Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #335 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-06-20
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 12
• Running time: 1350 minutes

DVD Description
Classic murder mysteries by the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, filmed entirely on location and oozing period atmosphere. Joan Hickson's gentle portrayal is the most popular Miss Marple ever, winning her loyal fans around the world and a Best Actress award from the Royal Television Society. This boxset contains the following mysteries: Contains: Body In the Library, Moving Finger, A Murder Is Announced, A Pocketful Of Rye, The Murder At The Vicarage, Sleeping Murder, At Bertram's Hotel, Nemesis, 4.50 From Paddington, They Do It With Mirrors, A Carribean Mystery, The Mirror Cracked From Side To Side

Synopsis
Miss Marple and the mysteries: 'The Body In The Library', 'Moving Finger', 'A Murder Is Announced', 'A Pocketful Of Rye', 'Sleeping Murder', 'At Bertrams Hotel', 'The Murder At The Vicarage', 'Nemesis', '4.50 From Paddington', 'The Do It With Mirrors', 'A Caribbean Mystery', and 'The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side'.

Customer Reviews

Possibly the greatest Marple ever
I was surprised to discover that only 12 Marple stories had been made into Joan Hickson films - I was so sure that there were more of them when I was a child.

I honestly believe that this 'bible' of Marple films is the best available. They come contained in a lovely faux book enscribed "The Marple Collection" down the 'spine' showing that some thought had gone into the presentation of this collection, rather than just being shoved into a cheap cardboard container.

I recommend this collection to anyone (and everyone) who enjoys murder mystery genre. It's an outstanding set of films.

One down point - as usual - no extras.

"It is dangerous to believe people. I haven't for years ..."
There she sits: A white-haired lady dressed in tweeds, a pair of knitting needles in her lap, more interested in village gossip than in the goings-on of the world at large - and out of nothing, she utters sentences like that.

For more likely than not, another murder has been committed; and Miss Jane Marple, elderly spinster from the village of St. Mary Mead, just happens to find herself near the scene of the crime. And also more likely than not, while the police are still toddling around searching for clues she'll find the solution - relying on her ever-unfailing "village parallels;" those seemingly innocuous incidents of village life that make up the sum of Miss Marple's knowledge of human nature, and to which she routinely turns in unmasking even the cleverest killer. "Miss Marple is a white-haired old lady with a gentle, appealing manner - Miss Wetherby is a mixture of vinegar and gush. Of the two Miss Marple is the more dangerous," already observes Vicar Clement, the narrator of Miss Marple's literary debut, 1930's "Murder at the Vicarage" (although in the BBC series, only her fifth adventure).

Originally airing on TV in the 1980s, the BBC's adaptations of Agatha Christie's twelve Miss Marple novels featured Joan Hickson in the title role; quickly establishing her as the quintessential Miss Marple even in the view of the grandmother (or rather, grand-aunt) of all village sleuths and "noticing kinds of persons"'s creator, Dame Agatha herself. (After seeing Hickson in an adaptation of her "Appointment With Death," as early as 1946 Christie reportedly sent her a note expressing the hope she would one day "play my dear Miss Marple.") Prior versions, partly involving rather high-octane casts, had seen as Miss Marple, inter alia, Angela Lansbury and Margaret Rutherford, but had been decidedly less faithful to Christie's books. While Lansbury holds her own fairly well when compared to the character's literary original in 1980's "Hollywood does Christie" version of "The Mirror Crack'd" (and that movie's ageing actresses' showdown featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak is a delight to watch), the four movies starring Rutherford are only loosely based on Christie's books: Dame Margaret's Miss Marple, although itself likewise a splendid performance, has about as much to do with Agatha Christie's demure and seemingly scatterbrained village sleuth as Big Ben does with the English countryside, and of the scripts, only "Murder, She Said" is an adaptation of a Miss Marple mystery ("4:50 From Paddington"), whereas two of the others - "Murder at the Gallop" and "Murder Most Foul" - are actually Hercule Poirot stories ("After the Funeral" and "Mrs. McGinty's Dead," respectively), and "Murder Ahoy" is based on a completely independent screenplay.

Following the rule that ever since Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Lestrade every great private detective needs a policeman he can outwit, the creators of the BBC series inserted the character of Inspector Slack into almost all storylines - hardly in keeping with the literary originals, which are set over a period of more than 30 years and thus, exceed the career span of a policeman already advanced on his professional path at the time of his first encounter with Miss Marple; even if the BBC's Slack is promoted from D.I. in the series's first instalment, 1984's "The Body in the Library" (where he really does appear) to Superintendent in 1992's "The Mirror Crack'd" (which is originally only an Inspector Craddock story). Yet, Hickson's and Horovitch's face-offs are a fun addition; and one is almost ready to pity Slack, who hardly ever gets a foot down vis-a-vis Miss Marple's quick rejoinders and, in the words of her friend, retired Scotland Yard chief Sir Henry Clithering, "wonderful gift to state the obvious." (During a conversation with Craddock [John Castle] in "The Mirror Crack'd," Slack - whom Miss Marple herself, in the TV adaptation of "Murder at the Vicarage," has already likened to a railway diesel engine, or in that story's literary original to a shoe vendor intent on selling you patent leather boots while completely ignoring your request for brown calf leather instead - unaware that he is talking to one of Aunt Jane's nephews, rather unsubtly credits her with having "a mind like a meat cleaver.")

Although Agatha Christie herself reportedly preferred Miss Marple over Hercule Poirot, the demands of her audience compelled her to bring back the moustachioed Belgian with the many little grey cells much more frequently than the village sleuth from St. Mary Mead. All the greater the tribute paid to "Dear Aunt Jane" in these lovingly-executed adaptations - and how wonderful to finally see them reunited in a single box set.

Episodes:

"The Body in the Library" (written 1942, BBC 1984)
"The Moving Finger" (written 1942, BBC 1985)
"A Murder Is Announced" (written 1950, BBC 1985)
"A Pocket Full of Rye" (written 1953, BBC 1985)
"Murder at the Vicarage" (written 1930, BBC 1986)
"4:50 From Paddington" (written 1947, BBC 1987, a/k/a "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!")
"At Bertram's Hotel" (written 1965, BBC 1987)
"Sleeping Murder" (written 1976, BBC 1987)
"Nemesis" (written 1971, BBC 1987)
"A Caribbean Mystery" (written 1965, BBC 1989)
"They Do It With Mirrors" (written 1952, BBC 1991)
"The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side" (written 1962, BBC 1992)

Dah Dum te dum dah dum de dum - Miss Marple incarnate
As mentioned by other reviewers, but worth repeating, if you read Agatha Christie's books Joan Hickson was Miss Marple. Every nuance of her performance is perfect, even down to clearing her throat before answering the phone. The investigating policemen also shine, i.e. Inspector Craddock, superbly played by John Castle, and Inspector ['nutty?'] Slack, equally superbly played by David Horovitch really are a joy to watch. In fact most of the clever wry humour of this series derives from the interactions between Miss Marple and the police, as wisely the murderers and victims play it very dark and straight. The complete series is a joy to watch, achieving almost MM perfection, even down to the theme tune. Perhaps surprisingly we bought this DVD set for my 11 year old daughter who loves this series despite finding Wallace & Grommet and The curse of the WereRabbit a bit frightening. 'A Pocket full of Rye' is her favourite, so it can also be a real hit with the younger generation - although my son (9) is far more into Zathura and Sky High. My personal favourite episode is 'Nemesis'. Agatha Christie only wrote these 12 stories, despite Miss Marple being her favourite character. For some reason people warmed to Hercule Poirot a lot more (possibly because urbanites bought more of her work, and Hercule is a more 'traditional' male private investigator in the Sherlock Holmes mould).

Other reviewers comment that these Miss Marple episodes have been edited from that originally broadcast, but to be honest I can't remember that far back [they were first shown from 1984 to 1989] and my daughter loves this DVD set anyway. There's no DVD extras though. This series contrasts well with the recent Geraldine McEwan's Agatha Christie's Marple, who tends towards a rather good Margaret Rutherford impression - who herself certainly wasn't Agatha Christie's idea of Miss Marple, but she was great simply as Dame Margaret Rutherford. If I had to chose though, this Joan Hickson's adaption easily gets my vote every time. The DVD picture quality of this series is very good as well. Perhaps it has a bit less contrast than modern cinema film, although the slightly subdued colours seem just right for the period setting (the slightly washed out colour is common with 35mm transfers). Typical quotes : "She looks just like an ordinary, slightly nosey, old lady, which to some extent is just what she is. Her camouflage is perfect. [But] her reasoning is flawless, her powers of synthesis formidable; and above all she never lets go". "Human nature is the same everywhere", replied Miss Marple. "He called me Nemesis, you know" said Miss Marple, "and he wasn't being entirely humorous". Top marks to the BBC for perservering and adapting all twelve Miss Marple books to such a high standard.