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| Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple in the BBC series from 1987. I love the way she carries her handbag! Corrected because it’s been pointed out to me that in England it’s a handbag, not a purse. |
Joan Hickson (1906-1998) is my favorite portrayer of Miss Marple, the seemingly invisible old lady in Agatha Christie’s detective novels who always figures out who committed the crime, how they did it, and why. Joan Hickson’s acting suggests that Miss Marple was dotty and did not know what was going on — but meanwhile she was observing everyone and figuring out their motives and methods. The character’s sharp grasp of human nature was developed by watching the people in her little town, Saint Mary Mead, where she classified her fellow inhabitants by their type, and applied these observations in her successful career as a clandestine detective.
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| “At Bertram’s Hotel,” based on the 1965 novel. |
“At Bertram’s Hotel” takes place at a hotel in London, beginning as Miss Marple and several other people are checking in at the counter in the beautifully retro hotel lobby, full of comfortable leather arm chairs, a fire burning in a fireplace, and lots of uniformed servants. Guests are constantly having tea with wonderful traditional sweets like “seed cake” — a dryish caraway-flavored cake whose popularity dates to the 18th century (source).
Miss Marple mentions that as a child she had once stayed at Bertram’s with her aunt — and that nothing has changed there since that moment. Watching this drama, you are thus aware of at least three eras in the past: the 1980s when the series was filmed, the 1960s when the action takes place, and perhaps the pre-World-War-I era when Miss Marple remembers her first visit there. Very amusing!
Ultimately, Miss Marple realizes that the retro atmosphere is faked, like a magician’s misdirection, concealing a deep criminal plot, and also becoming the scene of a crime of passion. She helps two police detectives to bring the criminal gang to justice, and solves the other mystery as well, ending with the statement:
“I learned what I suppose I really knew already — that one can never go back, that one should not ever try to go back—that the essence of life is going forward. Life is really a one way street, isn’t it?”
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| This week we also watched two other dramatizations of Miss Marple novels, both with Joan Hickson. |
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| I also read one volume of an Elly Griffiths series, The Vanishing Box It’s not as good as her Ruth Galloway books. |
It’s definitely been a week of mysteries!
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| Winter is back. Poor daffodils! |
Blog post © 2024 mae sander
Shared with The Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz.
24 comments:
That's one of my favorite Christies. And she narrated the audio book, too, a bit later, her speech a little less crisp, but still very good.
I agree! She is the best.
Aww Mrs Marple reminds me of my Mommy. She was a huge fan of all Agatha C's books and characters and movies and TV series.
Yes winter is back for sure. Argh. After this storm ends, we might have 8 inches of snow. Your poor daffodils.
I love Joan Hickson as Miss Marple and I enjoy her as a character in Christie's books. I liked the Vanishing Box, but I also agree with you that the Ruth Galloway books are better. You did have a great week of mysteries. hugs-Erika
Oh yes I loved Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. My fave version! And I love agatha christie and feel she is often sadly maligned and misunderstood as a really good crime writer!
Hello,
I enjoy reading the Miss Marple series of books and the shows on Britbox.
I will have to look for The Vanishing Box, it is new for me. I miss the Ruth Galloway, I read them all and I heard she is not writing another one for the series. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and have a great new week!
I loved re-watching Joan Hickson as Miss Marple: https://www.joyweesemoll.com/2021/10/08/agatha-christies-miss-marple-tvreviews-ripxvi-brifri/
This would be a great post to share on British Isles Friday, if you want.
My son sent a video this week of snow coming down on their pool in Chicago, so I imagined you were probably getting some of that, too. It's disappointing.
I like the regular-ness of Miss Marple and the old-lady-ness of her.
I need to read more Agatha Christie books. I've only read And Then There Were None.
It's been so long since I read an Agatha Christie book. I really want to get back to them.
Fun post! I have several of her books on my shelves that I need to read. Have a great week!
Poor daffodils! A good day to read indoors. I'm wishing you a beautiful spring very soon friend. Aloha!
Poor daffodils! A good day to read indoors. I'm wishing you a beautiful spring very soon friend. Aloha!
I haven't read an Agatha Christie in far too many years. I still want to ride the Orient Express thanks to her book by that name.
@Helen — Riding the Orient Express sounds like a great idea. It’s been out of business for a while, but two French train companies have located some of the original cars and will soon be bringing back service in great luxury. In 2025, they even plan a voyage all the way from Paris to Istanbul. I wish you luck in your wish to ride this train (and I hope you can afford it!)
mae
I read the Christie novel which introduces us to Miss Marple. I didn't think she was doddering but I did wonder how she knew so much. I haven't watched any movies which include that actress.
I always loved Miss Marple! Here it's very cold, too, we had sleet and icy streets! Have a great week!
Joan Hickson was my favorite Miss Marple, too! She really captured the essence of the character, IMO. I've watched her in the film adaptations so many times, but it's been years. You make me want to do a rewatch! Your poor daffodils! I hope they get some warmer weather! Enjoy your week, Mae!
We love Miss Marple too. Thank you for sharing... it`s a great, grreat pleasure.
Greetings by Heidrun
Snowed here as well! I haven’t read Miss Marple books yet but I do love Agatha Christie. I hope you have a wonderful week!
It is rare to watch movie adaptations of favorite books because so often the actors don't seem at all like what you had pictured while reading. That was not a problem with Joan Hixon -- she WAS Miss Marple, she just was! I want to re-watch all of these right now. ... I have the Elly Griffith book on my hold list at the (virtual) Eugene library. I was sad to reach the end of her Ruth Galloway series although the end was satisfactory I thought. Wondered if this would live up to it..hmm, not yet anyway it sounds like.
Have not seen this lady for decades. Thanks for the reminder :)
I really need to reread this one. Aren't the new covers terrific? In that Lucy Worsley special about Agatha on PBS (or maybe it was a different one) they said Bertram's Hotel was based on Brown's Hotel in London. I'd like to check it out just for that reason!
I read The Zig Zag Girl by Elly G. (in the Magic Men series -- this looks like it is, too). I liked it well enough but it is no Ruth Galloway series. Maybe I need another one or two to build affinity for the characters but so far, it's just a book.
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