stephen-best I have been watching on TV the 1984 version of Miss Marple. This one is with Joan Hickson in the eponymous role.What a delight having been subjected to the unsuited Geraldine McEwan version (2004) series in recent times.The difference between the two is so marked as to be astonishing.Maybe you should watch both just to see how good Joan Hickson is.So if you are an aspiring actress do compare and contrast.Poor Geraldine McEwan, how could you follow what is a definitive portrayal ?So if you like Christie and Marple - Joan Hickson is number one and second is some far distant even broad daylight. I'd say Geraldine McEwan was in the rear of the pack myself.

Mr Dark Pink There are two sorts of viewers of this film. Those who see it having first read the novel, and those who see it not having read it.Those who have read it first recognize a superlative job done by the scriptwriter and director, getting all the essentials of the story included within three fifty minute episodes. Those who have not read it first find the film filled with matters that only seem to dither along as Miss Marple herself and merely obstruct the eventual conclusion.Agatha's novels are very difficult to condense into 90 to 120 minutes. There are always delicious elements left out or plot lines that are not developed or explanations not made.In this adaptation, SPOILERS COMING!!, the conclusion wraps up the sleuth's thinking, but leaves out the novel's attention to what happens to Conway Jefferson's daughter in law and her son Peter, resolving the question of the final distribution of the old man's wealth. Maybe the director and scriptwriter decided that the woman was not sympathetic enough to talk about. Indeed, they did present her as something of a cold fish who flirted with two men without any resolution of their fates in the film. It's all explained in the book where she comes across much more sympathetically.But this may be a minor quibble. Many commentators have rightly given this film very high marks. I agree with those who accord this movie top rank or near top rank for its kind.

kennethkdj This gem is indeed far superior to the Geraldine McEwan version. Although it is a very good attempt and the supporting cast are superb,the period detail very good and is faithful to the book, Miss McEwan just does not have the x factor for Miss Marple. In fact with the contrived voice and the gestures she tries just that bit too hard to achieve what Joan Hickson did with so much ease.I understand that so far only four of the series have been re-filmed out of a total of twelve, and I am sure that out of the available Miss Marple contenders. i.e. Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes, Maragret Rutherford,Joan Hickson and Geraldene McEwan it will be found that Miss Hickson is the definitive.

tedg Spoilers herein.Detective mysteries are one of the most lavishly adventuresome experiences in literature, if one is interested in how narratives are constructed. The contract between reader and writer is rather complex, often involving virtual contracts with some of the characters as well. Christie is a master of these tricks.Christie and Sayers usually put a character in the story to denote this ambiguity of realities: either a writer or a moviemaker. Here it is a movie fellow. (In "Death in the Clouds" it was a detective writer with a multiple personality disorder, and one of the persons was the fictional detective!)The BBC takes all these intellectual adventures, all these notions of multiple parallel realities and flattens them to productions of lush setting and colorful characters. A real shame and we shouldn't put up with it.But in this case at least, we have two redeeming qualities: the first is the way the director has chosen to handle the staging. It is remarkably intelligent: many of the perspectives use very creative camera perspectives. Lots of the talky recounting sessions are very cleverly presented, most notably that of the dance partners, which we see over and over. Each time is slightly but significantly different.Which brings us to the other asset. Trudie Styler, whose assertive, confident presence is a perfect counterpoint to Hickson's practiced withdrawal.The technical aspects of the story are interesting as well. Old detective stories were of the form: a body is discovered in a manor and the inhabitants are the suspects. The impossibility of who did it and how is the game. Here, the rules of the game are all adjusted. Many people do not know the others. The place and body are usually the anchor of such stories. Everything must tie to that navel. Here that anchor is cleverly fooled with.Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.