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Marmalade and Marple

22 Sep 08 11:29AM

It’s slightly disturbing to realize that it was a year ago that we embarked on one of the most intensive and demanding projects imaginable: eight ninety-minute television films (four Poirots and four Marples) started production on October 1st 2007, with Mrs McGinty’s Dead filming exteriors in a bleak and blustery autumnal landscape, and actors and crew alike muttering grimly ‘whatever happened to the summer?’ … and here we are, having just started shooting the final film, They Do It With Mirrors, with (predominantly) the same crew making the same complaints about the same weather. Plus ca change …

Except, of course, there’s one very major change this year: Julia McKenzie having stepped into Geraldine McEwan’s sensible shoes and offering a new interpretation of Miss Marple. That was something we weren’t expecting the wind to blow in when we started this time last year. Bowing out after a wonderful three-year, twelve-film stint, Geraldine has handed the knitting needles to Julia, who has already proven to be immensely popular with the entire crew (possible not unconnected with the fact that she permanently keeps the biggest box of sweets you could imagine on the steps of her mobile dressing room) and with me. I don’t really do sweets – but I do do marmalade, and Julia makes it, and I’ve got some.

Actually, saying ‘Julia does marmalade’ is a bit like saying ‘Agatha Christie writes books’, in that it in no way encompasses the scope and scale of the operation. This marmalade is truly wonderful. Not only does Julia import vast quantities of oranges from Seville (nothing else will do), she spends weeks peeling, chopping (and other things that marmalade makers do, but which I’m too shy to ask her about) until she ends up with enough bottles to see her through the winter, and to satisfy family, friends and a very demanding executive producer. The only problem is, now she’s Miss Marple, (and wasting all this time preparing, rehearsing and filming the part) the marmalade-making, I have discovered to my horror, has had to be put on the back-burner, so to speak.

This has meant urgently-convened, long and painful discussions with the department that puts the filming schedules together to try and ensure enough free time for next year’s batch to be made. The alternative is too awful to contemplate.

Staying with citrus fruits, amongst the highlights of our filming Appointment With Death in Morocco last May were the local tagine stews – which have preserved lemon as part of the important  ingredients. The trick in eating tagine is to try and avoid the lemon itself, or you risk getting an uncomfortably big hit of quintessential sour that stays with you for longer than you would like. Close observers may notice that Poirot’s lips are looking even more pursed than usual in scenes towards the end of the film; in part, this is the character communicating increasing disbelief at the stories and alibis that the various suspects are spinning him … but in part it might also be the actor attempting to resist the full-face grimace brought on by a sudden return of the pickled lemon.

Phil Clymer, Executive Producer for the Poirot and Marple films

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15 comments

wicksonj72 29 Aug 09 at 8:58p.m.

Please can somebody throw some light as to why the UK is the last country in the world it seem's to be shown the Latest Julia Mackenzie Marple Series???? Was Agatha Christie not british?? Anyway enough of that! So as yet I cannot comment on whether Julia Mckenzies portrayal of Miss Marple is anygood, judging by all the other roles Mackenzie has starred in I can't possibly imagine she could be any worse than that appaling Mckewan woman! And in response to the comment somebody else has left on here regarding Joan Hickson having no humanity in the role.... she was meant to be a super sleuth not everyone's favourite grandmother! And as Agatha herself said she hoped one day Joan Hickson would play her Marple! Oh please get with the programme!

Max43 26 Aug 09 at 1:41p.m.

I was very disappointed by Julia McKenzie's Miss Marple.

First we had Margaret Rutherford's campy and ridiculous portrayal, which made the character more comic than serious. Angela Lansbury, who was born in London, was ridiculous trying to "be British" in her one outing as Marple. Joan Hickson was many people's quintessential Marple but I found her portraysl too impersonal, even nasty, totally lacking in humanity.

Christie's books display Miss Marple's incredible humanity in spite of what she was about. None of those listed above who have played the character display much of the humanity Christie incorporated into her character, EXCEPT for Geraldine McEwan.

I felt hers was a perfect portrayal, even though many inexplicability didn't like her, and I was really sorry to see her go. There was an underlining benevolent cuteness to her Marple. It was a human and humane Marple. She seemed truly sorry for the person she had to expose as the murderer.

Julia McKenzie is, alas, terribly boring, lacking a real personality, much less a "Marple" personality. She seems to stand and look dithery without much interest in what she is doing and that faceless vapid look she continuously displays gets to be annoying. I have seen all four or the recent movies, feeling she might grow on me. She hasn't.

Vjenssen 02 Feb 09 at 2:47a.m.

Dear Phil
Julia McKenzie's Marple is a big disappointment.
I just watched "Murder is Easy" here in Canada.
She looks tired, confused and spaced.
Not very intelligent looking, what I miss is the nosiness of McEwan. Also the spryness.
McKenzie is rooted to the ground, no spring.

At least put a different hat on her.

If I am not mistaken, the directing seems to have changed a bit, maybe Murder is easy just has too many characters for TV, it's been a while since I read it.

One can't imagine why the Village didn't just drive her back to the station for the next train.

I will watch the next one to see if things improve...

vanessawagstaff 16 Jan 09 at 4:14p.m.

When does Appointment with Death come to our TV? I love the idea of Julia making the vast quantities of marmalade! Can they be put on the shop part of this website for sale! Can David Suchet read more Christie audio, the ipod generation is keen and his voice is lovely and theatrical and deep.

Jemma 30 Oct 08 at 5:13p.m.

Thanks for all your comments on Phil’s first blog. It was great to see so much interest in the next set of Christie films to be made.
I’m happy to confirm that ITV has commissioned 8 new films to be made over the next year or so and Murder on the Orient Express is to be one of them! 2009 marks the 75th anniversary of the novel and we can’t wait for filming to begin on the lavish new production. There will be an all star cast and it looks set to be one of the best films we have ever made. Phil will continue to be writing blogs for you from the set of all the new productions but for the moment he tells me the other titles remain a secret ...

rick91 26 Oct 08 at 7:56p.m.

Not about the film or TV series, but about the play - 'And then there were none'. Adapted from 'Ten Little Niggers' (non-PC !). On at Chichester Festival Theatre last week, very well-acted. With Gerald Harper, ex-TV 'Adam Adamant' series of the 1960s. He must be in his late 70s, but acted energetically - as did the rest of the cast. different from the book, with no detective. but we all knew who had been the murderer by the end. It's going on tour so try to find out where & see it.

wolfbridge 10 Oct 08 at 12:11a.m.

Murder on the Orient Express will be the "Big One" in Series 12. Dead Mans Folly will be the 2nd Biggest of the New Movies, it´s with Ariadne Oliver, and like Murder on the Orient Express, it has already been Filmed and will prove to make some People interesting in it.

For the "little" new Movies, Elephants can remember will be the one that has to be nearly completely rewritten. It is again a Story with Ariadne Oliver, and Superintendent Spence.

Hallowe'en Party will close that Season, again with Ariadne Oliver and Superintendent Spence.

Season 13 would focus on different Persons in Poirots life: Three Act Tragedy (Mr.Satterwaite), The Clocks would feature none of his usual Sidekicks, then the Big Four could bring back some Old Favourites and Curtain closes with them all.

I´m not sure what the other 2 would be as Mr.Suchet said that they want to do 10.
Black Coffee and The Labours of Hercules would be the ones.

I´d rather have The Labours of Hercules as a 12 Part series but i doubt ITV would bring up the Money for 12 43 minute-Episodes.

But let´s get surprised.

polgara 09 Oct 08 at 2:26p.m.

I would like to know whether we did get the contract to make Orient Express as I am really looking forward to seeing who the cast will be beside David of course.
Can anyone please help?

littlegrey76 26 Sep 08 at 9:33a.m.

Dear Mr Clymer,
i would like to suggest a little game for your blog, why you don't put some clues, to let us discover the new 4 Titles of the Agatha Christie's Poirot?! a clue from time to time.
should be the better way to let us know the titles in a very Christie way!

please let me know what do you think.

wolfbridge 25 Sep 08 at 4:51p.m.

well everytime it´s the BIG game between us fans - what will the next 4 ones be?

Please, keep us up to date with the Info.

My Guessing is still MOTOE, Folly, Elephants and Halloween!

Sabrina776 25 Sep 08 at 12:31a.m.

I have not read all of these, but all the movies sound fascinating!

littlegrey76 24 Sep 08 at 2:06p.m.

just one title, right now?... :)

vansittart 24 Sep 08 at 8:16a.m.

Thanks for this and I hope your blog continues as I'm sure we're all greedy for news of upcoming adaptations.

littlegrey76 23 Sep 08 at 2:59p.m.

Second one!
i really love the new site! and overall the blog and the Christie News!!
Finally, can we hope to know much more news in real time about the production or pre-production of the future Poirot episodes?
please let us know more info for the future!
to Start, will be a great gift for fans to let us know the titles of the 4 new Poirot episode in pre-production!!!! please
thanks a lot! and thank a lot for your efforts!

pghfan 22 Sep 08 at 5:44p.m.

It is wonderful to have so many new productions to look forward to. I know that some of these have started airing in the UK, but those of us in the US will have to wait until next summer for even the first of these to air, unless they made it to DVD first, which seems quite likely.