vincentlynch-moonoi I'm glad to see that this film gets a pretty good rating by IMDb reviewers; it's quite a neat little mystery.The real attraction here is the wonderful performance of Margaret Rutherford, at age 72. Apparently Agatha Christie didn't at first like Rutherford in the role...but then, authors don't always understand that films are a totally different medium than books, and in my view Rutherford is exactly what the audience (and I) wanted in the role.The next best thing in the film is the story itself. Miss Marple is riding in a train, and witnesses a murder in a passing train. Of course, no one believes her, so she decides to investigate on her own...and ultimately does find the body of a young woman at a country estate. The question is -- who is the murderer among the slightly odd characters that live at the estate or are visiting relatives. It's good that Miss Marple displays moments of great courage, as well as moments of great fear...makes the character seem more real.There are really only 3 actors here that most Americans are going to recognize -- Rutherford, James Robertson Justice (who plays the crippled owner of the estate), and -- surprisingly -- Arthur Kennedy. Kennedy. Kennedy is one of those actors who sometimes seemed typecast in ne'er do well roles; unfortunately, it sometimes made one overlook just how good he was. He nicely here, although we never learn why there is an American doctor working in the British countryside.Unlike many British films of the era, this one never lags...it keeps a good pace.And by the way, her friend -- played by Stringer Davis -- was Rutherford's real husband.Simply delicious, with a most surprising end.

Scarecrow-88 Entertaining whodunit and the first of George Pollock's teaming with Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has the elderly, scruffy, diligent, gutsy civilian sleuth investigating the mysterious murder of a woman she saw strangled on a train (going the opposite direction of the train she was traveling). It ties to a family of bickering brothers (and one brother-in-law), several waiting for the eldest to kick the bucket so they can gain the inheritance that is yet to be claimed. In the will of their father, eldest son, Luther (James Justice) doesn't get a dime due to their bitter differences. Luther is a blustery, ornery, loud aging miser that is rather difficult to get along with. Emma doesn't fare well under Luther's agonizing bullying ordering her around, while the inquisitive, scheming, probing, accusatory Cedric (played with a lascivious wretchedness by Thorley Walters, a far cry from his amiable, innocuous characters introduced by Hammer Studios) tries to learn of who might want him and the brothers dead when a poisoning narrowly misses killing them all but one: brother Albert. When brother Harold is found dead by part-time servant, Miss Kidder (Joan Hickson, also associated with the character of Miss Marple later) bicycling home, by a shotgun blast (suicide or murder?), the dwindling numbers worry those still alive. A musical compact with a distinctive tune, a written letter by a supposed French woman named Martine (discovered to be the strangled victim), and reasoning for wanting to get closer to the inheritance all factor into all the developments which leads to Marple's near death by "lethal injection". Arthur Kennedy stars as Luther's physician and Emma's (Murial Pavlow) romantic love interest. He also *assists* detective inspector Craddock (Bud Tigwell). Rounding out the cast is Michael Golden as the snobby grounds-keeper, Stringer Davis as Marple's partner-in-sleuth, and Ronnie Raymond as mischievous, wise-beyond-his-years intellectual grandson of Luther who becomes a particularly amusing sparring partner for Marple.Luther and Marple's sharp-tongued back-and-forths, litany of greedy suspects looking to gain hold to the inheritance at arm's length if Luther dies, the sneaky antics of a kid among snooty adults who is perhaps smarter than they are (always showing up with just the right words to stir the pot), Walters' provoking using devious methods to target his own family (he has a conversation with Marple during a late thunderstorm where he tells her he plans to keep an eye on her, initiating accusation that the body of Martine wasn't found until she arrived), and Marple's own knowing wisdom and watchful interpretation of the events that transpire as she comes to her conclusions through correct deductive reasoning makes Murder, She Said a hoot to watch unfold. Even how Marple learns of how the body ties to the family is neat to see develop: thrown from a train, moved a little later, then hidden until proper unveiling could take place, the strangler sets up quite a plot to throw the scent away from who he is. The kid of the film playing tricks on not just Marple but anyone that offers him a chance to use his clever wits provides some amusement. Marple admiring his antics with a bit of a grin is a nice nod to how well the kid appeals to her.

jonfrum2000 Like many people, I came to this movie from the Joan Hickson television series. Of course that means that I've already seen the definitive Miss Marple in action. This movie series is obviously a different take on the character, so we need to accept that and let it stand on its own.For me, the first half of the film was less than satisfying. This is a feature film, so the star, Margaret Rutheford, is constantly on the screen. Others have noted - with good reason - that her real life husband was in the movie just to keep her happy - he really adds nothing to the story. This Miss Marple gets involved based on her habit of reading detective stories - totally unlike the books, where she simply falls into crime detection through her perception and powers of analysis. Still, this hook works to get her on the scene of the crime, so there's no real harm done. The music is rather too bouncy for me, but it does fit with the general light-heartedness of the script - everything is played for a smile, if not an actual laugh.The second half of the film, with Miss Marple on the scene, plays the story rather more straight as a crime mystery/old dark house genre film. And here it gets quite a bit better to my taste. In her role as maid, Miss Marple becomes the detective and searches for evidence to solve the case. Here, she reflects the book - and the Hickson version - quite a bit more than in the first half, although this version puts her on the scene rather than her 'niece' Lucy.Muriel Pavlow is very lovely, but unfortunately does't get much to do. Some reviewers didn't like the boy. He is a bit too much, but he didn't really bother me. The reviews I looked at didn't mention Ronald Howard - son of Leslie Howard. It's not much of a role, but I note him because he played Sherlock Holmes in a 1954 television series (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) that is quite good, considering, and worth looking for on DVD if you're a Holmes fan like me. Finally, I'm not a fan of the soundtrack. It is very much of its time, but the light, bouncy pop feel really wasn't appropriate for a murder mystery - although it did match the first half of the film in tone. And Margaret Rutherford is not exactly 'bouncy.' This one is definitely worth watching for mystery fans, as long as you don't need your mystery served straight and serious all the time.

edwagreen Benign affair with Margaret Rutherford in the role that she was born to play-the feisty murderer solver Jane Marple.When Marple witnesses a strangulation on another passing train, this opens up quite an adventure for our problem solver. She pretends to be a maid and goes to work for quite a dysfunctional family.Until the very end, Arthur Kennedy is terribly miscast as an affable benign doctor whose in love with the crusty old patriarch's daughter. What a nasty family we have there with everyone obviously waiting for the old man to close his eyes so that they can inherit a fortune.Marple literally digs for clues and the end scene, after the murder is resolved, even gets a marriage proposal from our old gentleman.