Product Description

She's back! Proper, demure, and sharp as a tack, Agatha Christie's beloved Miss Marple returns to the limelight in sparkling new adaptations of four classic Christie novels. Geraldine McEwan (The Magdalene Sisters, Mapp & Lucia) is the ladylike sleuth, a wispy senior citizen who blows the police professionals out of the water with her keen insight and shrewdly analytical nature. Fearless and uncommonly wise to the worst in human nature, Marple has lived a long time-and she's paid attention.

As seen on the PBS Mystery! series, these lavish 21st-century productions are rich in post-WWII period atmosphere and delicious Christie wit, with star-studded casts that include Joanna Lumley, Derek Jacobi, Tara Fitzgerald, Ian Richardson, Janet McTeer, Zok Wanamaker, Simon Callow, James Fox, John Hannah, and Celia Imrie.

The Mysteries:
Murder at the Vicarage
The Body in the Library
A Murder Is Announced
4:50 From Paddington

DVD special features include an hour-long behind-the-scenes featurette with cast and crew interviews, a history of Miss Marple adaptations, a photo gallery and more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15454 in DVD
• Brand: MCEWAN,GERALDINE
• Released on: 2005-05-24
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .90 pounds
• Running time: 376 minutes

Amazon.com
Miss Marple is back, and what an invigorating, happy experience this quartet of British television productions is for both mystery fans and casual viewers. The luminous Geraldine McEwan (Vanity Fair), following in the footsteps of Helen Hayes, Angela Lansbury, Margaret Rutherford, and others, essays Agatha Christie's aging, amateur sleuth as a discreet observer, knowing friend, and judicious dispenser of wisdom during murder investigations. But what really makes these crisp adaptations a delight is the endless parade of familiar actors playing those numerous suspects, baffled police, and innocent observers who routinely populate Christie's glossy, whodunit landscapes. It's hard not to be dazzled by supporting casts that include Tara Fitzgerald, Robert Powell, Simon Callow, Joanna Lumley, Ian Richardson, Jane Asher, Miriam Margolyes, Tim McInnerny, Herbert Lom, and Jenny Agutter, all nestled into gorgeous, post-World War II backdrops, usually in the English countryside.

This boxed set includes "The Murder at the Vicarage," based on Christie's 1930 book about the killing of one hugely unlikable Colonel Protheroe (Derek Jacobi) in Jane Marple's pretty home village of St. Mary Mead. Typically, there is no end of likely suspects, but what makes the investigation unusual is a pair of competing confessions from two illicit lovers (Jason Flemyng, Janet McTeer). Stephen Tompkinson (Ballykissangel) is very good as a police inspector who slowly develops admiration for Miss Marple's keen mind. "The Body in the Library" finds Marple aiding the brassy Dolly Bantry (Lumley) after the latter finds the body of an unknown woman in her library. Callow is wonderful as another cop who initially underestimates the heroine's gifts. "A Murder Is Announced," in which a killing is advertised before it happens, and "4:50 from Paddington," about a murder without a body, round out the set with imaginative plots and memorable performances. Don't miss the special featurette in which McEwan and others talk about the endless appeal of Miss Marple. --Tom Keogh

The Hollywood Reporter
Lively scripting, crisp direction, and evocative design... Christie fans have a treat in store.

Julia Buckley blog
The episodes themselves are visually arresting, really lush and beautiful.

Customer Reviews

Too many changes.
I watched the new Miss Marple series, excited to see what Geraldine McEwan would do with the role. Unfortunately, I don't like what they've done with this latest batch of Christie's. Mrs. McEwan is a fine actress and she brings a "fluffiness" to the role that is missing from the Hickson version. Still, there is too much tampering with the plotlines to suit me. There are significant changes made in a couple of the stories, most notably in "The Body in the Library" so let the buyer beware. This isn't a minor change either as it involves the resolution of the case. They also add an odd, on-going storyline involving Miss Marple's own past love life that is simply not part of the books and isn't even close to being in keeping with the character of Miss Marple. As Agatha Christie is arguably the most acclaimed and accomplished mystery writer that ever lived, these changes were pretty outrageous. Her books stand the test of time and need no updating simply to satisfy 21st century ideas. I was surprised at this as the British are usually the ones who can be depended upon to leave good stories alone. So, if you just want a few hours of light entertainment, have at it, but if you're an Agatha Christie purist, you won't like this dvd so save your money.

Really awful
The new Miss Marple series is truly awful. Not only is Geraldine McEwen completely miscast as the elderly spinster sleuth, but the stories themselves have been distorted to make them "politically correct" in the modern sense. The result is a confusing mess. Ms. McEwen is a fine actress and I have enjoyed her in other roles, but as Miss Marple she's a disaster. Her Miss Marple, with the little smirks and little girl voice, could hardly be described as Nemesis. Nor would she ever have gained the respect of any law enforcement professional. She's really Ms. Marple light.

If you want the real Miss Marple, read the books, or see the Joan Hickson versions. After all, Miss Hickson was Agatha Christie's own choice for the role.

New Marple is too young and fails to disguise herself as an amateur
Hasn't anyone noticed that the new Miss Marple (Geraldine McEwan) is far too young for the role? They try everything in the costume and makeup department to make her look older - give her a pale, ghostly complexion, fuzzy white hair, a dowdy, pale dress to wash out her complexion even more, little round spectacles and a frumpy old hat. What is worse is her voice. She tries to sound old and crotchety, and she can't pull it off. But worst of all, she lacks the dry wit of the Marple character. She does not have the personality of Marple. The trademark quality of the Marple character is this: underneath the guise and pretense of being a bumbling, feebleminded, old woman is really a brilliant, calculated, super sleuth. The new Marple doesn't put up the facade of the bumbling, feebleminded old woman at all. Instead, she acts sassy and clever. This takes the wind out of the sail of the Marple character, because there is no building of a deception or act that she is not who she portrays herself to be. The end is when she should reveal her true capabilities of unraveling a baffling mystery, but in this series, she gives that away scene by scene during the entire movie. It is evident that she fails to portray her dotty old woman character because none of the other characters treat her like she is a nosy, old busybody who should keep to herself. Instead, they all willingly answer her questions and then act as if they care about her opinion. To add insult to injury, the other characters are all unlikable and overplay their parts. The only qualities which give the illusion that these films are good are the sets, the modern film equipment, and modern filming techniques used. Ultimately, the films lack the building the suspense in order to climax when the mystery is revealed. Instead, the mystery is finally revealed after the suspense of the film is deflated, has dragged on and you are already tired of the characters and the story.