Sunday 8 January 2023

A Murder Is Announced (2005 John Strickland)

Strickland has set up some nice visual connections here, e.g. train into model train. He's been working as a director since 1989, two episodes of Prime Suspect being one of his earliest credits, and more recently better known for directing Line of Duty and Bodyguard.

We found Stewart Harcourt's adaptation of Agatha's 1950 novel easier to follow than the previous one. I think the making the two women who live together lovers is an innovation. Thanks to the handling of them and the skills particularly of Claire Skinner, and Frances Barber, the death of the former is truly sad and the way Marple takes the arm of the survivor right at the end most touching.

There's quite a lot of sadness underlying Christie, these stories of families falling out, dying, impersonating each other, alcoholism, deformity etc.

Gradually warming to Marple is Alexander Armstrong. With Cheri Lunghi (another touching performance), Robert Pugh, Keeley Hawes, Matthew Goode, Christian Coulson, Zoe Wanamaker, Elaine Paige, Sienna Guillory, Catherine Tate.

Photographed by Sue Gibson and edited by Melanie Viner-Cuneo.




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