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The Mirror Crack'd

Adam 05 Aug 09 at 4:08 p.m. GMT

Just seen a news item on another site about a new Miss Marple film to be made. The next adaptation is The Mirror Crack'd and the article is:

"Will Young and Nigel Harman are among the cast of ITV1's new Marple film, it has been announced.

New instalment The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side will see the pair joined by actors including Samuel Barnett, Hugh Bonneville, Lindsay Duncan, Joanna Lumley, Caroline Quentin and Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple.

The story follows Hollywood star Marina Gregg (Duncan), who has moved from Los Angeles to St Mary Mead, England.

McKenzie said of the new Marple: "I’m absolutely delighted to be returning to the role. I’m very much looking forward to filming with such a wonderful guest cast." .... ... ... ...

I am a little dubious about some of the casting... Will Young?! But will look forward to seeing Lindsay Duncan as Marina Gregg.

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popbubble 29 Jul 11 at 7:25 a.m. GMT

go_leafs_nation

Minor point here, but why Ella Blunt? Will it kill producers to use the original names?

Obviously! Why else would they change her name? I think they changed Fenn´s name too, but I´m not sure. Also, they don´t bother to put Guseppie, or whatever his name is, in the Julia McKenzie film. But at least Ella´s death is more convincing than in the JH film. In that vision they don´t kill the butler either. But both the films are still good!

Tommy_A_Jones 20 Aug 09 at 1:03 p.m. GMT

I am looking forward to MOTOE being done too, I read in a Magazine that it was part of the series and if they Must have Miss Marple in books she wasn't in I hope they are 'Sparkling Cyanide and 'Crooked House' as I didn't much like those two books and hope another is 'Endless Night' as I didn't like that much either, I could see MM being swapped for the od Lady and the old lady solving the Murder, just as long as they don't put MM in TMITBS or one of the nonseries books I haven't read, I agree though if they do 7 Dials (And The Secret of Chimneys for that matter) it would be horrible, I deally though they should tackle the short stories  

Pale_Horse 20 Aug 09 at 4:52 a.m. GMT

shanty_sleuth

With Murder on the Orient Express being made this year, I doubt that there will be enough money to send Julia to the Caribbean this year. If anything, they'll resort to three non-Marples, with A Caribbean Mystery being made next season. They'll probably be doing novels like Crooked House, Sparkling Cyanide, Endless Night... maybe even The Seven Dials Mystery. I shudder at the very thought.

I wouldn't hold your breath over MOTOE. It has been announced several times before with some very ritzy casts but sems to get cancelled. I must admit I am looking forward to it when i actually happens.

shanty_sleuth 20 Aug 09 at 12:42 a.m. GMT

With Murder on the Orient Express being made this year, I doubt that there will be enough money to send Julia to the Caribbean this year. If anything, they'll resort to three non-Marples, with A Caribbean Mystery being made next season. They'll probably be doing novels like Crooked House, Sparkling Cyanide, Endless Night... maybe even The Seven Dials Mystery. I shudder at the very thought.

GKCfan 19 Aug 09 at 5:54 p.m. GMT

Any news on the other three episodes of Series 5?  A Caribbean Mystery will almost certainly be there, but they'll have to go with non-Marples for the other two.  Endless Night and Crooked House are the most likely, but I hope not.  I rather hope that they turn to the short stories, but if not, then the plays, like The Unexpected Guest, Spider's Web, and Verdict.

Tommy_A_Jones 14 Aug 09 at 12:52 p.m. GMT

I agree with you aznm, I also loved The Man In The Brown Suit, I thought Stephanie Zimbalist, Edward Woodward, Nicholas Grace, Tony Randall, and Rue McLannach and Simon Dutton were brilliant, the only bad thing in the film in my view was that Colonel Race who I don't like anyway was American and I think if I remember rightly the Setting was changed but apart from that it was brilliant.

go_leafs_nation 14 Aug 09 at 10:37 a.m. GMT

I'll admit that I loved Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson as Marina and Jason. Edward Fox was also really good.

Ms_Kylie_Menage 14 Aug 09 at 4:10 a.m. GMT

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The things I loved most of the Liz Taylor version was the scene of the "frozen look". It is so beautifully, cinematically portrayed.Also - the ending. Though slightly different to the book, it is perfect! (Spoilers) It is devastatingly tragic that Jason Rudd poisons the hot chocolate as he knows his wife will keep killing. Then the hope when he sees she hasn't drunk it, and the tragedy when he finds she has killed herself anyway.The problems I have with that version is the very un-Christie-like dialogue, and the lack of cast-aside adopted children...I assume that as the photographer is in the film she was originally going to play a larger part?I have every faith in Kevin Elyot's ability. The thing that concerns me with him doing the adaptation is that it makes it less likely he is doing the adaptation for Murder On The Orient Express. He is definitely my screenwriter of choice for that adaptation. Is there any news yet on who has this job?!

shanty_sleuth 13 Aug 09 at 2:56 p.m. GMT

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Santonix: Ah, yes. I haven't read it in years, and I've forgotten much about it, save for the adaptations I watched. The only points that I remembered that weren't in either of the adaptations were the blackmailing butler and Marina's first husband. I had forgotten about the Preston character, but the name seemed familiar somehow, so I grabbed the book, skimmed through it, and found that he is indeed a character.

I must read the book again in anticipation of this new adaptation.

go_leafs: I agree, the change of name wasn't necessary. It's very uncharacteristic of Elyot to change it because he's kept a lot of Christie's original names in his adaptations, even the minor characters (take Professor Bernsdorrf and Mr Billingsley from A Pocket Full of Rye, Dr Lazenby, Mrs Rogers, Hurstall from Towards Zero and so forth). Now Alistair Blunt from One, Two, Buckle My Shoe will spring to mind whenever I'll hear Ella's name in this new version. I should hope they aren't related!

go_leafs_nation 13 Aug 09 at 3:41 a.m. GMT

Minor point here, but why Ella Blunt? Will it kill producers to use the original names?

Santonix 13 Aug 09 at 2:30 a.m. GMT

Shanty_Sleuth: Hailey Preston was in the original novel, but he was left out of the two previous adaptations. I'm glad to see him finally in there. I wonder who Will Young will play, though? I liked him in Mrs. Henderson Presents.

shanty_sleuth 13 Aug 09 at 1:36 a.m. GMT

Yes, the Angela Lansbury version starred Elizabeth Taylor as Marina Gregg. The movie itself is not very good, in my opinion. I had to watch it in two sittings because it was just so boring. It seemed to focus more on Marina and Lola catfighting than anything else. Angela Lansbury was okay, but she was barely in it. The film also removed some aspects of the novel, making the mystery weak and not at all satisfying.

Joan Hickson's version was very good, but not outstanding. I watched it a year ago, and I remember thinking it was a bit slow. The acting was wonderful (Margaret Courtney's Miss Knight in particular), but I didn't care much for Claire Bloom's Marina. I also noted that the solution was brushed over fairly quickly, and the 'look of doom' was never properly explained despite it being obvious. I shall always remember that iconic ending of "More tea, vicar?"

The new version seems to be altered somewhat. Inspector Craddock will not magically become Miss Marple's nephew (thankfully), Ella goes from Zeilinsky to Blunt and is apparently 'ditzy.' and a new Hailey Preston character is introduced. But I'm not worried, as I'm sure Mr. Elyot will stick to the plot. These changes will hopefully improve the mystery and make this version an enjoyable one.

aznm 12 Aug 09 at 3:24 p.m. GMT

Is Angela L.'s version of Miss Marple's Mirror Crack'd the one that starred Elizabeth Taylor as the Marina Gregg character?  I own a copy of it 'somewhere' but can't put my hands on it at the moment.  If so, the one and only scene I recall from that version is when Liz Taylor is hugging Pierce Brosnan to her chest in a movie scene.  It was one of Pierce's earliest movie roles and he had no lines.  I do remember that I wasn't all that impressed with the film.

I have a copy of The Man in the Brown Suit, and while it doesn't follow the book the way I'd like it to, Stephanie Zimbalist makes it fun to watch.  The film version strays quite a bit off track, regretably.

As a book lover, I'd love to see adaptations stay close to the original.  I don't care if I'm 'not surprised' when the murderer turns out to be the same character as the book villain.  I'm not spending my time hoping for an alternate ending, I want to see the original work on film, or tape, or on DVD.  I wish the movie moguls would understand that.  I like reenactments, so to speak.

McGinty 12 Aug 09 at 5:28 a.m. GMT

Kevin Elyot - thank goodness, should stick to the story

shanty_sleuth 11 Aug 09 at 9:08 p.m. GMT

The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side stars Samuel Barnett, Hugh Bonneville, Brennan Brown, Michele Dotrice, Lindsay Duncan, Nigel Harman, Martin Jarvis, Joanna Lumley, Caroline Quentin, Charlotte Riley, Victoria Smurfit, Neil Stuke, Hannah Waddingham and singer Will Young.  The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side tells the story of Hollywood star Marina Gregg (Lindsay Duncan), who has left the palm trees and bright lights of Los Angeles for the leafy lanes and picturesque countryside of St Mary Mead, England. Having taken up residence at Gossington Hall with her dashing young English husband, film director Jason Rudd (Nigel Harman), his secretary, Ella Blunt (Victoria Smurfit) and Marina’s exclusive personal assistant, Hailey Preston (Brennan Brown), it’s not long before she becomes lady of the manor.

When the glamorous couple decide to throw a benefit for the St John Ambulance, the grounds are abuzz with curious locals including previous owner of Gossington Hall, Dolly Bantry (Joanna Lumley). But when a local fan, Heather Badcock (Caroline Quentin) consumes a poisoned daiquiri, Marina finds herself starring in a real-life mystery - supported by Miss Marple and Inspector Hewitt (Hugh Bonneville), who suspect that the lethal cocktail was intended for someone else. But who? If it was meant for Marina, then why? Which other characters from the Mary Mead cast will perish before the end credits roll?  And will Miss Marple produce yet another stellar performance to steal the show?

The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side has been adapted by Kevin Elyot and directed by Tom Shankland. Karen Thrussell produces both current Marple and Poirot series.   

Frndorfoe 07 Aug 09 at 2:10 p.m. GMT

Boomcoach

In the book, I enjoy the beginning which adds a feel to the changing village and fleshes out Miss Marple. 

Oh yes I enjoyed the beginning of this book.too. In Miss. Marple's stories, her musings are a big attraction for me.

Boomcoach 07 Aug 09 at 2:05 p.m. GMT

In the book, I enjoy the beginning which adds a feel to the changing village and fleshes out Miss Marple.  One thing that the adaptations are forced to skip, for logical reasons, are the introspection'sof Miss M.

This is another argument favor of adapting the short stories, as they would require less abridgement and could maintain the whole plot and all of the characters, in most instances.

Frndorfoe 07 Aug 09 at 1:58 p.m. GMT

I have read The Mirror Crack'd and it's an average one for me. I mean I don't love it but it's not bad. I'll give it about 7/10. Yeah, I know 7 is pretty high but we are talking about Miss. Marple. For me anything with her in it can not be that bad. As for the opening of the novel it begins with Miss. Marple looking out towards her garden and thinking.

Tommy_A_Jones 07 Aug 09 at 1:45 p.m. GMT

go_leafs I haven't read the book yet but have seen both Angela Landesbury and Joan Hickson's version although I can't really remember much of it for the moment, having recently read The Thirteen Problems I thought that Gwen Watford was a better Dolly Bantry than Joanna Lumley who I do like, I would say the Angela Landesbury version did drag on abit but I did like the opening in the Village Hall and wonder if that bit was made up or is it really in the book, I liked Edward Fox as Inspector Craddock but am wary of reading the actual book as from seeing the adaptations it might turn out to be one of my least favourite Miss Marple books.

go_leafs_nation 06 Aug 09 at 7:58 p.m. GMT

I can't wait! I'm glad Joanna Lumley is returning, and that Mackenzie is coming back as Miss Marple.

And even if they butcher this one up, at least we have JH's version, which is fabulous to say the least (one of the best of her series, I'd say). I was disappointed with Angela Lansbury's version however, which combined several cases of miscasting at its worst with a very 80s take on the mystery, with plenty of not-so-subtle sexual overtones and profanity.

McGinty 06 Aug 09 at 6:13 p.m. GMT

And coincidentally Margaret Courtney also appeared in the Joan Hickson 'Mirror Crack'd' - but not as Dolly but as the fabulously irritating Miss Knight. 'Tootsie Bye' !

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Aug 09 at 1:24 p.m. GMT

I thought Margaret Courtney was good also as Dolly Bantry in 'The Mirror Crack'd' with Angela Landesbury.

S_Sigerson 06 Aug 09 at 1:03 p.m. GMT

Perhaps they will get Kevin Elyot. So far he has adapted several Miss. Marples including A Body in the Library, A Pocket Full of Rye and The Moving Finger, along with a couple of Poirots including Death on the Nile and Five Little Pigs. All of which were pretty good and fun to watch.

Joann Lumley did a super job playing Mrs. Bantry in The Body in the Library. Her portrayal of Mrs. Bantry was different than Gwen Watford's portrayal of Mrs. Bantry in Joan Hickson's A Body in the Library. Yet each actress brought their own style to the role and both were quite good as Dolly Bantry.

McGinty 06 Aug 09 at 11:09 a.m. GMT

Will Young was good in the film Mrs Henderson Presents, and anything with Nigel Harman in is worth watching ! Glad they've kept Joanna Lumley as Dolly Bantry, but I'll hold my breath as to what they'll do to the script.