
The first in a series of four MGM-British murder mysteries staring the incomparable Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie’s amateur sleuth Miss Marple.
Adapted from Christie's 1957 novel '4:50 from Paddington', Murder She Said sees Miss Marple witness a murder on a passing train. When the police won't listen to her, she takes matters into her own hands. Surmising that the body must have been deposited at the nearby Ackenthorpe Hall, she poses as a maid and finds employment at the stately home. Here she is perfectly placed to investigate the family and staff who would all appear to have motive for murder. Meanwhile the killer racks up a few more bodies.
This has to rank as among the most lighthearted Agatha Christie adaptations, taking a far more comedic approach than usual.
Christie was reportedly unhappy with the casting of Margaret Rutherford. In fairness her Miss Marple is nothing like the one in the novels, but she attacks the part with such gusto and good humour that it is hard not to love her in the role. An invention of the movie is Miss Marple’s loyal companion and romantic interest Mr Stringer, played by her real life husband Stringer Davis. This relationship is a nice addition to the story which also serves the practical purpose of allowing Miss Marple to convey some necessary exposition to the audience.
Excellent support is offered, especially from James Robertson Justice as the bedridden family patriarch and keep an eye out for future Miss Marple Joan Hickson further down the cast.
In its depiction of a quaintly dated post-War Britain, Murder She Said seems both of its time and oddly timeless. Christie purists may carp that too many liberties are taken with the original text and no one would suggest that this is a definitive telling. But to criticise it as such would be kind of missing the point. Murder She Said is enormously entertaining with superb performances from some British acting legends. It is all very silly, but also very funny and with some genuine moments of suspense. An excellent, infectious score by Ron Goodwin adds to the fun.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of Murder She Said. Link below.
MURDER AT THE GALLOP (Dir: George Pollock, 1963).
Following the success of Murder She Said (George Pollock, 1961) aging amateur detective Miss Marple returns to investigate the death of the elderly Mr Enderby, supposedly frightened to death by a cat. Eavesdropping at the reading of Enderby's will, where his estate is divided between four family members, Miss Marple's suspicions are confirmed when the deceased's sister Cora suggests that the old man was murdered. When Miss Marple visits Cora to question her, she finds the sister too has been murdered. Deciding to investigate further, Miss Marple books herself a holiday at The Gallop Hotel and Riding School, an establishment run by Enderby's nephew Hector and the other surviving heirs.
The second of MGM’s Miss Marple movies was the first not to be based upon a Miss Marple novel. Rather, Murder at the Gallop is based upon Agatha Christie’s 1953 novel 'After the Funeral', which featured her other most famous creation, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Poirot is nowhere to be found in this adaptation in which he is supplanted by Margaret Rutherford’s bluffly brilliant interpretation of Miss Marple. Rutherford's real life husband Stringer Davis returns as loyal companion Mr Stringer, as does Charles Tingwell as the weary Inspector Craddock. Standout among the supporting cast is Robert Morley; his excellent comic turn as Hector Enderby threatens to steal the movie from Ms Rutherford. The quality cast also features neat performances from acting legends Flora Robson and Finlay Currie.
As with Murder She Said, the movie paints a picture of a quaint post-War Britain that never really existed and must have seemed archaic to audiences in the so-called 'swinging' sixties. But I feel this is kind of the point. The movie is very tongue-in-cheek and never takes itself too seriously; gently mocking genteel middle England, while at the same time romanticising it.
Again, this maybe not be an adaptation for Christie purists, but like the previous movie it is a lot of fun. There are some genuine moments of suspense amongst the jollity and Miss Marple even does the twist. What's not to love?
100+ movie reviews, including MURDER SHE SAID, available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
MURDER MOST FOUL (Dir: George Pollock, 1964).
MGM’s third outing for Agatha Christie’s amateur sleuth Miss Marple, with the incomparable Margaret Rutherford in the title role.
Investigating the murder of a blackmailer, Miss Marple bluffs her way into theatrical troupe the Cosgood Players, with whom the victim has a previous association. The old girl knows she is on the right track as more troupe members are disposed of. Anyone of the players has possible motive for murder, and Miss Marple is soon in danger herself as the killer gets wind of her snooping.
As with the previous series entry Murder at the Gallop, this movie is based upon a novel featuring Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, in this instance her 1952 novel Mrs McGinty’s Dead. As before, Poirot is elbowed out the picture to make way for Miss Marple.
Once again Rutherford attacks the role of Miss Marple with relish! While nothing like the literary incarnation, she injects the role with such goodnatured bluster that its impossible not to love her interpretation. A strong supporting cast of Brit acting legends adds to the fun. Returning from previous adventures are Charles Tingwell as the long suffering Inspector Craddock and Rutherford's real life husband Stringer Davis as Miss Marple's chaste love interest Mr Stringer.
As with other titles in the series, Murder Most Foul is not necessarily one for Christie purists. Great liberties are taken with the original, not just the recasting of the lead character. However, the movie is a lot of fun. Director George Pollock skillfully judges the overt comic tone with the more serious business of murder. There are genuine thrills to be found as the mystery unfolds to a neatly suspenseful, not too obvious climax.
In truth, Murder Most Foul differs little from the two previous outings. But happily, what worked before works again and the formula still feels surprisingly fresh. Unfortunately Miss Marple doesn't delight us with her twist again, or any other fad dances for that matter. But as compensation she does perform a priceless rendition of Robert W Service's poem The Shooting of Dan McGrew, which alone makes the movie worth a watch!
A longer, more in-depth review of MURDER MOST FOUL is available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
MURDER AHOY (Dir: George Pollock, 1964).
The fourth and final entry in MGM’s Miss Marple series.
Here the amateur sleuth boards the retired battleship HMS Battledore, now used by charity Trust for the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents, in order to investigate the death of one of the charity's trustees. It is anything but plain sailing as more crew members are bumped off and Miss Marple's own life is at risk as she uncovers embezzlement and theft on board.
The only title in the series not directly based on an Agatha Christie novel; the opening credits bear the legend “original screenplay by David Pursall and Jack Seddon based on their interpretation of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple”. The wording here is key as, with a markedly more comic tone, this is definitely Pursall and Sneddon’s interpretation rather than Christie’s. However, having previously adapted three Christie novels, the writers prove more than adept at recreating a murder mystery with twists and turns worthy of the author.
Wary that the franchise was in need of a refresh, the decision to set much of the movie on board the HMS Battledore gives it a slightly different flavour from other series entries. With Miss M spending much of the film aboard ship she relies heavier than usual on her land based contact and constant companion Mr Stringer (Stringer Davis). It’s nice for Davis to have a bit more to do and this different dynamic also serves to shake up the formula somewhat.
Again, Rutherford is wonderful as Miss Marple; nothing like the character in the books, but an excellent comic creation in its own right. As always, a cast of familiar vintage British stars offer sturdy support, most notably Lionel Jeffries whose terrific comic performance as ship's Captain Sydney De Courcy Rhumstone almost steals the movie from Rutherford.
Like its predecessors Murder Ahoy is all very silly, yet also highly entertaining. Purists may disagree, but this naval nonsense is hard lnot to warm to and concludes the series in ship shape fashion.
To read a longer, more in-depth review of MURDER AHOY visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
THE ALPHABET MURDERS (Dir: Frank Tashlin, 1965).
A comedy thriller based upon Agatha Christie’s 1936 novel The ABC Murders in which Belgian's finest, Detective Hercule Poirot (Tony Randall), investigates a series of murders, each victim being bumped off in alphabetical order. Chief suspect is the dubiously initialed Amanda Beatrice Cross (Anita Ekberg).
The Alphabet Murders was an attempt by MGM to repeat the success of their series of comic mysteries adapted from Christie’s Miss Marple stories. Returning are Marple scriptwriters David Pursall and Jack Seddon, while directing duties are handled by former Warner Brothers animator Frank Tashlin. Tashlin brings his Termite Terrace cartoon sensibilities to the movie, setting out its kooky objectives from the opening, when Tony Randall addresses the camera first as himself and then in makeup as Poirot. With Tashlin's knack for visual humour, and some striking black and white photography courtesy of cinematographer Desmond Dickinson, the film is a visual treat.
Unfortunately, the quality doesn't extend to story treatment. As an Agatha Christie adaptation The Alphabet Murders is pretty unsatisfying. What it is, however, is a showcase for the considerable talents of Tony Randall. Randall’s is a fantastic performance, over the top and pantomimic to be sure, but his Poirot is a great comic creation. An excellent support cast including Anita Ekberg and Robert Morley (as Captain Hastings) also register strong performances.
Yet, despite the efforts of much of the Miss Marple team, and a cameo appearance by those movies stars Margaret Rutherford and Stringer Davis, The Alphabet Murders was not a success. Somehow the elements that worked so well for Marple just don’t gel for Poirot. Possibly the character was not as well suited to comedic interpretation or maybe the overtly American sensibilities of director Tashlin was not suited to something moored so much in Britishness.
While The Alphabet Murders must be considered a disappointment, it is certainly not a disaster. In truth there is much in the movie to enjoy, all depending on how one approaches it.
150+ movie reviews now available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
Rowena Drake's Venetian Palazzo | A Haunting In Venice (2023)
Photos: Rob Youngson
@booksociety hogwarts house event: h u f f l e p u f f 🌻💛✨ (hard work, empathy, and loyalty)
the tommy and tuppence series by agatha christie
“marriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage, and lots more. but do you know what I think it is? a sport!'
'and a damned good sport too,'
But no artist, I now realize, can be satisfied with art alone. There is a natural craving for recognition which cannot be gain-said.
Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None
Just like fanfiction writers cannot be satisfied without comments or kudos, as much as we’d like to pretend otherwise.
(This is an excellent book if you’ve never read it, by the way.)
“I’m too busy writing or rather worrying because I can’t write. That’s really the most tiresome thing about writing — though everything is tiresome really, except the one moment when you get what you think is going to be a wonderful idea, and can hardly wait to begin.”
— Agatha Christie, The Pale Horse
omg i'm so in love with agatha christie's books like how was i living without reading any of them?
Agatha Christie: 10 Petits nègres
Coucou guys, I hope that you are good, personally, I am. So I'm currently reading 10 Petits Nègres by Agatha Christie and I just wanted to put my annotations on my blog.
Chapter 1 ˚˖𓍢ִִ໋🌊🦈˚˖𓍢ִ✧˚.
There are introducing the main characters who are on the train (en route) for l'ile du Soldat.
Juge Wargrave: He goes there to see his old friend who travel a lot (I think her name is Constance or something like that...).
Vera Clayton: A young woman who work as a teacher. But she manage to get a good job as a secretary on l'ile du Soldat by Nancy O'Nyme.
Philip Lombard: I dont think he his going on this ile to do anything legal.
Emily Brent: An old lady who was raised by a military. She seem to be very straight and hate the new generation that she find to lazy and fragile. She is going on l'ile du soldat to spend vacation there because she find places full of young person exhausting. She also forget the name of the person that invited her.
General Macarthur: He is going there to see old friends. Apparently, rumors about him as been created and everybody was kinda cold with him.
Now, they are introducing characters that are not in the train.
Dr Armstrong: He is a young famous and rich doctor who as been greatly paid to take care of the wife of Mr O'nyme. He is going on l'ile du soldat for that reason. He is driving in his car
Anthony Martson: He is a young man who is attractive and knows it. I do not really know why he is going there but he wants to have fun. He seems to know the O'Nyme. He is in an youth hostel.
M. Blore: I do not know why but he knows all the characters that I introduced. There names are wrote in his notepad. He has already been to l'ile du soldat wahn he wes a child. He seems to have a mission and he is tying to fake being a rich south African owner.
Thanks for reading this blog ₊˚ʚ 🧊 ₊˚🪼• ✧ ೀ
I'm sorry if I lmade some mistakes in english or if I wrote something wrong about the book.
First official trailer for Murder on the Orient Express
Books to read for Christmas.
The Toy Makers by Robert Dinsdale
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
The nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann
The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson
Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow; but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.”
— Agatha Christie
something I hate about fandom culture is the idea that there are newer, less committed, less valuable fans. Let me explain that. When someone acts like because they were a fan of a tv show from the beginning, or read a book series as it was being published, therefore, they are a better fan, or more valuable somehow. I see it mostly in young fans, but the "I'm the biggest fan" "I was an OG fan" "I've been here since the beginning" kind of gatekeeping behavior is a huge problem for me.
Part of it for me is how fandoms are about coming together over something we have in common, but to make a hierarchy within the fandom means that a lot of people are alienated. I was thinking about this recently because when Harry Potter was new, I hadn't been born. When The Hunger Games was new, I was really really young. But in the past year, I've been reading both. And I've noticed that I feel like an imposter, like I'm not a real fan, because I didn't read them when they were new. As if because I'm not an early fan, I might as well not be a fan at all. And I hate that feeling for me and everyone else.
In the meantime, that's a plus with reading older literature, watching older movies, etc. the chances that someone will "OG fan" you are much lower.
23/09/2024 «I finished reading sad cypress by agatha christie. i thought i figured out from the middle of the book who was the killer but it surprised me because it was the last person i could think of now i need to start her "crooked house" i'm also thinking of ordering book in which i can practice and learn hiragana and katakana»
And then there were None - a book review
agatha chrisite is a genius. that is how i can sum this book up simply. there are many things i liked about this book, but the thing i loved the most was the mystery itself. the language that christie uses is rather simple compared to edogawa ranpo or edgar allan poe, but it still gets the description across, similar to fitzgerald's. her mystery, however, is a unique one. i was able to guess the murderer halfway through the book, but throughout the rest of the book, i kept doubting myself. she made me think that it could be someone else, but my answer seemed to be the most logical one, so i stuck with it. i like the idea of the mystery itself, i found it to be quite creative, since i've never seen it applied in another book or movie before. the idea of ten people being killed by one of them and having the murderer be vague is quite difficult to execute, and christie said so herself, but what i liked more about the idea was that the murders all followed a nursery rhyme, which i think just shows how unsettling those rhymes can be, and how the murderer was a genius in his own way. aside from the mystery itself, and its brilliant execution, i love how christie wrote her characters. they all seemed quite human, quite realistic. to me, they seemed like characters that you might actually find during that time, during that era. another thing i really liked about this book is that it was fast-paced. the murders all happened quite quickly, and the book's pace helped me a lot in finishing it in a short period of time. over all, i loved this book and i would recommend it to practically anyone. i think it would be a decent starter book for people who want to get into the mystery genre more.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
@puffylicious93x @
World book day 2020
I want to try something. I'm starting a chain, adding here a book I suggest you to read. I'm tagging three people who should reblog this, add their book and tag new people. I don't know if someone else already did this, but the idea is to create a list of books we all should read. Let's see how long it can become!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.
@my-lady-of-roses @goldcarstairs @malecftmaxrafe
Currently reading Postern Of Fate: A Tommy&Tuppence Mystery by Agatha Christie and MY LORD. These two idiots walked in and thought they would be my comfort couple and you know what? They were right. I love them so much and I would die for them.