A Murder Is Announced (1985) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

David Giles

Writers:

Agatha Christie (novel)
Alan Plater (dramatisation)

Release Date:

28 February 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A murder is announced in the Chipping Cleghorne Gazette to take place on October 5th, 7 PM at Little Paddocks cottage...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Miss Marple | House | Advertisement | Detective

Cast

Joan Hickson	...	Miss Jane Marple
Ursula Howells	...	Letitia Blacklock
Renée Asherson	...	Dora 'Bunny' Bunner
Samantha Bond	...	Julia Simmons
Simon Shepherd	...	Patrick Simmons
Nicola King	...	Phillipa Haymes
Elaine Ives-Cameron	...	Hannah the Cook
Ralph Michael	...	Colonel Archie Easterbrook
Sylvia Syms	...	Mrs. Laura Easterbrook
Matthew Solon	...	Edmund Swettenham
Mary Kerridge	...	Mrs. Swettenham
Joan Sims	...	Miss Amy Murgatroyd
Paola Dionisotti	...	Miss Midge Hinchcliffe
Vivienne Moore	...	Mrs. Bunch Harmon
David Collings	...	The Reverend Julian Harmon

Also Known As:

Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced (UK) (series title)

Runtime:

153 min | 159 min (DVD)

Country:

UK | USA | Australia

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardverikie estate, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Quotes:

Dora Bunner: Well, young Edmund Swettenham moons around her a bit. He's a very odd young man - writes books - and I - I have heard that he's a - a Communist!
Miss Jane Marple: Oh really, yes, well he must be rather lonely in Chipping Cleghorn.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Drama Connections: Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (#1.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Sing For Your Supper

Pretty good except for...

It's a great mystery, good characters and a pretty good script. Joan Hickson is definitely the most credible of all the Miss Marples and she really brings the character to life. I liked most of the three episodes and the only question I have is this: Couldn't the BBC find any heterosexual actors to play the heterosexual roles??? Watching most of the male supporting cast lisp and wriggle their way thru the scenes was at times excruciating. Given society's current infatuation with those of us who just have to be our mothers or fathers regardless of physical gender, I could understand a casting slip here or there, but for every male romantic lead to be wildly and clumsily gay was just too much. I needed to sit thru every scene to enjoy the wonderful plotting but my respect for the production dropped with every arched eyebrow and unconvincing smile. Would the BBC cast a drag queen as Mike Hammer or an albino as Mahatma Gandhi? Probably. Otherwise a great mystery well adapted for TV and well produced.