ctyankee1 I always like Agatha Christie Miss Marple especially with Joan Hickson. Then things that went on in this episode woke me up. Supposedly this hotel was a high class hotel with rich people. The suspense surrounds different things that happen in the hotel.There are competing characters, Bess, Elvira, Michael Gorman, Ladislaus Malinowski and more. No Inspector Slack.A woman that is highly respected is really the head of a group of thieves. She is having an affair with a man who is also going to marry her daughter.What I find offensive is a man who sleeps around is a womanizer and questioned by police is wearing Christian Cross. I am a Christian and this is how they portrayed this man in this episode. That is the only time you see the Cross at all. I find the more I re-watch these videos the more I see they offend me. I don't know if Christie put these in her stories I never read her books. Many women played Miss Marple and they played in episodes by the same name but the episodes are similar but not the same. Example Geraldine McEwan played Miss Marple in "The Body in the Library " which is totally different which has lesbians kissing which is disgusting but the one Joan Hickson was in had nothing like that.So I think people are re-writing Christie's stories and putting their own morals in videos in different years. At the end Miss Marple praises a certain criminal as "remarkable"I support the law. I don't think criminals that do many bad things then confess to something they did not do to help someone else is "remarkable". I am very dissappointed in the way things turned out.

praed_street Very faithful to the book and a joy to watch. Aspects of the plot of "At Bertram's Hotel" admittedly are far-fetched, but the theme and setting are among Christie's best. We also see a highly active and reflective Miss Marple, functioning as a superb amateur detective and not just dithering. Hickson is great as always, and the supporting cast is uniformly good, including a sadly aged but still delicious Joan Greenwood in one of her last performances, Carolina Blakiston as the madcap aristocrat Lady Selina Blakiston, Helena Mitchell as her daughter Elvira and George Baker as a marvelous Chief Inspector Fred Davy (one of Christie's best policemen). A wonderful show, one deserving of a far better transfer than the one avaailable in America currently.

gridoon2018 Unusual in the sense that it keeps teasing you with the possibility of a murder, but the murder only happens after 80 minutes of screen time have passed! This doesn't really work out too well: the murder investigation almost seems like an afterthought, and it's not very hard to guess the real killer (the suspicious goings-on at the title hotel and a priest's disappearance seem more important). On the positive side, it is clear from the first few shots that the female director of this one, Mary McMurray, has a more cinematic camera eye than many of her male colleagues who worked on this series, and both Caroline Blakiston, as the attractive, anarchic, adventurous middle-aged Bess Sedgwick and Helena Michell as her pretty, impulsive daughter are well-cast. (**1/2)

Antonio-37 This movie made from Agatha Christie's novel is all about dotty characters, and not really about crime. Christie was the master at crafting characters and places. These were the essence of her novels, which placed them apart and well above more routine mystery stories.There's Miss Marple, the epitome of the spinster lady of good manners and breeding, if a little on the inquisitive side. Always aware of what's going on around her, collecting all gossip and facts which she will use to solve the murder that baffles the police. Joan Hickson played the best Miss Marple; she was Miss Marple - all cardigans and tweed skirts.There's Col. Luscombe the old bachelor who couldn't be more unsuited to his role as guardian of a comely girl. Clueless as to parenting, and as unfeeling as only old bachelors can be.There's Lady Selina Hazy, a dotty old dear if there ever was one. Ever gossiping, knowing something about just every one, she's the quintessential lady who rattles on and on. See her stick to Miss Marple like gum to a shoe. And Miss Marple is gentlewoman enough to allow her.Chief Inspector Davy is the dull, if gentlemanly copper. Played by George Baker, who's also Chief Inspector Wexford in the Ruth Rendell mysteries. Hangs about the Betram Hotel eating muffins, while undercover to investigate some robberies.Canon Pennyfather is the old gent gone vague, the absolutely most absent minded fellow there was. Definitely bats in his belfry.Miss Gorringe is the receptionist at the hotel, ever stuffy and condescending to the guests.Henry is the doorman, or concierge since we are in exclusive Mayfair, London.Ladislaus is the oily racing car driver and two-timer.We see a fabulous cameo of an Indian waiter played by Rashid Karapiet, who had played Dr. Das in Passage to India (1984).Don't watch this movie for the crime, or the brilliant detective work and clever solution. But do watch it if you enjoy characterizations that amuse. Do watch it if you enjoy a brilliant author at her best, expertly crafting the oddest bunch of characters to ever fill a hotel.Compliments to the director for bringing these characters to life!