JohnHowardReid Copyright 31 December 1961 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. New York opening at the Baronet: 7 January 1962. U.S. release: 30 December 1961. U.K. release: 26 September 1961. Australian release: 31 May 1962. Sydney opening at the Liberty. 7,720 feet. 86 minutes.SYNOPSIS: While traveling on a train, Miss Marple, an elderly spinster with an avid taste for detective stories, witnesses a murder on another train that passes by. Naturally, the police don't believe her story, so she sets out to investigate the crime herself.NOTES: First of the four Miss Marple mystery movies. See Murder Most Foul. Except for 2009's "Glorious 39", this is the final film appearance of Muriel Pavlow, who has since acted exclusively on the stage or in television.COMMENT: This one shapes up as a Miss Marple meets Sir Lancelot Spratt movie, with delightful consequences for all. However, being a murder mystery, it doesn't quite work out that way. True, Margaret Rutherford is handed the lion's share of the action, but James Robertson Justice's role is actually disappointingly small. It's Arthur Kennedy who makes most of the running, with good support from a somewhat subdued Muriel Pavlow and a cast of interesting suspects including quota quickie stars Ronald Howard and Conrad Phillips. On the right side of the law, Charles Tingwell and Stringer Davis also manage a fair share of screen time. There's precious little left for James Robertson Justice, aside from a couple of scenes which allow him to shout and rant a treat, plus a completely out of character and rather disconcerting fade-out. The mystery itself holds the interest, despite Pollock's generally flat, steady-as-she-goes direction (he does deliver a few nice atmospheric effects), although the identity of the killer will be obvious to most viewers almost right from the start.

secondtake Murder She Said (1961)Well paced, well made, but also thoroughly "delightful" in a kind of post-war polite British lighthearted way. This is an enjoyable ride, but never with any genuine drama—it is too happily happy all the time.The actors are first rate, especially the lead playing Miss Marple, Margaret Rutherford. Arthur Kennedy is given big billing, and his role as an American is conspicuous (and strong).The plot is clever and well constructed of course—this is adapted from an Agathe Christie novel. And to tell truth, the thing that makes this thing hang at all is the terrific writing. The nephew on first appearance says to Miss Marple, "You're not my idea of a maid." And Marple replies, "Quite honestly, you'd not be everybody's idea of a boy." So Marple asserts herself, which is the charming aspect to it all (along the lines of "Murder She Wrote," if that's not obvious already from the title).There are naturally lots of people who are under suspicion, and you gradually have to try to guess who is likely or not. You play that internal game of thinking who is just too obvious and which unlikely character is actually guilty. There is some confusion about how they might confuse a recent victim with one who died 16 years ago, but we'll ignore that. The problem for me is that we are not given time to really know or care about anyone. Everyone is a type—a rich family supplying most of the caricatures. The one complex character is Marple herself. And she's terrific. She makes the movie. The whole filming and feeling to the movie is good, too. It's an enjoyable affair—which brings me back to my first word: delightful. Thoroughly.

lgrace I love this movie...in fact, I love all the Margaret Rutherford Marple movies. They were on continuous play when I was young--when there was still a "Late, Late Show" and a "Sunday Morning Movie". The story does swerve mightily from the book, but it is no less entertaining for that. Rutherford's expressions are a delight as she marches through Ackenthorp Manor as a very nosy and bossy maid (she was in her seventies I believe). Her Miss Marple is the Auntie most of us would love to have had. Curmudgeon-like and yet kind and funny, and very, very wise.

Paul Evans Miss Jane Marple witnesses a man strangling a woman on a passing train, the Police don't take her story seriously. As a keen reader of detective stories she decides to investigate the murder herself. She and friend Mr Stringer begin investigating along the train track, and a clue leads her to Ackenthorpe Hall, home to a wealthy family. To investigate further Miss Marple gets herself a job there to set about catching the killer.The film looks glorious, it's lovely on the eyes. The music is fun, if a little heavy at times. Really good performances from the cast.The best bit for me has to be the discovery of the body, even though it's not meant to be Marple herself that finds her, who cares, it works really well. The ending is just brilliant too, I love how it was done.I can see why Christie was not so keen on Rutherford in the title role, she's nothing like the book's character, but she puts her own inimitable stamp on the role, and is quite fabulous. It's all about Rutherford's scenes with James Robertson Justice, such a huge domineering actor, they bounce wonderfully well off one another.Its wonderful that Joan Hickson appears, I wonder if this is where Christie first saw her.Its a great film, perhaps the most serious of her 4 outings? It's so watchable for so many reasons, mostly Rutherford's performance. 8/10